Junior Merchandise Planner

Come work for us!

We are looking for dedicated employees to join our team to help our customers have the best experience possible every time they enter a JD Finish Line store.

Our employees are key to our success.

The Junior Merchandise Planner holds responsibility for assisting with the development and execution of the product plans from merchandise planning through the merchandise allocation stage.

This role is a starting point on the planning team, inclusive of a development program in which the incumbent will learn all intricacies of planning with a senior level mentor and coach, with the ultimate goal of positioning this individual for upward growth in the Planning & Allocation department.

This individual will effectively exhibit JD Finish Line’s core values of Customer, People, Winning, Community, and Financial Responsibility in everything they do by performing the following key duties :

Assists with the development of annual, seasonal, monthly and weekly merchandise plans in cost of goods and units

Executes weekly markdown forecasts by collaborating with buyers to agree on SKUs and price points

Executes comprehensive department financial and product strategies

Helps Planners develop pre-season plans and recommend purchase / investment quantities and develop accurate receipt flow forecasts

Analyze historic performance and planned strategies to identify areas of opportunity or risk

Develop, maintain and update tools, reports, etc. to support the needs of the business

Supports product allocations to ensure right stock, right place, right quantities, right stores, right time

Actively participate in assortment development and review, providing data and analysis to support decision-making

Collaborate on best strategies to address product liabilities and develop action plans to liquidate in a timely and profitable manner such as cancels, RTVs, and markdown

Provide periodic reporting on business performance

Evaluate financial and business indicators and translate data into actionable information to drive results

Build constructive and effective relationships with a broad and diverse group of business partners

Identify and articulate the processes necessary to accomplish tasks efficiently and align resources effectively

Anticipate risks and identify contingency plans and processes to prevent disruptions when risks occur

Additional duties and projects as required

Required Education and / or Experience :

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Retail, or Finance from a four-year college or university; 1-2 years’ merchandise allocation experience and / or Financial / Product Planning experience;

or equivalent combination of education and experience. Internal JD Finish Line experience strongly preferred.

Required Computer and / or Technical Skills

Should have basic knowledge and abilities within Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite.

Core Competencies : Communication Skills

Communication Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business information. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals / bets practices.

Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, vendors and employees.

Decision Making and Problem Solving Skills

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables.

Business and industry knowledge and acumen

Business and educational aptitude to learn / acquire the knowledge needed to move into a Merchandise Planner role in 9-18 months

Physical Demands :

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Sit for more than 6 hours per shift

Use hands to finger, handle and feel

Reach with hands and arms

Talk and / or hear

Walk or move from one location to another

Occasionally may need to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, or crouch

Lift and / or move up to 10 pounds regularly and up to 50 pounds occasionally

Punctuality and regular attendance consistent with the company’s policies are required for the position.

Average work week is (40-50) hours, which can vary depending on business need.

The work environment for this position is a moderately noisy office setting.