Job Description
Job Title: Merchandise Planner 3 **Location: Beaverton, OR (PHK – Hybrid Schedule, 4 days onsite / 1 day remote) Duration: 8 Months Contract** Overview: We are seeking an experienced Merchandise Planner to support high-visibility planning initiatives within a fast-paced retail environment. This role will focus on managing footwear or apparel planning for in-line retail stores across multiple seasons simultaneously, including in-season management, inventory optimization, transition planning, and pricing actions. The ideal candidate is highly analytical, detail-oriented, and comfortable working with large datasets to drive strategic business decisions. This position requires strong collaboration across merchandising, ecommerce, retail, and cross-functional business teams. Key Responsibilities Develop and manage merchandise plans that support financial and consumer-driven objectives Analyze sales, inventory, margin, and forecasting data to maximize profitability and optimize inventory flow Manage in-season business performance including inventory actions, transitions, pricing strategies, and sales forecasting Create seasonal line plans grounded in profitability, consumer insights, and strategic business goals Recap and analyze actual sales results against plan and recommend actionable solutions Collaborate with merchandising, ecommerce, retail, and business partners to align assortment and inventory strategies Support assortment planning by providing historical and current selling data across category, gender, class, and location clusters Identify risks and opportunities within assortment and inventory plans and communicate recommendations proactively Drive reporting and storytelling through data to support smart business decisions Contribute to process improvements and planning consistency across documentation and execution Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to support go-to-market and retail planning initiatives Required Qualifications 5–8 years of experience in merchandise planning, retail planning, inventory planning, or related field Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel Experience working within retail planning environments Ability to analyze large data sets and communicate insights effectively Strong attention to detail and organizational skills Self-starter with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills Ability to prioritize multiple projects and manage timelines effectively Preferred Qualifications Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required Experience working with AI tools or large-scale data environments Familiarity with brick-and-mortar retail planning environments Experience supporting footwear or apparel categories preferred Desired Soft Skills Ability to work effectively in ambiguous environments Strong time management and prioritization skills Team-oriented mindset with collaborative working style Ability to tell compelling business stories using data and insights Team & Interview Process Work closely with a team of 6–8 planners and multiple cross-functional stakeholders High-visibility role with strong business impact Expected interview process includes two rounds of interviews