Merch Planner, Universal Thread Sportswear (hybrid)

Target Target · Retail · Minneapolis, MN

This role is for a Merchandise Planner at Target, focusing on the Apparel and Accessories category. The primary responsibilities include leading demand forecasting, collaborating on assortment planning, recommending localization and channel strategies, managing the open-to-buy process, and conducting financial validity assessments of assortments. The role involves analyzing supply and demand forecasts, performing scenario planning, building unit plans, and optimizing assortments. It requires strong analytical, financial, and strategic skills, with an emphasis on translating data into actionable insights and recommendations. The role also involves managing vendor relationships and analyzing transportation supplier capabilities. While the company mentions becoming more "intelligent, automated and algorithmic" in decision-making, the core function of this role is traditional merchandise planning and forecasting, not direct AI/ML model development or deployment.

What you'd actually do

  1. lead demand forecasting
  2. collaborate on assortment planning
  3. recommend localization and channel strategies
  4. lead the open-to-buy process
  5. decide on category-level investment and the financial validity of assortments

Skills

Required

  • Four-year degree or equivalent experience
  • 2-6 years of relevant experience
  • 1+ years of Merchandising experience
  • Strong strategic, financial, and analytical skills
  • Ability to translate data into insights and recommendations
  • Strong collaboration skills
  • Flexibility and resilience
  • Comfort working in ambiguous environments

What the JD emphasized

  • U.S. Customs regulations
  • compliance with U.S. Customs regulations