ASSOCIATE PLANNER JOB DESCRIPTION

Demand forecasting in retail is a measurement problem. Done poorly, a category ends the season with excess inventory marked down below margin floor or with stockouts that hand revenue to a competitor. The Associate Planner owns the pre-season and in-season financial plan for an assigned category, translating sell-in meeting inputs and POS trend data into SKU-level receipts and open-to-buy decisions. This role reports into a Merchandise Planner or Planning Manager and works daily with Buyers, Merchants, and Allocation. Accuracy here is countable.

As the Associate Planner, you own demand forecasts, inventory ladder plans, and seasonal financial targets for an assigned category within a retail or wholesale planning organization, translating historical sell-through data and POS trends into actionable SKU-level supply decisions. You operate within a planning team that reports to a Merchandise Planner or Planning Manager, partnering with Buyers, Merchants, and Allocation partners to keep inventory aligned with category strategy and margin goals.

Career Impact: Owning a category's open-to-buy process from pre-season through end-of-season hindsight builds the retail math fluency and cross-functional credibility that separates planners who advance to Senior Planner from those who stay analytical support.

Business Impact: When SKU-level forecasts are accurate, stores carry the right assortment at the right depth, reducing markdown exposure and sustaining the sell-through rates that protect gross margin for the category.

Growth Opportunity: The analytical scope of this role expands naturally toward managing larger category portfolios, multi-channel OTB ownership, and eventually the Merchandise Planner title that oversees the planning process at a divisional level.

• Develop pre-season and in-season financial plans at the category and SKU level, including sales, margin, receipts, and inventory targets.
• Manage the monthly open-to-buy process by analyzing current performance and adjusting receipt flow to align with margin and stock objectives.
• Forecast demand using historical shipment data, sell-through trends, and promotional calendars for assigned accounts or channels.
• Collaborate with Buyers and Merchants to build assortment frameworks, validate bottom-up plans, and surface in-season chase and cancel opportunities.
• Monitor inventory positions by SKU across retail and DTC channels, initiating transfers or reorders to protect in-stock levels.
• Analyze store and regional performance to identify sales trend variances and communicate risks and opportunities to planning leadership.
• Prepare and publish weekly and ad hoc planning reports covering inventory, forecast accuracy, and financial plan achievement.
• Present updated forecasts and plan adjustments in S&OP and open-to-buy meetings, clearly articulating inventory risks relative to budget.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Merchandising, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 2 or more years of retail or wholesale planning experience, with direct exposure to demand forecasting or inventory management.
• Demonstrated proficiency in retail math concepts including sell-through percentage, weeks of supply, margin, and open-to-buy.
• Strong analytical ability to interpret large data sets, identify trend drivers, and translate findings into inventory decisions.
• Advanced spreadsheet skills including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, SUMIF, and financial modeling formulas.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present plan changes and inventory risks to cross-functional partners.
• Proven organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple category deadlines simultaneously within a structured planning calendar.

• Experience with e-commerce or DTC planning in addition to traditional wholesale or brick-and-mortar retail environments.
• Exposure to global market planning across regions such as North America, Europe, or Asia, including regional assortment strategy.
• Familiarity with demand planning or merchandise planning systems used for OTB, allocation, or replenishment workflows.
• Background in a highly seasonal consumer goods category where long lead times require extended forward-demand visibility.

• Forecast accuracy rate, measuring the variance between submitted demand plan and actual units sold by SKU.
• Open-to-buy variance percentage, tracking how closely monthly receipt flow adheres to the approved financial plan.
• Sell-through rate by category, reflecting how well pre-season assortment depth matched actual consumer demand.
• Weeks of supply on hand, indicating whether inventory levels remain within the target range for the assigned category.
• End-of-season markdown rate, measuring how much revenue was conceded to clear inventory the plan failed to absorb.
• Typical tools: spreadsheet and planning platforms (commonly Excel with advanced formulas); inventory or OTB management systems vary by employer.

