What are the responsibilities and job description for the Merchandise Planner position at Creative Co-Op, Inc.?
INTRODUCTION
Creative Co-Op, Inc. (www.creativecoop.com) is a leading importer and distributor of gift and home decorative accessories. We work with over 15,000 boutique specialty stores in North America, Fortune 500 national retailers and major eCommerce partners. Headquartered in Memphis, TN the company has hundreds of employees globally with offices and showrooms in Portland, Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, and China.
Creative Co-Op is the cornerstone division of Regent Holding Company whose global brands also include Illume (www.illumecandles.com) based in Minneapolis, MN and Bloomingville (www.bloomingville.com) based in Ikast, Demark. Regent’s growth is backed by Freeman Spogli & Co. (www.freemanspogli.com), a leading private equity firm dedicated to investing in the consumer and distribution sectors.
We are looking for dedicated, high energy creative individuals who want to join an industry leader undergoing rapid growth and expansion. We look for people who embody an entrepreneurial spirit and are drawn to our Core Values:
· Think First – We validate gut instincts with facts.
· Act The Right Way – Our integrity has been built over decades and can be lost in seconds.
· Care About More Than Yourself – We are passionate. We show that passion through fierce commitment to our customers and colleagues.
· Embrace Evolution – We are hungry for improvement and never satisfied with the status quo.
Job Definition:
Assists in providing in-depth business analysis and replenishment activity in select categories to help achieve Company goals across all brands.
Primary Responsibilities:
Demand Planning: Reviews sales trends, reviews, and vets forecast data, and adjusts demand forecast as needed
Analyzes demand by customer channel and brand.
Works with manager to identify/support areas of assortment opportunities for all channels and all brands.
Develops knowledge of products and trends across all brands.
Responsible for demand planning and replenishment of select Ports/Countries of Origin.
Monitors and guides Ecommerce and Key Accounts on inventory reservations.
Assists in updating and understanding the impact of adjusting sales and receipts maintained via the Open To Buy.
Assists in identifying areas of promotional opportunity/long inventory.
Daily Tasks:
Reviews historical sales trends and prepares forecasts for demand planning and replenishment.
Reviews top items and program items for in-stock position of inventory and partners with Procurement Specialists to issue Pos and monitor on-time shipment.
Assists in maintaining and updating forecasting tools and reports.
Reviews and validates reorder quantity on a regular cadence for select ports and/or categories.
Reviews weekly out-of-stock and prioritizes top items to ship for all vendors, and notes weekly ship dates at item level.
Maintains healthy in stock levels on all active and key items.
Assists in Key Account and Customer Service Out of Stock requests.
Assists in updating product statuses and end-of-life inventory maintenance.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities Required:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing/Business or similar.
Experience: Knowledge and experience with retail and import buying/planning.
Minimum 2-5 years experience in sales, merchandising, inventory management or purchasing equivalent.
Skills: Strong PC skills, especially strong in Excel.
Self-starter, Able to work independently and self-solve.
Exceptional math, analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Experience in purchasing, procurement, or inventory management preferred.
E-Commerce experience a plus.
High level of retention, accuracy, and attention to detail.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Able to travel domestically when necessary.