Senior Merchandise Planner-

Jannine Abadi Associates; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Jannine Abadi Associates seeks a Senior Merchandise Planner in New York City to drive seasonal financial plans and inventory strategies. You will own Open-to-Buy, forecast demand, and partner with Merchandising, Marketing, Product Development, and Finance to optimize stock levels.

4 days in office with a fast-paced pace; requires 5–8+ years in planning, strong Excel and ERP skills, and familiarity with BI tools. US citizen or residency preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, or related field.
• 5–8+ years of experience in merchandise planning, demand planning, or financial planning.
• Apparel or Denim experience preferred.
• Strong experience with Mass Retailers.
• Advanced mastery of retail math, forecasting, inventory management, and financial analysis.

Responsibilities

• Develop, execute, and communicate strategic merchandise pre-season and in-season financial plans.
• Own Open-to-Buy budget and re-forecast tools and process to maximize sales and margin.
• Lead in-season demand forecasting and inventory flow strategies.
• Collaborate with Merchandising, Product Development, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Finance.
• Leverage ERP, BI platforms, Excel, and AI to optimize planning processes.

Skills

Forecasting

Cross-functional collab

Data-driven decisions

Excel proficient

BI/ERP familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance

Tools

Excel

SAP

NetSuite

BI tools

Job description

We are looking for a Senior Merchandise Planner for a Global apparel manufacturer here in NYC.

4 days in office!

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Develop, execute, and communicate strategic merchandise pre-season and in-season financial plans that support the company's financial and assortment objectives.
• Own the brand Open-to-Buy budget and re-forecast tools and process. Recommend strategic actions to maximize sales and margin, optimize inventory, and mitigate risk.
• Develop pre-season category financial goals with inventory, receipts, and SKU targets that support the brand's objectives, in collaboration with Merchandising. Translate category assortment strategies into SKU-level demand plans, balancing newness with core assortment.
• Lead in-season demand forecasting and inventory flow strategies to improve availability, inventory turns, and sell-through while minimizing excess inventory. Optimize receipt timeliness to support sales forecasts, with recommendations to chase or re-flow receipts as appropriate.
• Proactively identify risks and opportunities based on sales trends. Recommend clear, business-relevant actions to maximize margin and inventory efficiency. Lead actions, such as pricing and promotions, with cross-functional teams.
• Serve as a collaborative partner to Merchandising, Product Development, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Finance. Lead cross-functional meetings with cohesive financial and inventory-related data and proposed solutions.
• Communicate planning assumptions, risks, and recommendations clearly to stakeholders at all levels.
• Leverage ERP, BI platforms, Excel, and AI to optimize planning processes.
• Other duties assigned as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree with a focus in Business, Finance, or a related discipline.
• 5–8+ years of experience in merchandise planning, demand planning, or financial planning, with Apparel or Denim experience preferred.
• Strong experience with Mass Retailers
• Strong expertise in retail math, forecasting, inventory management, and financial analysis. Experience in independently managing an Open-to-Buy.
• Advanced mastery of Microsoft Excel, including but not limited to pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, and data modeling; proficiency in AI tools. Experience managing large, complex datasets with a high degree of accuracy.
• Familiarity with BI tools, ERP, or planning platforms (SAP, NetSuite, or similar).
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and partner cross-functionally.
• Highly analytical, detail-oriented, and comfortable making recommendations in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a strategic, big-picture perspective.
• US citizen or permanent resident (no Visa sponsorship available).