• Base Salary Range: $52,000 to $72,000 per year, depending on market and experience.
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus of 5 to 10 percent of base salary, tied to plan accuracy and category results.
• Equity: Not typically offered at this level in retail planning roles.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution varies by company size.
• PTO: 15 to 20 days per year, plus standard federal holidays and occasional retail blackout periods.
• Common Perks: Employee merchandise discount, hybrid schedule where available, tuition reimbursement at larger retailers.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities throughout the hiring process and in the workplace upon request. Employment in this role is contingent on successful completion of a background check in accordance with applicable law. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Associate Planner owns end-to-end category planning across a multi-channel portfolio of over 1,000 SKUs in the outdoor apparel and equipment space, developing pre-season forecasts and culminating in a global SKU-level supply plan. Reporting to category leadership and partnering with Sales, Sourcing, and cross-functional business partners, the Associate Planner enables service optimization, inventory balance, and an optimal customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

• End-to-end owner of all aspects of planning for a category, managing a portfolio of over 1000 skus across multiple seasons.
• Collaborate with cross-functional business partners to gather and understand information including forecast drivers, product attributes, and timelines to fully deliver product on-time.
• Closely communicate changes and impacts to key stakeholders while maintaining a culture of transparency and operational rigor.
• Conduct monthly touchpoints with sales partners and manage order form creation, square item validation, and purchase order entry with Retail stores.
• Continuously improve forecasting technique, method, and approach; execute demand and supply planning strategies focused on process improvement and standardization.
• Manage the size and monthly receipt strategy and assist in rolling out a new replenishment model.
• Execute redirect and transfer strategy at a global level to ensure proper allocation of inventory; minimize excess and obsolete.
• Analyze data and synthesize information to take necessary actions that support company goals and improved fulfillment; define, measure, and diagnose key performance indicators.
• Participate and provide insight in S&OP meetings highlighting risk and opportunity; speak to demand/supply imbalances, supply gaps, and changes aligned to budgets and capacity plans.
• Attend cross-functional meetings and follow up in a timely manner; work with Sourcing and Production teams to renegotiate minimum order quantities where appropriate.
• Support special projects and continuous improvement initiatives such as planning tool development and documenting best practices into a training library.

Required Qualifications

• University or four-year college degree or equivalent work experience.
• 1-3 years of experience in wholesale or retail customer service, order management, inventory planning, or other supply chain management role preferred.
• Outdoor and/or apparel industry experience welcomed.
• Analytical skills with ability to clean, analyze, and extrapolate key trends from large data sets to formulate data-driven solutions.
• Proficient in Microsoft Access and Excel including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and SUMIF; SAP experience a plus.
• Detail-oriented self-starter capable of producing high-quality results and articulating time-sensitive information that drives decision making.
• Ability to organize work, manage multiple projects and priorities, simplify complex issues into actionable insights, and effectively influence both internal and external customers.

Embedded within the regional planning team, the Associate Planner supports in-month allocations, end-of-month inventory plans, and strategic initiatives through basic analysis across a diverse range of assignments. Working closely with Analysts and Managers, the Associate Planner researches product-level inventory concerns from stores and delivers weekly results communication that enables timely inventory decisions across assigned regions.

Core Functions

• Analyze and interpret reporting to validate inventory plan achievement and execution.
• Support end of month inventory plan achievement through use of Weekly Sales Curves and In-Month Trending for assigned Regions.
• Analyze historical sales performance and monitor region and store inventory position in relation to sales trends.
• Research and respond to store callouts and perform ad hoc analysis as needed.
• Drive timely and effective communication with Analysts and Managers on the team.
• Provide weekly communication of results and inventory opportunities and risks with recommended actions to support changing trends.
• Communicate conclusions and recommendations in a clear, straightforward, and concise format to business partners.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree or 1-2 years of related experience in Planning and/or Allocation.
• Solid MS Excel skills and mathematics foundation; formulas and functions such as VLOOKUP are a plus.
• Solid oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work in an office environment, primarily on a computer, including sitting, standing, walking, and attending in-person meetings.
• Consistent timeliness, regular attendance, and ability to see information in print and/or electronically.

