Merchandise Planner

The Merchandise Planner is a new and exciting, entrepreneurial position at Entertainment Earth. This role is an opportunity for the right candidate to join our company as a commercial leader, building forecasting and inventory planning systems from the ground up. The Merchandise Planner is responsible for developing, executing, and communicating the OTB (Open-to- buy) for both B2B and D2C segments of the business. The Merchandise Planner will develop merchandise plans and forecasts for future merchandise buys based on historical sales, receiving buys, and current inventory levels. The role helps ensure planned sales, planned gross margin, and planned markdowns are achieved in each product division. Additionally, the Merchandise Planner will identify risks to the business and develop action plans in cooperation with key stakeholders such as the SVP or Merchandising, Head of Sales, and Head of Ecommerce aimed at mitigating inventory challenges and maximizing profitability. Hybrid - three days onsite.A day in the life as a Merchandise PlannerUtilizes in-depth analysis of historical data and sales trends to determine Open-to-Buy (OTB) by category and SKU level for all channels of business for 10,000+ skus annuallyLeads Open-to-Buy (OTB) process and develops pre-season plans in to meet company financial targetsManage end-to-end inventory strategy for each product category including new exclusive product buys, preorders, reorders, and end-of-life markdownsLead monthly business review to determine actions that will optimize sales and gross marginDevelop business processes to influence future purchases and assortment strategyBuild strong cross-functional partnerships with Finance, Operations, and PurchasingCollaborate with buyers to develop promotional strategies to maximize profitabilityRecap monthly and quarterly performance compared to plan budget and last year resultsAnalyze sales and margin to identify opportunities and categories to divestProvide pricing and promotional recommendations that align with department financial goalsAnalyze current sales trends weekly to identify risks and opportunities by department and class.What You'll Bring to The TablePrevious experience establishing forecasting and inventory planning systemsStrong financial acumen and experience in presenting data and analysisStrong communication skills within the team and department; work consistency and accuracyProven ability to efficiently plan, organize, and multi-task to proactively respond to changing demandsDemonstrates leadership and decision-making skillsTakes calculated risks to achieve resultsWhat we're looking forBachelor's degree or equivalent experience4-7 years of demand planning experience in SKU and category level forecasting for businesses that offer both wholesale distribution and direct to consumer retail.Proficient in data analysis, modeling and report buildingExpertise in Microsoft Excel; build macros and utilize formulas to streamline data from multiple sourcesStart-Up and Private equity experience/exposure is preferredBenefits of Joining the Team!Discounts on your favorite collectibles!Free snacks! Clock out by 1pm during Summer Fridays! Or bring your dog to the office!Medical/Dental/Vision Plans/Additional Optional PlansPaid Time Off plus Holidays401(k) matching plan, educational reimbursement and much moreWho we are:Founded in 1996 and based in Simi Valley, California, Entertainment Earth, LLC. - - is the preeminent pioneer and innovator in the worldwide online retail and wholesale toy, gift, and collectibles industry, offering an ever-expanding selection of tens of thousands of licensed products. Renowned for our popular website, print catalog, and groundbreaking best practices, the company has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, CNN, and a number of other newspapers and magazines. We promote a casual but professional atmosphere and offer excellent benefits.