Direct Planning Manager

The Direct Merchandise Planning Manager is responsible for maximizing sales and margin for their specific product categories through strategic inventory management as well as the hiring, training, and ongoing development of their planning team. This position is responsible for reacting to current business trends within their area in order to maximize sales and profit. This position includes inventory management for their specific category (including Imedia, Catalog, and other non-catalog demand).

Core Accountabilities:

Work with product partners to lead channel focus for their product categories.
Develop financial plans for their product category that support the division goals.
The Planning Manager is responsible for managing the inventory investment to maximize productivity and fulfillment in order to achieve planned sales margin dollars and Gross Margin / Return on Investment. This includes item forecasts, developing purchasing / fulfillment strategies, placing the buy, and reacting to current business by re-buying and liquidating inventory.
Create and manage Open to Buy for product categories.
Proactively identifying category risks and opportunities, proposing solutions and communicating a unified direction.
Recruit, train, develop, and retain the Assistant Planners and/or Merchandise Planning Representatives that will lead and deliver performance excellence which supports a diverse environment.
Oversee, train, and develop the Assistant Planners in forecasting the sku's, placing the buy, placing re-orders, and liquidating inventory.
Special projects as assigned.


Education/Experience Required:

4-year college degree preferred.
3-5 years of experience in a retail/catalog planning or buying capacity ? preferably with a multi channel retailer.
Demonstrated experience driving a business through financial planning, gross margin, and inventory management.
Experience hiring, training, and developing others.
Demonstrated spreadsheet capabilities.
Experience with domestic and off-shore vendors for a private label company desired.


WHAT DO WE DO?
Eddie Bauer is a specialty retailer that sells high quality casual apparel and accessories for the modern outdoor lifestyle. Our brand is authentic. It is named after our founder, Eddie Bauer. This heritage provides the company with the foundation for the brand: a love for the outdoors, quality you can trust, passionate product design, great customer service, a spirit of innovation, and creative marketing.


WHY EDDIE BAUER?
We believe that people are the foundation of our business. Our culture is unique; our values encourage focusing on customers, quality, curiosity, passion, teamwork, integrity, straight talk / listening and results. Our teams possess a great sense of pride and energy. Eddie Bauer's Associates know they make a difference!


WHAT WE OFFER!
Eddie Bauer offers a collaborative work environment, competitive compensation, product discount and an industry leading relocation program.


We will personally contact applicants qualified for an interview. No phone calls please.


Eddie Bauer is committed to equal opportunity employment.


To Apply for this position, please CLICK HERE