Reporting to the Wholesale Planning Manager, the Associate Planner develops seasonal door and assortment plans by account, analyzes historical data and current trends to identify risks and opportunities, and manages weekly and monthly financial reporting delivered to key stakeholders. Partnering with the Sales team and cross-functional partners, the Associate Planner supports inventory optimization and buying decisions that align with category strategies and company goals across global markets.

Primary Duties

• Assist with creating seasonal door plans and assortment plans by account and by door that incorporate category strategies and company goals.
• Continuously update inventory including season to date report, end of month report, and inventory by door and by account.
• Partner closely with the Sales team on account management by recommending opportunities by location or by account on a regular cadence.
• Analyze historical data and current trends to recap business and effectively identify risks and areas of opportunity by category, gender, and department.
• Create strategies in partnership with Wholesale Planning Manager to align inventory with company goals.
• Conduct ongoing analysis of sales and inventory to increase optimization.
• Run and publish various weekly and ad hoc Wholesale Planning reports.
• Create hindsight analysis to help inform future buying decisions.

Manage weekly and monthly financial reporting and analysis delivered to key stakeholders.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field of study.
• Minimum 3 years of planning experience; E-Commerce and Retail planning experience a bonus.
• Previous experience in global markets including North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Strong knowledge of retail math and metrics.
• Experience with MS Office and advanced proficiency in Excel.
• Advanced analytical skills, creative problem-solving skills, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Consistently exhibits innovation, respect, passion, accountability, and entrepreneurial commitment.

Sitting at the intersection of demand forecasting and supply chain coordination, the Associate Planner develops accurate SKU-level monthly demand forecasts using historical shipment data, market trends, and POS information for Tier 2 and Channel accounts. Operating across Sales, Inventory, and Planning teams, the Associate Planner maintains forecast integrity and supports fill rate and inventory turn goals that sustain a 96% service fill level.

Duties

• Develop accurate SKU/Item monthly demand forecasts using current and historical shipment information, market trends, and POS data for Tier 2/Channel accounts.
• Collaborate with sales to review the system forecast compared to the sales forecast and make adjustments if necessary.
• Maintain the integrity of the forecasting database.
• Assist in achieving fill rate and inventory turn goals by maintaining forecast accuracy for assigned customer/channel.
• Prepare, report, and communicate forecast and inventory measurements to management including forecast accuracy and inventory plan vs. targets.
• Assist the Team Leader and/or Senior Demand Planner with ad hoc reports as requested.
• Communicate with Inventory Analysts regarding promotion events, inventory levels, forecast accuracy, and new products to ensure inventory availability and achieve a 96% service fill level.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Operations, Finance, Statistics, Supply Chain, or related field.
• 1-2 years of forecasting, buying, or financial analysis experience in a highly seasonal, long lead time consumer packaged goods environment.
• Outstanding analytical skills with demonstrated success organizing, analyzing, and accurately interpreting large amounts of data.
• Prior experience and/or knowledge of major forecasting systems and software.
• Extensive knowledge of MS Excel.
• Excellent organizational skills, detail oriented, with strong written and verbal communication skills and desire to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to meet deadlines and work cross-functionally in a fast-paced distribution environment while building trusting relationships internally and externally.

A key member of the DMO team, the Associate Planner maintains development delivery plans and participates in sprint and capacity planning to ensure engineering velocity targets are met across high-profile client implementation projects. Collaborating across global development teams and Project Managers, the Associate Planner promotes the flow of development work and supports resource availability that enables both external and internal delivery commitments.

Scope of Work

• Maintain development delivery plans and work closely with Project Managers to ensure plans remain relevant and change is appropriately managed.
• Work with Project Managers to assist in forecasting development demand.
• Produce Excel reporting on Microsoft schedules through cubes and pivot tables.
• Work with global development teams to ensure availability of resources to complete tasks.
• Plan and proactively participate in the sprint planning process.
• Participate in capacity planning and resource management.

Experience & Qualifications

• Knowledge and experience working within Agile business practices.
• Strong academics with the desire to accelerate a career in a software development house.
• Working knowledge of MS Project and MS Excel including PowerPivot and Power Query; understanding of SQL and relational database concepts is advantageous.
• Natural problem solver with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Good team player with willingness and aptitude for continuous self-learning.
• Pro-active in developing new skills and working with new technologies.

