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Sr. Manager, Merchandise Planning

New York, NY

Studs is a category-defining ear piercing and earring brand named one of “the 10 most innovative companies in retail for 2023” by Fast Company. Studs connects ear piercing with aftercare and earring shopping to create an end-to-end Earscaping® experience. We offer a better retail and digital experience that prioritizes safety and expertise in a cool, fun and welcoming environment, along with a wide earring assortment—all at an accessible price point.

Based in NYC, the Sr. Manager, Merchandise Planning will report to the Director, Analytics & Data Engineering and lead the merchandise planning and allocation functions. This individual will play a critical role in balancing customer demand with inventory optimization, ensuring the right product is in the right place at the right time. They will oversee strategic planning, forecasting, inventory management, and allocation processes while collaborating cross-functionally with Merchandising, Production, Marketing, Finance, and Operations teams.

Salary Range: $125,000-$135,000, with equity

Key Responsibilities:

Planning and Forecasting:

  • Develop and lead the Open-to-Buy (OTB) process, ensuring alignment with topline financial goals and sales forecasts.
  • Build preseason merchandise plans and SKU-level forecasts informed by historical performance, sales trends, and market insights.
  • Drive strategies for new product launches and replenishment, establishing goals for evergreen and seasonal assortments.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams to implement allocation strategies that maximize regional and store-level and productivity.
  • Establish and maintain effective inventory management systems that optimize in-stock rates while minimizing overstock risks.

Inventory Management:

  • Oversee end-to-end inventory management, including product lifecycle planning, core replenishment, and merchandise transfers across stores and distribution centers.
  • Collaborate with Retail Operations to ensure operational excellence in omnichannel inventory execution.
  • Lead markdown planning and execution to maintain margin goals and ensure a cohesive customer experience across channels.
  • Analyze inventory health and implement strategic adjustments to improve sell-through and reduce obsolescence.

Reporting, Analysis, & Systems Integration:

  • Partner with the Analytics team to build and refine reporting tools that track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales trends, margin performance, and inventory turnover.
  • Deliver insights and recommendations to stakeholders, highlighting risks, opportunities, and category-level performance.
  • Lead the selection and implementation of planning systems to improve operational efficiency, providing training and guidance to ensure adoption.

Pricing & Profit Optimization:

  • Own pricing strategies and profitability analysis for both product categories and promotional campaigns.
  • Conduct competitive analysis to ensure alignment with market positioning and customer expectations.
  • Establish guidelines for pricing adjustments, leveraging data on product lifecycle, demand trends, and market dynamics.

Requirements:

  • 5+ years of experience in merchandise planning, allocation, and inventory management.
  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to synthesize data into actionable insights.
  • Proven experience leading forecasting and planning processes in a retail or ecommerce environment.
  • Advanced proficiency in Excel (e.g., pivot tables, v-lookups) and hands-on experience with planning systems.
  • Proficiency in merchandising, planning, allocation, and/or inventory management applications.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a track record of cross-functional collaboration.
  • Experience in a branded multi-location retail environment is preferred.
  • Toolio (or similar tools) experience, a plus
  • Tableau (or similar tools) experience, a plus
  • SQL experience, a plus
  • Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Planning, Business, or a related field.
  • Self-starter with a solution-oriented mindset, eager to deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
  • Driven, creative problem solver that consistently acts with integrity and speaks up
  • Owner’s mindset, with the ability to approach feedback and problems with a positive attitude.

Benefits & Perks:

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, including $0 in-network mental health visits, commuter benefits and 401k
  • HSA (Health Savings Account) or FSA (Flexible Spending Account)
  • Additional mental health resources such as Talkspace and Headspace
  • Gender affirmation support services, EAP sessions and work/life resources 
  • Flexible Work Environment (3 days in office, 2 days work from home)
  • 4 weeks accrued Paid Time Off, 7 days accrued Sick Time, 11 paid holidays, and 4 Quarterly Wellness Days (where the whole team takes time off together to recharge)
  • Three months of paid Parental Leave (biological, adoptive, and foster parents are all eligible)
  • A paid sabbatical after four years of full-time service
  • Ongoing learning & development, opportunities for upward mobility, performance reviews, and consistent coaching to help you grow professionally
  • Discounts on piercings and products (we’ve got your friends and family covered too!)
  • Access to PerkSpot and additional benefits such as pet insurance, discounted tickets, personal finance coaching, healthy rewards and extended life insurance

Studs is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a work environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity without regard to race, color, gender, age, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability (physical or mental), marital status, citizenship, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, or any other legally protected status. Studs considers qualified applicants with criminal histories. We comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which we operate. If you require an accommodation for the application process, please fill out this form.

Click here for the Studs Privacy Notice for California Applicants.

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