Merchandise Financial Planner

Job description

About the Team:
Our Merchandise Planning and Allocation (MP&A) teams are the driving forces behind making the organization's product visions available to our consumers through calculated and strategic measures. Your involvement in sales and margin forecasts, promotional performance analysis, inventory management, and vendor relationships will play a critical role in obtaining goals while maintaining PetSmart's reputation in the market as a trusted partner to pet parents.

About the Job:
As a Merchandise Financial Planner you will be responsible for the development of accurate annual and seasonal financial plans (sales, margin, inventory and turn) that support the merchandise strategy and financial objectives.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Create and revise all components of a rolling merchandise forecast (sales, margin, receipts, inventory and turn)

Make both collaborative and independent day-to-day decisions which affect gross margin dollars

Partner with the Buyer and Assortment Team to influence the assortment and promotional plans

Analyze and anticipate selling patterns to influence the allocation and replenishment strategy

Provide thought leadership, analysis and insights into trends and recommendations for actions to maximize sales, margin and inventory productivity both on daily basis and via periodic small and large scale presentations.

This position is responsible for following the Merchandise Planning Policies & Procedures that supports delivering the merchandise plan objectives including growth in sales and margin, and driving cost reductions and inventory productivity gains. This includes identifying and communicating opportunities for improvement in your categories of responsibility to your manager and working with your peers and business partners to enable an excellent cross functional team.

This position is responsible for influencing the overall merchandise strategy for assigned categories.

This position will work to develop a solid knowledge of planning practices and alignment with merchandising, promotional and assortment strategies.

This position will leverage their analytical skill sets to influence the decision making process and deliver the merchandise plan objectives.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Achieves Sales, Margin, and Inventory Turnover and other KPIs as designated to plan

Develop yearly/seasonal/weekly category merchandise financial plans (sales, margin, inventory and turn) in accordance with company goals, historical performance and trend analysis. Present strategies to Senior Management.

Analyze and reforecast the business and recommend/implement strategies to maximize opportunities and minimize risk.

Support the leadership team in the seasonal, annual, and long-range strategic and financial planning across a wide array of vendor (direct and external), customer, and merchandising segments. Influences inventory levels and allocation strategies to stay in line with the turn and inventory plan.

Lead, execute and measure performance against the business planning and product creation calendars to engage timely and informed decision making

Own the end-to-end management of merchandise and financial planning, including the optimization of inventory investments across life cycle pricing, in-stock and service levels, and seasonal transitions

Set targets and achieves plans for good/better/best pricing proportions, inventory and space productivity required to support the sales and gross margin plans

Maintain high levels of promotional product availability during promotional periods while minimizing aging and discontinued inventory levels.

Develop key, new and one-time buy items plans and then partner with Merchandise Buyers and Allocation Teams to adjust inventory levels where appropriate in season.

Conduct detailed post-season or post-event analysis, leveraging customer data when appropriate, and present insights and recommendations to leadership team.

Actively create and lead special projects that engage growth opportunities

Work with space and assortment planning team members to influence the assortment planning process based on insights, analysis and strategic direction

Use consumer insights and data combined with a structured test and learn approach to maximize growth opportunities

Support the VP & Director to present within various strategic meetings for the division (i.e. Direction Setting, Marketing Execution meetings, Line Reviews, Open-To-Buy, Vendor, QBR, and other meetings)

Integrate all processes and systems to fully optimize accuracy, efficiency, inventory productivity, and financial productivity.

EXPERIENCE / EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree required, preferably with a business focus.

3+ years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience

JDA Enterprise Planning (or equivalent) experience preferred

Demonstrate ability to develop analytical and problem solving skills (i.e. critical and evaluative thinking) required.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal required. Ability to communicate effectively across many levels within the organization

Ability to influence decisions by creating a excellent case for action, using analytical findings

Collaborative Skills: ability to partner across departments to engage decisions.

Must be a self-starter with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Excellent Excel and PowerPoint skills

About the Culture:
Our home office offers outstanding amenities in a fun and rewarding workplace including:

Pet friendly environment, bring your pets to work!

A work-life balance and family events such as movie nights, art events and vacation festivals

"Top Dog" gym with equipment, fitness classes, massage therapists and personal trainers

"Sit & Stay" Café serving fresh breakfast and lunch options

Starbucks cart-productivity at its finest!

"Lil' Paws" learning center and onsite daycare facility

Volunteer events with PetSmart Charities

Learn more about #LifeAtPetSmart here:

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