Accurate financial plan management depends on the Associate Planner, who maintains pre-season and mid-season OTB schedules, completes monthly OTB processes, and develops downward cadence plans covering inventory, ST% forecast, and pricing. Based within the merchandising organization and working alongside buying counterparts, the Associate Planner ensures financial goals align with business strategy and delivers end-of-season assessments that inform future planning cycles.

Accountabilities

• Manage and maintain pre-season and mid-season financial and code schedules at the OTB category level.
• Complete the monthly OTB process by analyzing performance and rephrasing all OTB items by category.
• Ensure financial goals are aligned with business strategy including sales, margin, returns, cancellations, and stock levels.
• Identify opportunities and threats through analytics and reports.
• Work with merchandising teams to develop and validate bottom-up plans.
• Track inventory positions to maximize sales and profitability and meet operational goals.
• Promote innovation and improve processes.
• Manage accountability by developing downward cadence plans covering inventory, ST% forecast, and pricing.
• Complete the end-of-season assessment and make recommendations for future seasons.
• Collect information to create an action plan and present results to cross-functional teams.
• Build relationships and trust with buying counterparts.

Background & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification required.
• 3+ years of experience in retail purchasing, planning, or financial analysis required; e-commerce experience preferred.
• Expert knowledge of mathematical concepts, applications, and statistical analysis in retail.
• Advanced Excel with experience in macros required.
• Result-driven, strategic, conceptual, and innovative thinker comfortable analyzing and interpreting data to make decisions.
• Effective communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to change course quickly and maintain a positive attitude in a dynamic, collaborative, and entrepreneurial environment.

As the Associate Planner, this role manages the merchandise planning process at the location level to achieve company sales, margin, turnover, and flow objectives, including developing division plans, assortments, and vendor plans with the Buyer. The Merchandise Planning team relies on this work to surface in-season sales opportunities, optimize replenishment, and guide future buying strategies across store locations.

Role Responsibilities

• Reports to the Merchandise Planner.
• Manage the merchandise planning process at the location level to achieve company sales, margin, turnover, and flow objectives.
• Work with Buyer in developing division plans, merchandise assortments, vendor plans, and where appropriate, group plans by store.
• Develop purchase guidelines and key item projections.
• Distribute orders via the MID allocation tool and initiate store to store transfers when necessary.
• Monitor new store performance and determine proper inventory mix; manage the replenishment business and make necessary adjustments to inventory levels and orders.
• Communicate changes to the buyer as needed.
• Analyze business performance by store, identifying sales trends by region, lifestyle, and climate, alerting the buyer and planner of in-season sales and receipt opportunities.
• Develop effective strategies that will surface sales opportunities to influence future buys.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and position-related experience required.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in retail as a multi-store Assistant Buyer, allocation analyst, or retail analyst.
• Strong math skills, good judgment, and ability to learn new skills.
• Excellence in communication and organization skills.
• Strong analytical, financial, and strategic planning skills with flexibility to effectively prioritize multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Associate Planner drives consistent communications between planning, project accounting, and project management for Material EACs and Execution Charts while maintaining manufacturing build plans and coordinating engineering changes across purchasing and production. The work directly supports supply chain continuity by consolidating demand, creating purchase requisitions from the Master Production Schedule, and ensuring timely disposition of materials and obsolete inventory.

Key Deliverables

• Drive consistent communications between planning, project accounting, and project management for consistent project Material EACs and Execution Charts.
• Create appropriate documentation to plan material deliveries and monitor the supply chain.
• Consolidate demand for purchase requisitions and create purchase requisitions based on the Master Production Schedule.
• Create reports for distribution to program office, customer visits, and management; maintain manufacturing build plans on a daily basis.
• Highlight critical parts and any issues which may keep operations from meeting the MPS.
• Coordinate engineering changes with purchasing and production; ensure disposition of obsolete material.
• Support, communicate, and defend the mission, values, and culture of the company.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Associate's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Background in project material management with solid experience in production planning.
• Understanding of business processes, functional inter-relationships, and MRP systems.
• Skilled in the use of Excel, Excel Pivot Tables, PowerPoint, Word, and SharePoint.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams.

