Strategic Merchandise Planner

At Home Stores LLC; Coppell (TX); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

At Home Stores LLC in Coppell, TX is seeking a Merchandise Planner (Home Org) to lead the financial direction of a department, develop seasonal plans, and support open-to-buy. You will collaborate with Buyers on assortment and buy planning, validate initial allocations, and provide in-season analysis to maximize opportunities.

The role focuses on managing sales, margin, and inventory turn, building pre-season plans, and communicating results weekly to the team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• 4-7 years of retail buying, planning or related analytical experience.
• 2-3 years of experience in merchandise or financial planning roles.
• Demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrates leadership and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the financial success of a department by meeting sales, gross margin and inventory turn goals.
• Develop pre-season merchandise financial plans to the classification level that support department strategies
• Reconcile merchandise plans against top-side goals and assortment plans
• Analyze historical data and current trends to identify risks and opportunities by department and class.
• Provide analytical inputs to support the Buyer in merchandise strategy planning, assortment planning and buy planning processes
• Collaborate with merchandising to develop and communicate a comprehensive strategy that aligns future financial and product opportunities by department and class
• Recap and analyze actual sales results to plan, forecasts in-season sales and inventories on a weekly/monthly/quarterly basis
• Develop monthly forecasts of sales and inventory for all basic styles and develop strategies to meet department financial goals.
• Lead Open-to-Buy Process; present financial forecast and supporting action plans in monthly open-to-buy forecast meeting
• Communicate financial results, forecasts, and action plans to manager and buying team on a weekly basis
• Provide pricing and promotional recommendations that align with department financial goals
• Present financial plans, forecasts, and strategies in key meetings
• Support a collaborative, innovative and results-oriented environment with peers and cross-functional team
• Develop Key Item plans and provide analytics required for planning and managing key items in-season
• Oversee the development of allocations by store and replenishment analysis/forecasting
• Oversee style/SKU count analysis
• Build a high-functioning planning team by developing partnerships, leading, coaching and providing constructive feedback
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with members of cross-functional team
• Prioritize and set expectations around key deliverables with direct reports and buying team
• Oversee store clustering process and provide location recommendations regarding product placement and maximization of trend performance
• Partners with buyer on development of reinventions, visual initiatives, and collaborations
• Assist the buy process by performing planning functions within the assortment planning/item planning tool
• Manage and develop direct report

Skills

Analytical thinking

Leadership

Communication skills

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

At Home Stores LLC in Coppell, TX is seeking a Merchandise Planner (Home Org) to lead the financial direction of a department, develop seasonal plans, and support open-to-buy. You will collaborate with Buyers on assortment and buy planning, validate initial allocations, and provide in-season analysis to maximize opportunities.

The role focuses on managing sales, margin, and inventory turn, building pre-season plans, and communicating results weekly to the team.