Merchandise Planner

Petco Petco · Retail · NSC

Merchandise Planner role focused on driving sales, optimizing inventory, and enhancing customer satisfaction through data-driven planning and forecasting. Requires understanding of niche markets, seasonal trends, and customer preferences to ensure product availability. Responsibilities include developing financial plans, forecasting sales and inventory, managing inventory levels, analyzing performance metrics, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Requires strong analytical thinking, retail acumen, communication skills, advanced Excel, and experience with planning tools.

What you'd actually do

  1. Develop and maintain merchandise financial plans by category, season, and store/channel
  2. Forecast sales, margin, and inventory targets based on historical data and market trends
  3. Monitor inventory levels and recommend replenishment strategies to minimize stockouts and overstocks
  4. Analyze performance metrics including sell-through, turn, margin, and ROI
  5. Work closely with merchandising, marketing, supply chain, and store operations teams

Skills

Required

  • Analytical Thinking
  • Retail Acumen
  • Communication
  • Advanced Excel skills
  • Experience with planning tools (e.g., JDA, SAP, Oracle)
  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Finance, or related field
  • 3–5 years of experience in merchandise planning, preferably in specialty retail

Nice to have

  • Experience with omnichannel retail and inventory optimization tools