The Associate Planner delivers SKU-level seasonal plans and manages a small category of business across furniture, textiles, decorative accessories, or lighting within the west elm planning organization, monitoring sales, margin, and inventory to maximize opportunities throughout the year. Partnering with Merchants, Allocation, and Ecommerce teams, the Associate Planner maintains in-stock levels, manages open-to-buy, and ensures prominently featured collections carry proper on-hand and on-order inventory.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Run and analyze weekly and ad hoc reporting.
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels and partner with cross-functional partners to ensure on-time delivery of newness through the in-stock report.
• Plan and manage an area of responsibility through entire product life cycle including creating pre-season plans, presenting plans during investment review, and managing monthly open to buy.
• Build a team relationship with cross-functional business partners.
• Partner with Merchants and Allocation for store stocking and tier strategies.
• Independently manage Monday morning reporting, ad hoc reporting, backorder notifications, linking, re-forecasting, and Retail and DTC planning tool SKU management including roll-over SKUs.
• Assist in the resolution of customer service and inventory issues and partner with Merchants, Retail distribution planners, and Ecommerce to ensure prominently featured collections have proper on-hand and on-order inventory.

Professional Experience

• College degree preferred.
• 1-2 years of experience in inventory management, merchandising, or operations.
• Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, and technical skills.
• Strong proficiency in Excel including pivot tables and VLOOKUP.
• Time management and communication skills.
• Collaborative, driven, and innovative mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Comfortable with decision making and calculated risk taking; naturally challenges self and others to grow.

Reporting to planning leadership, the Associate Planner produces financial, demand, and inventory plans for assigned accounts by managing ladder plans, maintaining customer/SKU-level forecasts, and presenting trend analysis in monthly forecasting meetings. Working closely with the Sales and Supply Planning teams, the Associate Planner develops merchandise strategies and financial proposals that grow key categories and guide purchasing and allocation decisions.

Work Activities

• Manage ladder plans by reforecasting sales, inventory, units, receipts, and margin based on current trends to develop annual financial sales and inventory plan for assigned accounts.
• Collaborate with sales team on pre-season plans, line structure, and SKU plans; develop plans to grow key categories using bottom-up sales and present financial proposals to customer.
• Create and maintain customer/SKU level forecast to be used for financials, production, and capacity planning by analyzing demand trends.
• Present current trends and impact on future forecast for assigned accounts in monthly forecasting meetings.
• Own and maintain all forecasting summary Excel documents keeping all financial data, style updates, historical and forecast data current.
• Maintain forecast accuracy documents and report findings to manager and leadership; ensure all POS data is correct across systems.
• Provide summaries to supply planning team to guide purchases and allocations; provide ad hoc business reports and analysis as needed.
• Continually strive to improve quality of information, analytical techniques, and current processes.

Position Requirements

• BS or BA degree preferred.
• 2-3 years of experience in retail/wholesale planning or equivalent business analysis.
• Knowledge of baby industry and/or children's business a plus.
• Ability to present complex information clearly and concisely across all levels of management; experience presenting data in an actionable and effective way to aid cross-functional partners.
• Advanced Excel skills and computer literacy including ability to create new formats for data collection and reporting.
• High energy team player with ability to build solid, productive cross-functional relationships that positively impact the business.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, with a strong sense of urgency and good judgment in escalating potential risks proactively.

Reporting to the Production Planning Manager, the Associate Planner maintains a combined integrated master schedule of all production, maintenance, and support operations while scheduling daily activities for the Internal Manufacturing Team in a GMP manufacturing facility. Partnering with key internal customers and Manufacturing Support, the Associate Planner creates production orders in ERP and MES, monitors Cleaning and Gowning materials, and serves as Subject Matter Expert for ERP systems.

