Associate Merchandise Planner

Overview

Macy’s is looking for an Associate, Assortment Planner to support the strategic development and execution of buying frameworks for a designated category. This role collaborates with cross-functional teams to align with top-line strategic and financial objectives, contributing to pre-market analysis, in-market quantification, and post-market adjustments.

Overall:

• Collaborate with the Director to develop and execute the buying framework for the designated category.
• Work with cross-functional teams to align with strategic and financial objectives.
• Assist in conducting analyses of pre-market, in-market, and post-market activities.
• Support crafting and implementing Private Brand line plans, considering historical performance and adoption rates.
• Contribute to style outs to ensure alignment with customer preferences and market trends.
• Assist in overseeing the allocation process, confirming store matrix, and applying Min/Max at the Style level.
• Foster relationships and authentic connections with colleagues, customers, and communities, and contribute to a culture of excellence within the Assortment Planning team.

Pre-Market:

• Support the development of by-store sales and turn plans aligned with annual financial targets.
• Assist in inspecting receipt flow plans and addressing variances with Financial Planning.
• Participate in building and maintaining category C-1 in coordination with the Divisional Merchandise Manager (DMM).
• Assist in assessing current-season performance and determining future-season replenishment assortment.
• Assist in establishing bottoms-up targets for key-item volume drivers, trends, and newness; support owning Private Brand line plans and adjusting based on historical performance.
• Assist in evaluating breadth, depth, and productivity of the assortment and finalizing the shopping list composition prior to market appointments.

In-Market:

• Collaborate in quantifying the Buyer’s curated assortment by brand, style, channel, and store cluster.
• Ensure alignment with cluster financial targets and the assortment framework.
• Identify and manage duplication across styles and vendors during the style-out process.

Post-Market:

• Support style-outs in NuOrder or within the market cycle based on system capabilities.
• Address key style-out questions, including customer attributes and tier differences; assist in finalizing changes after style out and Buy Review and in sending orders for allocation.
• Confirm the store matrix and apply Min/Max at the Style level during allocation; ensure orders are allocated appropriately.

Key Process Updates:

Pre-Market:

• Participate in discussions led by the Senior Director, Assortment Planning, reviewing each Assortment Wedge and contributing to goals, risk assessment, clustering strategy, breadth/depth philosophy, and key door initiatives.

In-Market:

• Collaborate within the Assortment Planning team to support the quantification process and be prepared to attend market appointments in the absence of the Assortment Director.

Post-Market:

• Provide support in conducting style outs, addressing customer attributes and tier differences; assist in confirming store matrix and applying Min/Max during allocation.

Allocation:

• Contribute to confirming the store matrix as part of the allocation process and apply Min/Max at the Style level to ensure appropriate depth.
• Support in EDI allocations to vendors at least 30 days prior to In-DC dates; inspect receipt availability before releasing orders.

• Analytical
  
  Skills:
  
  Proficiency in analyzing sales data, turn plans, and financial targets to inform assortment planning decisions.
• Collaboration and Communication:
  Ability to work with the Assortment Planning team and contribute to a culture of excellence.
• Retail Knowledge:
  Understanding of retail concepts, including assortment planning, private brand line plans, and allocation processes.
• Quantitative
  
  Skills:
  
  Proficient in building and maintaining category C-1, assessing current-season performance, and determining future-season replenishment assortment.
• Planning and Organization:
  Strong organizational skills for developing by-store sales and turn plans, inspecting receipt flow plans, and…