Merchandise Planner - Systems and Enablement

POSITION SUMMARY:

Manage Always Available and other International inventory initiatives.  Develop tools, reports, SOP and cross functional partnerships to support the international business and growth through inventory optimization across a multi geo, channel and business model landscape.  Support processes and architecture needed to scale across multiple businesses, channels and geos.  Standardize International SOP that compliment new technologies, supporting change and challenging the status quo.  Enable new capabilities that are integrated cross-functionally and drive towards a common goal. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

PROCESS:

• Manage Always Available process and additional inventory initiatives across multi-channel/multi-geo eco system.
• Define and develop safety stock measures and methodology to quickly respond to ever changing customer demands and business needs.
• Collaborate with business owners and CFT (merchandising, buying, inventory planning) to support inventory strategy and targets based on category/product initiatives to optimize business growth and development
• Weekly data driven evaluation of AA performance and information (external and internal) to forecast immediate and long range plans related to inventory, sales, capacity, and supply chain
• Partner with International Production on fabric platforming, call dates, chase, calendars, liabilities and costing to support inventory initiatives and strategies
• Review total international inventory position across multi-geo/channel/business models and recommend strategies to optimize total global inventory position and sales
• Develop, support and document optimal business processes and SOP in partnership with Manager and Sr Planner.  Build RAPID model for key Milestone & Processes across COO and Licensed models

TOOLS / REPORTING

• Design New reports in Excel, Cognos, and Tableau as needed to recap performance and highlight successes / misses.
• Simplify, Streamline & Standardize Business Reporting and Tools for all International Channels – Eliminate Redundancy
• Define & Enhance Metrics, KPI’s, Analytics and exception reporting that lead to Actionable Insights
• Facilitate early adoption and deployment of new Technologies and business models to support inventory optimization:  i.e. Bottoms-up Planning System, EP, Tableau, Google Cloud, etc.
• Standardize & Streamline administrative efforts through enablement, training and documentation – (team is not responsible for Ad-hoc reporting)

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Merchandising related field, or equivalent experience required
• 5+ years of retail merchandise planning/forecasting/inventory planning experience, preferably in a specialty retail environment
• High degree of proficiency Google Suite, Excel, MS Office Suite, Outlook & Internet applications
• Strong analytical, technical, problem-solving, presentation, project management & planning skills
• Self-motivated with critical attention to low-level detail, ability to hit aggressive deadlines and reporting
• Some Domestic and International Travel may be required

American Eagle Outfitters is an Equal Opportunity Employer

*LI-AB1