Job Functions

• Understand raw materials delivery schedules and production needs.
• Maintain a combined integrated master schedule of all production, maintenance, and support operations.
• Maintain partnerships with key internal customers to assure awareness of development projects.
• Create production orders in ERP and MES and material request forms for upcoming internal manufacturing activities.
• Schedule and coordinate the ingress of raw materials into manufacturing; monitor Cleaning and Gowning materials.
• Perform Raw Material Forecast Analysis for Internal Manufacturing.
• Serve as Subject Matter Expert for ERP; train internal manufacturing staff and revise or create work instructions for ERP.
• Maintain Internal Manufacturing KPIs and perform other tasks as assigned by the Production Planning Manager.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED; minimum of 2 or more years of related experience preferred.
• Proficient in Smartsheets and Excel at an expert level.
• Ability to follow verbal and written instructions with strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Team player able to work with minimal supervision.
• Work is generally performed in a GMP manufacturing facility; subject to extended periods of standing and walking, and may require weekend and holiday work.

As the Associate Planner, this role supports the Senior Merchandise Planner or Planning Manager with day-to-day planning activities, owning and managing a defined sector of the business through pre-season planning, re-forecasting, and monthly open-to-buy presentations to leadership. The Merchandising planning team relies on this work to identify chase and cancel opportunities in-season, approve purchase orders, and deliver profitable sales outcomes for the designated category.

What You'll Do

• Partner with Senior Planner, Planning Manager, and Merchandising team to develop pre-season financial plans and inventory flow.
• Manage and own one sector of the business including developing the pre-season plan, auditing, re-forecasting, and identifying chase and cancel opportunities in-season.
• Present updated forecasts in monthly open-to-buy meetings to leadership.
• Review and update key program ladders.
• Collaborate and build trust with cross-functional partners including Merchandising, Allocation, and Merchandising Operations.
• Perform ad hoc analysis and recommend course of action to drive profitable sales.
• Review and approve purchase orders.
• Assist Planners and Senior Planners with work overflow as needed.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Merchandising, Finance, Marketing, or similar focus.
• Preferred 2 years of experience working in an analytical role.
• Strong business acumen with an affinity for numbers.
• Excellent Excel skills with experience utilizing advanced formulas and pivot tables.
• Collaborative spirit with an innate ability to build strong cross-functional relationships.
• Proven strength in problem analysis and creative problem solving.
• Detail oriented with strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and work with a sense of urgency.
• Ability to thrive in an ambiguous and fast-paced environment.

Associate Planner advances production readiness for VMCs, HMCs, and CNC Lathes using Virtual Gibbs Software by managing production planning, master scheduling, and engineering change order coordination across all jobs before, during, and after machine shop floor operations. Success in the position means maintaining accurate component availability analysis, reconciling production and material conflicts, and enabling operations to consistently meet customer requirements.

Performance Expectations

• Assist Planner to determine production requirements, release orders, and reschedule orders as needed to meet customer requirements.
• Perform functions associated with the generation and maintenance of production plan and master production schedule.
• Reconcile production and material conflicts.
• Analyze component availability to maintain production schedule and manage WIP inventory consistent with company goals.
• Facilitate operations and material status meetings.
• Evaluate and coordinate engineering change orders.

Qualifications & Experience

• BA/BS degree in business administration, operations management, or equivalent experience.
• 1+ years of machining experience.
• Knowledge of MRP/ERP applications; Visual preferred.
• Strong PC skills including Microsoft Office software suites; meeting management skills a plus.
• Engineering BOM reading skills preferred.
• Strong organization skills and ability to build effective working relationships with internal customers and suppliers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, walk, push, pull, grasp, and lift up to 25 lbs.; visual acuity and ability to sit and use a computer for extended periods required.

Embedded within the regional supply chain organization, the Associate Planner/Buyer coordinates and places purchase orders for a designated supplier group, administers contracts, and liaises with Supplier Leads to secure delivery commitments that meet site operational requirements. Working closely with strategic sourcing and regional supply chain teams, the Associate Planner/Buyer resolves delivery, quality, and paperwork discrepancies while ensuring contractual terms are operationalized across integrated planning processes.

