Company Overview

Originating as a small surf shop in 1968, South Moon Under has evolved into a national fashion retailer. We are building a vibrant, diverse team of creative, friendly, skilled, and passionate people who want to work hard and win even harder. We value our employees, and we enable them to deliver their best work. If you want to work for a company where we drive for success every day, without compromising human connection, you’ve found your Team!

At South Moon Under, our mission is summed up in four words – love. create. drive. imagine. We love this team - We create and curate beautiful things - We drive to be our best and we inspire others to tap into their power - We imagine and execute on our visions every day. Our Team is filled with smart, skilled, dynamic, creative, and passionate employees who drive to be better every day. Our customers are our inspiration. We personally curate our products to make our customers look and feel good. When our customers walk into our stores, we aim to connect and spread the love.

General Summary

The Merchandise Planner is responsible for building financial sales, gross margin, and inventory plans for all seasons of the business cycle. These plans should be aligned with the company’s financial forecast. This role must partner with the Buying & Merchandising group to create & deliver local (and company-wide) assortment strategies that will maximize sales and profits. This individual is responsible for the successful development, execution, and communication of financial and inventory plans. Provide analytics and support to the Merchandising organization as well as executive updates on business performance. Actively manage the company’s Open To Buy in support of the Senior Planner, and support the strategy and execution of pricing and promotion strategies.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

· Oversee the development of annual, seasonal, monthly & weekly merchandise plans through buy strategies.

· Construct inventory flow plans, with the goal to maximize inventory turn and GMROI

· Manage weekly department level open to buy activities

· Provide expert analysis on trends and recommendation to influence cancellations, future purchases, and assortment strategies.

· Analyze historic performance to identify areas of opportunity or risk.

· Prepare preseason promotional and markdown strategy through partnership with buyer and merchandising.

· Develop, maintain, update, and automate set of tools & reports to support the needs of the business.

· Establish appropriate process & tools to review product assortments; providing data & analysis to support decision making.

· Maintain business processes and serve as subject matter expert for process improvements.

· Partner with allocation & supply chain teams to implement consistent and profitable in-season replenishment strategies and practices.

· Develop enterprise wide risk mitigation plans and execute when appropriate.

· Test multiple business strategies simultaneously, quantifying & communicating business impacts and be able to report results clearly and concisely to Executive management.

· Manage SKU & style intensive businesses.

· Manage location intensive assortments.

· Communicate effectively, and at times persuasively, with employees at all levels of the company.

· Support and adhere to all company policies, procedures, and guidelines.

· Other duties as assigned.

Job Required Knowledge, Skills and Education:

· Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field.

· 3-5 years merchandising, planning, buying, or equivalent experience preferred.

· Strong understanding of retail math and measure used in financial reporting.

· Proven ability to perform independently with minimal supervision.

· Ability to operate a computer and maneuver relative software programs.

· 3-5 years Excel experience (Advanced)-Complex formulas and template building

· Analytic Skills: Ability to think objectively and interpret meaningful themes from quantitative and qualitative data

· Financial and Business Acumen: Ability to evaluate financial and business indicators and translate data into actionable information to drive results.

· Problem Solving & Decision Quality: Able to use rigorous logic and methods to solve problems with effective solutions

· Relationship Management: Able to build constructive and effective relationships with a broad and diverse group of business partners, both internally & externally.

· Dealing with Paradox: Ability to balance conflicting & competing priorities. Delivering a set of options, detailing impacts for each while driving to a single recommendation.

· Presentation Skills: Effective in a variety of presentation settings including one-on-one, small and large groups, and with peers and Executives

· Influencing and Negotiation: Can present ideas and directions that lead others to action

· Planning and Priority Setting: Demonstrate an ability to set objectives and goals and organize work appropriately to meet and exceed goals

· Process Management: Can identify and articulate the processes necessary to get things down efficiently and align resources effectively complete activities

· Systems and Tools Acumen: Advanced capabilities in Microsoft Excel, Proficiency in Microsoft Access, PowerPoint and Word. Must also have aptitude to learn technical applications quickly and be capable of building templates/ tools.

· Risk Management: Anticipate risks and identifies contingency plans and processes to prevent disruptions when risks occur

· This position requires less than 10% travel

· Ability and willingness to travel overnight for training and/or business meetings

· Coachability: Ability to embrace constructive feedback with an open mind. Willingness and eagerness to learn, question norms, and continuously improve.

Reports to: Senior Planner

· Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. South Moon Under maintains the right to modify all or part of any job description at its discretion to meet and or exceed the needs of the business