Merchandise Planner - Big Lots

1.  Formulates seasonal, merchandise plans at department and class levels, in partnership with buyer, balancing the mix of close-out vs. non close-out business.  Formulates subclass/sku level plans, as needed.  Evaluates plans on a rolling review schedule and develops recommendations for changes, as appropriate.  Changes plans, as agreed upon. 

2.  Develops sales, inventory and margin forecasts at department and class levels.  Analyzes performance and provides observations, conclusions and recommendations for changes.  Revises forecasts, as needed in partnership with buyer.  Presents logic/strategies in Forecast Meetings

3.  Formulates and manages Subclass/SKU level merchandise forecasts through development of ladder plans and analysis to assist with higher level strategies and forecasting.

4.  Reviews open-to-buy.  Analyzes receipt timing and recommends additional purchases or cancellations based on sales and inventory plans, trends and forecasts. 

5.  Develops promotional forecasts and recommendations while working with buying and allocation to ensure execution of promotional strategies.

6.  Develops assortment plans to achieve plan goals and insure proper inventory balance of the overall assortment and store inventory.

7.  Conducts periodic reviews of seasonal and aged inventories.  Recommends promotional strategies and markdown strategies to liquidate inventories most profitably.

8.  Actively manages the business by identifying opportunities to exploit sales and margin opportunities.  Partners with buyer and allocation analyst to develop execution tactics.

9.  Develops and presents analyses to assess strategy and business performance which include observations, conclusions and recommendations. 

10. Develops and maintains a positive relationship with planning, merchandise, allocation, replenishment and marketing team members through a collaborative team atmosphere and active communication.

11. Promotes the development of the planning department through the active use of tools, the sharing of best practices and providing suggestions for improvement. 

12. Travels to stores to understand the impact of planned merchandise strategies and to stay informed of business and customer trends.

1.  Bachelors Degree required.

2.  Minimum of three years of Merchandise Planning experience required.

3.  Demonstrated strong retail math skills and strong analytical skills required.

4.  Demonstrated business development skills and sound judgment.

5.  Strong organizational skills required.

6.  Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, required.

7.  Strong interpersonal skills and leadership skills required.

8.  System savvy with spreadsheet, word processing, and data analysis tools required.

9.  Capable of learning new processes and tools quickly.

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