Operational Focus

• Maintain part planning parameters in line with the agreed materials plan and suppliers' latest planning information such as lead times.
• Convert demand signals into Purchase Orders in accordance with contractual terms and conditions and Moog systems and processes.
• Liaise with Supplier Lead in region to obtain delivery commitments and provide the site with up-to-date information.
• Coordinate and feed back site operational requirements to regional supply chain teams.
• Communicate and influence internal site functions such as Goods Inwards and Receiving Inspection to ensure parts are delivered to point of use as required.
• Coordinate and support supplier nonconformance and return to vendor activities.
• Coordinate between Site and Regional supply chain to resolve issues such as delivery, quality, and paperwork discrepancies.
• Coordinate with strategic sourcing to ensure contractual terms and conditions are operationalized into integrated planning and placement processes, and to identify and resolve deviations.
• Effectively manage multiple simultaneous activities through strong time management and multitasking.
• Communicate internally and externally across multiple geographical regions and cultures.

Technical Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, or an Associate's degree plus 3 or more years of related experience, or at least seven years of progressive experience directly related to the position.
• APICS or other industry standard certifications are a plus.
• Engineering or technical background preferable.
• Good negotiating skills combined with knowledge of procurement processes.
• Good communication and organizational skills with ability to understand complex regulations and procedures.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines while managing a variety of tasks simultaneously.
• This position requires access to United States Export Controlled information.

The Associate Planner develops and executes department and item-level planning strategies across Europe and the Middle East for a single gender within the brand portfolio, providing regional volume and style count targets and building assortment frameworks focused on growth. Partnering with Home Office teams, European promo resources, and the store planning team, the Associate Planner delivers weekly progress updates and seasonal hindsights that shape inventory strategy and future buying decisions across the region.

Areas of Ownership

• Develop and execute department and item level planning strategies across Europe and the Middle East for a single gender within our brands.
• Provide input on regional volume, inventory, and style count targets for all departments within relevant brand and gender.
• Develop assortment framework for key departments, focusing on crucial items to spark growth and connect with European and Middle Eastern customers.
• Participate in Home Office milestone meetings, highlighting region-specific strategies for the season.
• Partner with European promo resources to execute in-season promos and pricing changes.
• Present weekly updates as part of a regular Monday review process including strengths, opportunities, and recommended actions in regions.
• Review regional progress against plan and propose plan adjustments and inventory strategy guidance in collaboration with store planning team.
• Execute a detailed hindsight following each season and develop strategies for future seasons at the item and department level.
• Interface remotely with Home Office teams on a regular basis, carrying out consistent updates and communicating effectively on a day-to-day basis.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or University undergraduate equivalent in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field required.
• At least 2 years of planning experience, preferably in a corporate retail environment.
• Clear knowledge of target customer and product trends.
• Analytically driven with proven critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and multi-tasking skills.
• Team-oriented with strong leadership skills and a collaborative approach to working with cross-functional partners.

Embedded within the buying organization, the Associate Planner collaborates with the Buyer to align planning strategies for men's and women's retail business by category, developing pre-season sales and inventory plans and coordinating assortment purchases for initial orders and replenishment. Working closely with the Buyer and cross-functional teams, the Associate Planner analyzes store performance, recommends regional assortments, and maintains administrative functions that support strategic brand, merchandising, and financial goals.

Functions

• Collaborate with the Buyer on aligning planning strategies for men's and women's retail business breaking out by categories to optimize sales, inventory, and profitability.
• Assist the Buyer in developing and implementing the detailed merchandise pre-season sales and inventory plans that support strategic brand, merchandising, and financial goals.
• Support proposed stock strategy and highlight opportunities at the store level identifying the optimal level of stock required to deliver net sales.
• Coordinate preparation of plans down to the collection level in line with the merchandising assortment strategy.
• Partner with Buyer for alignment on buys ensuring the correct product quantity and assortment are purchased for initial orders and replenishment business.
• Drive and analyze store performance of the product and recommend regional assortments.
• Assist the Buyer with transfer requests and special orders.
• Perform and manage administrative functions as needed.

Background & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Knowledge of retail math concepts and applications.
• Strong statistical analysis skills.
• Proficient in Excel including VLOOKUPs and pivot tables.
• Excellent organizational and prioritizing skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks in a dynamic fast-paced environment.
• Ability to build and maintain productive relationships with peers and cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills, adaptability, flexibility, initiative, and strong communication skills.

