What are the responsibilities and job description for the Merchandise Planning Analyst – Women's Fashion Apparel position at Edgemine Inc?
The Merchandise Planning Analyst at Edgemine will be responsible for optimizing the Open-to-Buy (OTB) process and driving demand forecasting through deep analysis of historical sales data. This role will ensure the right styles and categories are produced each season, meeting financial goals and ensuring efficient inventory management. The Merchandise Planner will play a key role in determining which designs and product categories to produce, aligning production with market trends and customer demand.
Key Responsibilities:
- Open-to-Buy Management:
Develop, maintain, and manage the OTB plans across multiple categories, ensuring alignment with the company’s sales, margin, and inventory objectives. Continuously monitor OTB to ensure product availability while avoiding overstock.
- Sales Forecasting & Planning:
Analyze historical sales data, market trends, and customer insights to accurately forecast demand for future seasons. Provide guidance on which styles, categories, and colorways to produce based on past performance and projected trends.
- Trend Analysis & Inventory Planning:
Influence the product assortment, leveraging historical data to predict customer preferences and market demands. Ensure that inventory levels are optimized to meet demand across all sales channels, including e-commerce, wholesale, and trade shows.
- Product Lifecycle Management:
Track the performance of each category, from launch to sell-through, to provide actionable insights on when to reorder bestsellers or adjust the forecast for slow movers. Develop strategies for markdowns or promotions to clear excess inventory when necessary.
- Historical Data Utilization:
Build detailed analysis models to identify which designs, styles, and categories are likely to perform best based on previous sales history. Provide recommendations on SKUs that should be prioritized for production, as well as those that should be minimized.
- Category & Style Performance Analysis:
Conduct detailed weekly, monthly, and seasonal performance reviews of designs and categories, adjusting forecasts and plans as needed to meet sales and margin targets.
- Inventory Risk Management:
Proactively manage risks by adjusting OTB and forecasting models to mitigate potential stockouts or overproduction, ensuring Edgemine’s competitive edge in the fast-fashion market.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Fashion, or related field.
- 3-5 years of experience in merchandise planning or inventory management, preferably in fashion.
- Strong proficiency in Open-to-Buy planning and forecasting software (e.g., NetSuite).
- Exceptional analytical skills with a focus on historical sales data to drive production decisions.
- Strong understanding of inventory management and product lifecycle in fast fashion.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working in women’s apparel or fast fashion.
- Familiarity with trend forecasting tools and techniques.
- Previous experience working in a wholesale, e-commerce, and drop-ship environment.
We'd love to have you apply, even if you don't feel you meet every single requirement. What's most important to us is finding authentic and accountable people who feel connected to our mission and values, not just candidates who check off all the boxes. We are looking for someone who will bring all their expertise, learn, and grow with us.
What we offer:
- Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees
- Financial Well-being: 401k plans; 401k match of 100% up to 4%
- Meal is provided
- Paid vacation up to 120 hours
- We provide training
- We encourage professional development
- We offer opportunities to advance your career
Schedule:
- Monday to Friday
Work Location:
- Inhouse – Not a remote position
