Strategic Merchandise Planner — Inventory & OTB Lead

Citi Trends; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

CITITRENDS is seeking a data-driven, strategic Merchandise Planner who thrives in a fast-paced retail environment and knows how to turn insights into action. This role is critical to driving business performance - owning inventory strategy, influencing buying decisions, and ensuring the right product is in the right place at the right time.

You will analyze sales trends, collaborate with Buyers on open-to-buy strategies, forecast demand, and optimize inventory to maximize profitability.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in merchandise or retail planning.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups).
• Ability to forecast demand and guide assortment decisions.
• Experience with planning or inventory systems preferred.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Highly organized with multitasking.
• Understanding retail metrics (sales, margin, turnover).

Responsibilities

• Own and manage inventory plans across multiple categories.
• Partner with Buyers to develop and execute open-to-buy strategies.
• Analyze sales trends, historical data, and customer behavior to forecast demand.
• Monitor product performance and adjust plans to maximize opportunities and mitigate risk.
• Optimize inventory flow to reduce markdowns and stockouts.
• Deliver clear, actionable reporting on key metrics.
• Present insights to leadership to influence business decisions.
• Operate with urgency in a high-volume, results-driven environment.

Skills

Merchandise planning

Analytical mindset

Advanced Excel

Business insights translation

Collaboration with Buyers

Strong communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Planning systems

Job description

CITITRENDS is seeking a data-driven, strategic Merchandise Planner who thrives in a fast-paced retail environment and knows how to turn insights into action. This role is critical to driving business performance - owning inventory strategy, influencing buying decisions, and ensuring the right product is in the right place at the right time.

You will analyze sales trends, collaborate with Buyers on open-to-buy strategies, forecast demand, and optimize inventory to maximize profitability.