Senior Director, Inventory and Merchandise Planning

Wantable; Milwaukee (WI); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free food and drinks

Flexible schedules

Paid parental leave

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) options

Job summary

A dynamic fashion retail company based in Milwaukee, WI is seeking a Senior Director, Inventory and Merchandise Planning to lead their planning strategy. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in merchandise planning, with a proven track record in managing complex inventory strategies. This role offers a flexible hybrid working environment along with comprehensive benefits including medical insurance and generous discounts.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in merchandise planning or financial planning in retail.
• 3+ years in a leadership role.
• Proven success managing OTB plans.

Responsibilities

• Lead merchandise planning and inventory management strategies.
• Develop financial and unit-level forecasts.
• Oversee team responsible for forecasting and inventory optimization.

Skills

Analytical skills

Financial acumen

Leadership skills

Collaboration

Tools

Excel

Tableau

Job description

Senior Director, Inventory and Merchandise Planning

Reports To: Chief Commercial Officer

Location: Milwaukee, WI (Hybrid)

Employment Type: Full-Time, Salaried, Exempt

About Wantable

At Wantable, we're redefining retail through personalization. Our membership-based model and proprietary technology empower us to curate products that help customers discover confidence and joy through style.

As a data-driven fashion company, we combine human intuition with algorithmic intelligence to deliver personalized assortments - balancing creativity, analytics, and operational precision.

We're seeking a Senior Director of Inventory & Merchandise Planning to lead Wantable's end-to-end planning strategy, driving forecasting accuracy, inventory optimization, and financial performance across our dynamic business.

About the Role

As the Senior Director of Merchandise Planning, you'll lead & deliver the strategy, execution, and optimization of inventory and merchandise planning across Wantable's multi-category assortment. You'll play a critical leadership role in driving growth, profitability, and operational excellence by ensuring the right product is available at the right time and in the right quantities.

You will oversee a high-performing team responsible for forecasting, open-to-buy (OTB) management, inventory optimization, and pricing strategy. This role partners closely with Merchandising, Product Development, Purchasing, and Operations to align inventory decisions with company goals and customer demand.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a vertically integrated, data-driven retail business during an exciting phase of growth and innovation.

What You’ll Do

• Lead all merchandise planning, allocation, and inventory management strategies to maximize revenue and margin performance
• Develop and own financial and unit-level forecasts, ensuring alignment across merchandising, product development, and operations
• Build and maintain seasonal and long-range OTB plans, balancing growth initiatives with margin and inventory productivity targets
• Partner with Merchandising leadership to drive strategic planning, product flow, and financial accountability
• Work closely with Product Development team to plan and forecast for private brands, supporting Wantable's strategic expansion into owned product
• Leverage Wantable's proprietary data and analytics tools to enhance forecasting accuracy and optimize inventory turns
• Identify opportunities for in-season business adjustments, including markdowns, reorders, and product flow optimization
• Develop category-level and attribute-level strategies to meet customer demand and stylist needs
• Oversee development and refinement of dashboards, reports, and tools to support decision-making across the business
• Build, coach, and develop a high-performing planning team that thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with Buying, Product Development, and Styling teams to drive results

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in merchandise planning, inventory management, or financial planning in retail or e-commerce, with at least 3 years in a leadership role
• Strong analytical and financial acumen, with the ability to translate data into strategic recommendations
• Proven success managing complex OTB plans, margin targets, and inventory strategies in a high-growth environment
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, and experience building dashboards and analytics tools in Tableau or similar BI platforms
• Exceptional collaboration, communication, and leadership skills; comfortable presenting to executive leadership and cross-functional teams
• Ability to operate strategically while maintaining a hands-on approach to execution
• A data-driven problem solver who thrives in a dynamic, evolving environment

Benefits

• Free food, coffee, and drinks in our HQ's beautiful Wantable Cafe
• Laid-back, casual environment in a state-of-the-art HQ in Walkers Point
• Flexible schedules
• Paid parental leave (mothers AND fathers)
• Private room for nursing mothers
• Paid vacation and seven paid holidays per year
• 50% discount on all merchandise (eligible from day one)
• Medical (traditional and high deductible), dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with pre-tax and Roth options

Why You’ll Love Working Here

At Wantable, we combine creativity and data to deliver personalized shopping experiences that empower confidence. You'll join a collaborative team that values curiosity, accountability, and innovation — all while shaping the future of a customer-first retail brand.