SR MERCHANDISE PLANNER
General Summary:
The Senior Planner is a leader within the planning organization and accountable for business performance and recommending financial strategies to ensure merchandise category and key item financial parameters are achieved. This position is HYBRID to our Columbus, OH office.Reports to: Merchandise Planning Manager or Senior Manager
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaborates with cross functional partners to set pre-season financial strategies and build assortment architecture plans that support the merchant vision and ensure delivery of financial goals. Translates hindsight and in-season performance into future architecture.
• Develops and manages weekly sales, markdown, and receipt plans through OTB at the department, class, subclass, and Key Item levels based on both trend and historical performance.
• Analyses business performance in-season and recommends strategies to support the specific merchandise category.
• Provides guidance, bottoms-up reporting, and various ad-hoc analyses focused on maximizing opportunities and minimizing risk to support business strategies.
• Formulates solution-minded recommendations through risk and opportunity assessment of their categories of business.
• Partners with Store Planning and Allocation to ensure inventory plan align to store inventory targets.
• Leads training and provides mentorship to new associates through engagement in onboarding process; invests the time and energy to facilitate connections, share expertise, and influences across planning organization.
• Communicates effectively to a wide variety of audiences to drive results.
• Influences product lifecycle.
• Displays leadership through facilitating effective meetings, presenting to various levels of the business, and supporting cross-functional teams across the business in driving company strategies.
• Exemplifies leadership, anticipates and drives a growth mindset.
• Drives process enhancements with IT partners.
• Project Manager for ad-hoc projects or long-term initiatives.
• Builds relationships with cross-functional teams in marketing, finance, operations, and buying to drive overall business strategy and uphold the DSW mission.

Required Skills:

• Strong financial acumen and statistical/analytical skills including data retrieval, organization, presentation, and summary skills.
• Prioritizes effectively and adjusts easily to changing demands; demonstrates strong time management skills.
• Excellent communication skills including written and verbal with emphasis on delivery of financial concepts.
• Leads best practices/efficiencies/automations and communications them to benefit the entire planning group.
• Proficient in Excel, MicroStrategy, and Enterprise Planning.
• Provides point of view, influences others through detailed analysis, factual data, and makes strategic recommendations on actions to take.

Competencies
SETTING GOALS – Creates and follow effective plans. Anticipates risks, creates contingency plans. Aligns plans with goals. Allocates adequate resources. Accepts and supports change. Willing to take risks and suggests new ideas, approaches. Takes initiative. Seeks out learning activities.
WORKING WITH OTHERS – Clearly articulates own, other’s goals. Promotes a team atmosphere by demonstrating humility and respect. Builds effective relationships, relates well to others. Delivers and responds to feedback in a constructive manner. Considers multiple perspectives. Handles conflict, pressure, uncertainty and adapts independently. Meets commitments. Dedicated to working with business partners on their expectations.
GETTING RESULTS – Personally accountable for work performance targets and achieving results. Prioritizes well. Anticipates and handles obstacles effectively. Makes good, timely decisions. Can simply and process complex problems. Understands underlying issues and addresses root causes. Meets deadlines, works until finished.
Qualifications:
Minimum Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in merchandise planning, allocation, financial analysis, buying or a combination of these areas.

Minimum Education:

• B.S. degree in Business, Finance, or a related field