Planner

Summary

The Planner at Holt Renfrew is responsible for collaborating with the buying team to provide a merchandise management framework to drive the business and maximize profit. This role involves delivering detailed multi-dimensional plans, forecasts, and analysis to enhance assortment decisions, vendor negotiations, inventory, and markdown management.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and own merchandise plans that align with corporate strategy and deliver maximum full price sales and profit.
• Build strong partnerships with merchant/buying counterparts to collaborate on planning decisions and opportunities.
• Produce and interpret end of season analysis to support optimizing planning and buying decisions.
• Manage plan integrity across all relevant hierarchies including merchandise, store, and seasons.
• Maintain plans across all relevant metrics including sales, markdown, margin, receipts, and other inventory actions.
• Manage in-season performance through the reforecasting cycle to improve inventory productivity and drive profit.
• Collaborate with merchant/buying counterparts to mitigate risk and drive sales, full price sell-through, and profit.
• Work with Assistant Planners and Allocation Analysts to manage inventory levels across the network.
• Maintain accurate Demand Forecasts/Auto-Replenishment models and manage open to buy accordingly.
• Manage markdown inventory and proposals on price reductions to drive profitable sell-through.
• Collaborate with merchant/buying counterparts to identify slow moving items and propose markdowns.
• Review markdown performance and liaise with stores and supply chain to drive opportunities.
• Calculate and propose relevant further price reductions and actions to balance margin and off-price sell-through.
• Work with buyers to produce a recode proposal that ensures optimized inventory performance.
• Forecast and follow-up on performance of promotional, marketing, and other events.
• Make recommendations on event activity based on inventory performance analysis.
• Produce analysis on event results and interpret future opportunities.
• Participate in and champion projects.
• Develop the knowledge and skills of Assistant Planners and Allocation Analysts.
• Collaborate with peers across planning to ensure consistent, best practice processes, systems, and reporting.
• Prepare performance presentation data where requested.
• Present findings and results to cross-functional audiences as required.
• Build effective partnerships with internal contacts such as buyers, stores, supply chain, finance, and marketing.
• Develop processes, systems, and reports.

Requirements

• Post-secondary degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• 2+ years of successful experience in a merchandise planning business unit.
• Excellent financial acumen and strong analytical skills.
• Demonstrated influencing skills with the ability to get things done.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Confident and effective written and verbal communicator.
• Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity and change.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and use of ERP and Merchandise Planning systems.
• Passionate about fashion and luxury retailing.