Merchandise Planner

The Merchandise Planner is responsible for short- and long-term demand planning and forecasting. Ensuring promotional forecasts are sufficient to support the advertised demand. Ensuring seasonal forecasts are built to support company plans and objectives. Drive collaboration with cross functional team members and key suppliers. A Merchandise Planner has a critical role in ensuring we have the right inventory, in the right place at the right time by providing accurate forecasts.

Essential Job Functions The incumbent must be able to perform all of the following duties and responsibilities with or without a reasonable accommodation.

1. Utilize a variety of analytical and statistical forecasting methods to drive an optimum demand plan and develop and maintain systems to create a baseline demand plan for individual stores and aggregate appropriate demand forecasting units. 
2. Identify key demand signal trends, provide business insight and coordinate recommendations/actions.
3. Identify and understand critical risks and opportunities and the impact on planned demand.
4. Own and drive statistical forecast accuracy performance to achieve company goals and Key Performance Indicators.
5. Incorporate situation analysis, problem diagnosis and operations analysis to support business decision making with financial analysis.
6. Monitor and understand the business impact of weather and effectively adapt to changes in business and/or market trends.
7. Responsible for communicating to all internal and external stakeholders in the planning process.
8. Provide input and help develop planning strategies on existing items, new products and product phase-outs.
9. Publish a demand plan to fulfillment partners for plan execution and capacity planning to ensure in stock levels are achieved.
10. Collaborate with suppliers to ensure inventory planning/forecast strategy is in alignment.
11. Maintain and deliver on key company or individual performance metrics that have been defined and approved by Executive Management.
12. Demonstrate the highest degree of integrity as it pertains to confidential and sensitive information. Such information will be kept confidential at all times and will not be shared with other parties unless directed to do so.

Education/Experience:

1. A bachelor’s degree in Business or related field or equivalent years of experience is required.
2. APICS or other forecasting Certification is preferred.
3. Knowledge of JDA, Oracle Demand Planning, Oracle Retail Management System, Oracle Allocation, SAP/APO, Manugistics, or other demand planning software is preferred
4. Retail experience is preferred.
5. Strong Microsoft Office Skills
6. Strong written and verbal skills required

Fleet Farm is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and gives all applicants for employment equal consideration regardless of race, color, sex, gender, ethnicity, religious creed or belief, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship status, military or veteran status, pregnancy, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law. Upon request and consistent with applicable laws, Fleet Farm will provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation to fully participate in the application process.