Strategic Merchandise Planner: Forecast & Optimize Inventory

Petco; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Petco is seeking a Merchandise Planner to drive merchandise financial plans, forecast sales and optimize inventory across stores and channels. You will collaborate with buying teams to build assortments aligned with brand strategy and customer demand.

The role requires strong analytical thinking, retail acumen, and advanced Excel skills, with experience in planning tools like JDA, SAP or Oracle. This is a full-time, on-site position supporting Petco’s omni-channel operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Finance, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in merchandise planning, preferably in specialty retail.
• Experience with omnichannel retail and inventory optimization tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain merchandise financial plans by category, season, and store/channel.
• Forecast sales, margin, and inventory targets based on historical data and market trends.
• Collaborate with buying teams to build assortments that align with brand strategy and customer demand.
• Monitor inventory levels and recommend replenishment strategies to minimize stockouts and overstocks.
• Partner with allocation teams to ensure optimal product distribution across stores and channels.
• Identify slow-moving items and propose markdowns, promotions, or reallocation strategies.
• Analyze performance metrics including sell-through, turn, margin, and ROI.
• Prepare weekly/monthly business reviews and present insights to cross-functional teams.
• Support pricing and promotional strategies to maximize profitability.
• Work closely with merchandising, marketing, supply chain, and store operations teams.
• Provide planning input for product launches, seasonal campaigns, and store openings.

Skills

Analytical Thinking

Retail Acumen

Communication

Technical Proficiency

Strategic Mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Finance, or related field

Tools

JDA

SAP

Oracle

Job description

Petco is seeking a Merchandise Planner to drive merchandise financial plans, forecast sales and optimize inventory across stores and channels. You will collaborate with buying teams to build assortments aligned with brand strategy and customer demand.

The role requires strong analytical thinking, retail acumen, and advanced Excel skills, with experience in planning tools like JDA, SAP or Oracle. This is a full-time, on-site position supporting Petco’s omni-channel operations.