About this role
The Merchandise Planner leads the financial and inventory strategy for a category or set of subcategories, in collaboration with the category managers, across all channels and brands. The Planner ensures that item level forecasts and supply strategies drive sales, margin and turn to meet financial goals. The Planner manages an inventory analyst and builds entry level talent to become future leaders. They will be a student of their business looking to maximize opportunities, manage product life cycle in conjunction with merchants to avoid aging and liable product. They will ensure best in class in-stocks online and in store and will perform regular SKU rationalization. They will monitor order flow to stay on time and on budget. They will be critical to the Open to Buy process.
Responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to the following:
- Reviews item level forecasts and order proposals to drive sales and GMROI
- Control purchase order activity to maximize sales and stay on budget
- Collaborate with merchants to drive key market share events and promotions across channels with accurate sales and supply forecasts.
- Provides roll up of forecasts and purchases to contribute to in season planning process and the open to buy.
- Creates Omni channel strategy to drive sales, margin and turn for a complex retailer with stores, multiple websites and call centers for subcategories and key items.
- Maintains the planning system with accurate parameters to improve forecast accuracy, receipt flow and performance of algorithms.
- Manages and develops Inventory Analyst to resolve purchase order dates, shortages, overages and problem shipment resolution and e-commerce backorders. Prepares them for future career at GC.
- Supports Director of planning in building assortment parameters for a subcategory to balance customer needs by segment, price point and ensuring powerful presentations.
- Additional duties as assigned.
To join our band, you'll need the following experience:
- Bachelor's Degree preferably in Business, Merchandising/ Supply Chain OR 4 years of relevant work experience.
- 4 years of relevant work experience
- 2 years of experience leading others.
- Advanced knowledge of products found in the assigned Musical Instrument category.
- Experience owning Open to Buy.
- Skilled proficiency with Microsoft Excel (V-lookups, formulas, filtering, sorting, formatting)
- Skilled knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
- Novice understanding of marketing and promotions functions
Pay Rate: $75,000- $105,000 / annually depending on background and experience.
The job posting is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific employee, which is always dependent on actual experience, education, and other factors. The pay range(s) listed are provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different in other locations
About Guitar Center
Guitar Center embodies the world of creativity and music by encouraging our teammates to find their own individual sound. We strive to craft lifelong musicians and make a difference in the world by enabling musicians and non-musicians alike to experience the almost indescribable happiness that comes from playing an instrument. We believe in putting our customers first, engaging with respect and integrity and fulfilling our mission with passion.
Why join us?
With a career at Guitar Center, you become part of the world's largest multichannel musical instrument retailer. Whether at our Stores, Contact Centers, Distribution Centers, or Support Center, Guitar Center employees have a common goal: to help people find their sound and fill the world with more music.
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Guitar Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides fair and equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status prohibited under Federal, State, or local laws. All employment decisions are based on valid job‐related requirements.
If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website, you may request a reasonable accommodation to express interest in a specific opening. You can request a reasonable accommodation by sending an email to [email protected].
Other facts
About The Guitar Center Company
We exist so music can persist. Our family of brands has put more instruments into the hands of more people than anyone on the planet. Meet the family or, as we call them, The Guitar Center Company.
Guitar Center. But there's more to us than guitars and basses.
We carry all kinds of musical instruments, plus essentials like amplifiers, recording equipment, lighting, live sound, DJ gear, with services like lessons, rentals and repairs. How do we do it all? With the most talented group of music-loving Associates in the world.
Guitar Center Professional is a network of account managers and engineers with direct access to the world’s best manufacturers. From personal studios to concert venues, we design and install custom audiovisual systems that exceed your expectations.
Audio Visual Design Group (AVDG) meticulously designs, engineers, and installs next-gen audio, video, and lighting systems for homes and businesses around the globe. Their world-class technical staff brings the most incredible personal musical experience to everyone on the planet.
Music & Arts believes deeply in the transformative power of music. Their collaboration with students, parents, and teachers includes providing lessons, rentals, repairs, plus all levels of band and orchestra sales and service.
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Please Be Advised - Recruitment Scams: we will only reach out to interview, make an offer of employment or conduct onboarding activities for candidates who have applied through our careers site. If you find a job posting on a third-party job site, such as LinkedIn, please know that a legitimate posting will direct you to our careers site to apply. When interviewing for a position, the candidate experience will include live interaction, such as a video conference or phone call, with a Recruiter and/or company employee(s). Be aware of suspicious recruitment activity. If you think you are a victim of an employment scam, please visit the Federal Trade Commission.
What you'll do
- The Merchandise Planner leads financial and inventory strategy for a category, ensuring forecasts and supply strategies drive sales and margin. They manage an inventory analyst and collaborate with category managers to optimize product life cycles and inventory management.
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