The Associate Planner maximizes gross margin dollars & inventory productivity by providing the overall financial direction of a vendor(s) or category(categories) within a business. Associate Planners are primarily responsible for developing seasonal merchandise financial plans and by-door plans, pricing and assortment optimization for their portion of business. Associate Planners also work with Buyers in assortment and buy planning by facilitating layering of assortments and validating the profitability of purchases. In-season, Associate Planners provide in-depth analysis of product performance and make recommendations to maximize business opportunities.

Essential Functions:
Develop merchandise financial plans, vendor or class as appropriate, that support the merchandise strategies while achieving corporate financial goals both for the short term (seasonal) and long term (multi-year).
Exercise discretion and independent judgment in developing the merchandise financial plans under minimal supervision.
Improve profitability by creating and executing the assortment plan and the initial buy plan through use of hindsighting and profitability tools
Develop and manage replenishment budgets by providing analytics required for planning and managing replenishment programs.
Improve profitability by driving sales, margin, and turn by analyzing monthly forecast performance against pre-season strategies and goals and making adjustments or recommendations for adjustments to the strategies and goals; manage the business through in-season forecasting
Complete forecasts and recommendations for Monthly Forecast process to manage business in season and maximize opportunities through product lifecycle management
Manage product lifecycle through appropriate promotions and markdowns
Optimize profitability by driving the permanent markdown process & in-season POS pricing strategies
Manage vendor planning and item planning as needed (i.e. ladders)
Partner with allocation team to reconcile merchandise and by-door plans with store level opportunities

Education / Experience Requirements: Position Contribution Level:
Intermediate Level

Minimum Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of experience
• Specific work or project experience: Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Windows Operating System and Microsoft Office Suite
• 2 + years of retail/financial planning experience
• Prior Finance and or/ Retail Experience a plus

Preferred Education & Experience:

• Specific Degree: Business, Finance, Accounting and or Retail

Knowledge / Skills Requirements:

• Ability to analyze data from multiple sources to identify trends & risks, resolve issues, and recognize opportunities
• Demonstrates initiative in exposing and resolving risks and opportunities
• Communicates effectively and maintains relationships at all levels internally and with vendors
• Demonstrates intermediate-level proficiency using retail merchandising systems & tools to drive business results
• Demonstrates intermediate-level proficiency using Oracle systems & tools (e.g. SAS, RMS, APX) to drive business results

Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external partners (vendors) to proactively address business needs
Proficiency in excel

Physical Requirements:
Reporting Relationships:
Supervisor : Sr. Planner

Supervises : N/A

Disclaimer:
For reasonable accommodation information for an ADAAA qualified disability please see Belk Associate Handbook for policy and procedures.

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