About the Position
OVERVIEW
Retail Concepts, Inc. is a leading, privately owned, specialty retailer which operates as Sun & Ski Sports. Our stores and website are intensely merchandised destinations for outdoor lifestyle and active customers. Sun & Ski is positioned to provide not only the equipment and accessories for enthusiast's activities, but also the lifestyle apparel and footwear desired by outdoor, active, and contemporary customers. The company operates 31 stores across 12 states, sells on-line through sunandski.com and is headquartered at 10225 Mula Rd Ste 120, Stafford, TX 77477.
SUMMARY
Our merchandising department is currently searching for a Merchandise Planning Manager. The Merchandise Planning Manager is responsible for achieving sales and profit objectives for assigned merchandise categories, working in conjunction with one or more buying teams. This responsibility includes the development and successful execution of top line and detail financial plans, assortment/buy plan, and merchandise allocation strategies.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Open-to-Buy Planning & Monitoring:
- Quantifies, develops and monitors the Open to Buy Plans
- Coordinates and leads business review
- Analyzes and recommends optimal vendor/store matrix and coordinates store input for vendor matrix development
- Analyzes and makes recommendations for transition/exit/aging strategies
- Reviews class sales and receipt targets
- Develops store level opportunity analysis
- Reviews monthly flow of class level plans
- Executes the formal top line plan review
- Provides systems expertise and ad-hoc analysis for their area
- Analyzes inventory productivity and recommends adjustments to follow business and market trends
- Identifies and recommends markdown projections
- Analyzes factors relating to profitability
- Partners with the IT team to coordinate potential systems and process enhancements
Purchasing, Allocation and Replenishment
- Develops and provides target markup/markdown analysis and guidelines
- Aids in providing systems expertise for their area and coordinates recommendations for systems enhancement requests
- Develops and provides target markup/markdown analysis and guidelines
- Conducts analysis to measure replenishment and allocation effectiveness
- Participates in handling store communications regarding replenishment and allocation
- Makes recommendations for fixture/square footage capacities based on research and analysis
- Reviews case pack and order flow recommendations
- Partners with buyers to identify distribution and vendor logistics opportunities
- Evaluates purchase order placement activity as well as the maintenance of and revisions made to purchase orders
- Conducts weekly sales/stock review sessions
- Guides micro-merchandising strategies to optimally incorporate store profiles into the assortment and allocation processes
- Provides analysis and research to support the creation of assortment/buy plans
- Ensures best practices for assortment planning and makes recommendations to support replenishment and allocation strategies
Merchandising:
- Analyzes and recommends merchandise strategy (to maximize sales and profitability)
- Develops strategic plan for category and breaks out by class/vendor/store
- Monitors and provides feedback from evaluating competition
- Provides various scenarios to achieve sales and profit objectives
DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS:
- Must have 3+ years' experience as a Merchandise Planner or Distributor with a medium to large size retailer, specialty retail experience is a plus.
- Expert command of retail math, exposure and understanding of cost method of accounting is a strong plus.
- Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Business, Fashion Merchandising or other related field.
- Strong organizational skills and demonstrated ability to prioritize workload.
- Strong attention to detail, with excellent organizational and communication skills.
- Self-starter who enjoys working in a fast paced, entrepreneurial, results oriented environment.
- Proven ability to build productive cross-functional relationships.
- Computer skills to include intermediate to advanced skills in Excel as well as merchandise planning system experience.
IND123
Compensation
Wage will be based on experience and interview process.
Company Benefits
Available to Full-Time Employees Only
- Paid Vacations & Holidays
- Group Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
- Pet Insurance
- Life/Accidental Death Insurance
- Long Term Disability
- Flexible Employee Benefit Plan (Cafeteria Plan)
- 401(k) Plan *
- Associate Discount *
- Company/Vendor sponsored Product Knowledge/Training Adventure trips
* Benefits available to all employees.