SummaryRH is seeking a Director of Planning for Lighting, Hardware & Decor, a strategic, analytical, and inspirational leader who thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. This individual will bring deep expertise in merchandise planning, strong business acumen, and a passion for developing high-performing teams. With a startup mindset and a commitment to flexibility, the ideal candidate embraces change and approaches challenges with a solution-first attitude. Success in this role will require exceptional leadership, sound judgment, and the ability to align planning strategies with the broader business goals of our brand.
Responsibilities- Provide strategic leadership to the Planning team within the Lighting, Hardware & Decor division, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and results.
- Mentor, coach, and develop planners by enhancing their expertise in planning processes, systems, and tools; actively hire, train, and grow top talent within the team.
- Serve as a key leader within the Merchandising organization, actively participating in and/or leading cross-functional initiatives and strategic project teams.
- Drive the creation and execution of annual and seasonal divisional financial plans, including sales, margin, and inventory targets, in close partnership with Company Planning and Merchandising.
- Collaborate with Merchandising to support and inform product strategies, aligning planning initiatives with brand vision and business goals.
- Deliver comprehensive seasonal and event recaps, as well as ad hoc analysis, to identify risks and opportunities at the department, subclass, class, collection, and SKU levels.
- Leverage historical data and current business trends to develop sound sales, margin, and inventory strategies that support company financial objectives.
- Lead the in-season forecasting process to ensure optimal product flow, proactively managing inventory levels to meet evolving business trends.
- Monitor and manage divisional inventory turnover, in-stock rates, and fulfillment performance to align with plan targets and maximize business efficiency.
- Ensure core inventory plans support display needs, cycle stock, and safety stock levels.
- Develop and execute exit strategies for non-productive inventory to maximize GMROI.
- Present divisional forecasts, insights, and action plans during monthly OTB (Open-to-Buy) meetings; identify and address variances in plans and forecasts on a weekly basis.
Requirements- 10+ years of experience in a high-volume specialty retail or direct-to-consumer business, with a strong focus on merchandise planning, is preferred.
- Proven ability to build and maintain strong, effective relationships across cross-functional teams, fostering a collaborative and solution-oriented work environment.
- Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing, and managing performance metrics to support strategic goals and drive business outcomes.
- A successful track record in leading and managing high-performing planning teams, with a focus on coaching, development, and operational excellence.
- Career progression marked by increasing responsibility in merchandise planning within a high-volume specialty retail environment.
- Deep understanding of financial principles and accountability for departmental budgeting, planning, and forecasting.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel; experience with STS or similar planning systems is strongly preferred.
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