The Associate Planner refines a wide portfolio of general planning consultancy work spanning residential, regeneration, retail, renewable energy, commercial, rural, and heritage developments, while developing and defending planning policy across the practice. Reporting to the Planning Director and mentoring junior team members, the Associate Planner leads client relationships, negotiates planning applications, and expands the client base through business development proposals and tender responses.

Strategic Responsibilities

• Prepare, submit, and negotiate planning applications including project management of team.
• Coordinate and prepare appeals including providing evidence at inquiries; coordinate and implement strategies for development plan promotions.
• Conduct research and site appraisals; maintain direct client contact to develop client relationships and generate work.
• Keep up to date with legislation, Government guidance, and best practice in all areas of Planning.
• Identify Business Development opportunities and implement strategies to generate new business; develop and expand client base including writing proposals and preparation of tender responses.
• Coordinate project teams and manage project management responsibilities.
• Develop, manage, and train staff including assistance with the day-to-day running of the office.
• Assist in managing the planning team including resource allocation in liaison with the Planning Director; mentor junior members of the team.
• Promote good customer relations with all sections of the community.

Required Qualifications

• RTPI qualified with at least 5 years post-MRTPI experience.
• Good local planning knowledge and established client contacts.
• Strong project and staff management skills.
• People-oriented approach, confident bringing new ideas into the Practice, and capable of managing a wide and complex workload.
• Comfortable working with minimal supervision with a strong ability to use own initiative.
• Personable and a strong team player.
• Full driving licence and access to a car.

Associate Planner coordinates shop order handling, inventory level management, and production scheduling for Minco's manufacturing operations in support of the company's icare values of Integrity, Communication, Accountability, Respect, and Energy. The work directly supports operational continuity by processing deviations, assisting with complex Safety Stock rescheduling, and ensuring inventory levels and production schedules are maintained in alignment with established policies and procedures.

Engineering Responsibilities

• Process, review, and approve standard shop order handling including reserving materials, ensuring work guidelines are included, and printing and distributing orders.
• Assist with planning shop orders such as consolidating, creating, releasing, and splitting orders; assist with more complex orders such as rescheduling Safety Stock shop orders when needed.
• Process deviations, monitor and update customer order line notifications.
• Assist with setting inventory levels and establishing production schedules.
• Follow operational policies and procedures to examine inventory levels, investigate problems, and respond to issues.
• Perform basic office duties such as copying, filing, faxing, typing standard documents, preparing and distributing mail, entering data, and running standard reports.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED; Associate Degree in Operations Management or Business Administration preferred.
• One or more years of manufacturing experience; experience operating within an enterprise resource planning environment and serving as a specialist in shipping, receiving, or materials processes.
• Understanding of documents and forms related to the shipping process and basic operational support principles including inventory, warehouse, and production.
• PC skills including Microsoft Office applications; ability to prepare reports and queries.
• Ability to communicate with co-workers to provide and receive direction.

The Associate Planner manages replenishment planning and forecasting for all marketplace products including Amazon and Walmart, building and maintaining a bottoms-up business plan that supports the Marketplaces business unit. Partnering with cross-functional teams, the Associate Planner synthesizes data from large data sets to identify business trends, troubleshoot operational exceptions, and deliver forward-thinking insights that keep inventory and purchase orders aligned with forecast.

Project Responsibilities

• Manage replenishment planning and forecasting for all marketplaces products including Amazon and Walmart.
• Build and manage to a bottoms-up business plan.
• Create reports from large data sets using Excel and other applicable tools.
• Synthesize data to understand business trends and provide forward-thinking insight.
• Troubleshoot operational exceptions associated with inventory, purchase orders, changes to the forecast, and other issues.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent required.
• 2+ years of planning and forecasting experience required; experience working with unique business lines a plus.
• Experience working with large data sets with exceptional attention to detail.
• Expert in Excel; SQL is a plus.
• Proactive thinker and entrepreneurial spirit.