Merchandising & Planning Manager

Based in Sausalito and handcrafted in Spain, Frēda Salvador is an artisan brand that is both modern and streamlined in its approach to footwear & accessories.

We are a fast paced start up and are hustling everyday.  We are driven. We are small, but mighty with strong values in teamwork, a positive and supportive work environment, and building our community from the ground up. 

We are looking for a passionate, analytical & footwear/accessory obsessed Merchandise Planner to join our team. This is a key role in the company that will report into the leader of Inventory Planning, with a direct relationship to the business units and leadership teams.  

The Merchandise Planner will support the business channels to drive sales through analyzing data, trend forecasting and creating inventory management strategies to maximize sales and profitability. The Merch Planner is responsible for annual and monthly seasonal merchandise plans, forecasting the business based on trend and managing changes in strategy to support a growing brand. This role is highly cross functional and supports all channels of the business.

The Merchandise Planner will be a financially driven and meticulous individual who has a passion for fashion and retail, and is able to thrive in a fast-paced and highly creative environment.

To be successful in this role, you should have strong knowledge of the current fashion trends and have the ability to interpret our company’s vision into successful merchandise and inventory plans. The ideal candidate will have outstanding analytical, critical thinking and problem solving skills, a deep understanding of how to use data to drive decisions, and advanced Excel skills including the ability to work with large data sets. Ideally this candidate also loves footwear and accessories and has a strong understanding of the category.

Responsibilities

Merchandising:
Market and Trend Knowledge:

• Strong market and current trend knowledge.
• Competitive landscape expertise, utilizing information to support best line plans and buy plans for the business.
• Consistently convey trends and learnings to teams.

Merchandising Strategy and Planning:

• Partner with IM leader and business units to create line plans aligned with top-down and bottoms-up plans.
• Participate in all preseason merchandising meetings, presenting trends, line plans, and influencing development based on data and analytics (scorecard).
• Apply systems to adoption and line assortment meetings, supporting business units to roll up buy plans and make recommendations for buys by channel.
• Manage weekly sales reporting and future season planning, based on learnings and pricing, in partnership with business units, leadership, and production teams.

Analysis and Insights:

• In-season/Post-season business opportunity identification, including WTD/MTD selling analysis, QTD/STD selling hindsights, WOS, ST rate, Turn, assortment updates, and learnings.
• Provide both qualitative and quantitative analysis at quarterly and seasonal hindsights and investment reviews, drawing insights to affect future product line architecture.
• Perform margin and cost analysis to ensure margin targets are achieved and highlight risks and variances.
• Drive weekly business discussions with channel owners to analyze the business, digging deeper into selling trends.

Inventory Management:
Sales Planning and Strategy:

• Develop and sustain a detailed sales plan from the ground up, while coordinating with overarching Open-to-Buy (OTB) strategies.
• Own OTB for all channels.
• Participate in monthly forecast reviews, managing the OTB, with IM leader.

Inventory Management and Planning:

• Responsible for receipts and flow for all channels.
• Manage class mix, class level performance, and buying; partner with IM leader on class strategy.
• Consistently review data to gather insights to adjust forecasting trends, closely monitor the business to ensure a healthy reorder process.
• Support future season inventory planning process with the team, using data analytics and clear line planning and OTB process.
• Oversee PO process with Production team.
• Own inventory/SKU set up to maintain product information integrity across channels.
• Channel allocation: support retail store inventory allocation and replenishment.

Data Analysis and Reporting:

• Analytical and trend reporting on all aspects of the business, including climate, size, color, etc.
• Responsible for weekly reporting to manage business and communicate recommendations to leadership.

Markdown Management:

• Manage inventory markdown process, execution, and timed events.
• Ensure accurate product attribution to uphold data integrity.
• Create and maintain markdown cadence.

Requirements

• 3+ years in Merchandising, buying / planning function, preferably e-commerce
• Bachelor's degree or higher
• Relevant inventory planning and merchandising experience
• Knowledge of Women’s accessory / apparel marketplace and consumer
• Understanding of product development, financials, and production
• Strong leadership skills and communication skills with cross-functional partners
• Fluency with merchandising and planning systems, business acumen,  tools, and applications
• Demonstrated experience gathering and manipulating data to answer questions and solve problems
• Advanced Excel skills including the ability to work with extremely large data sets, Pivot Tables, v lookups, and logical formulas
• Strong organizational and time management skills; able to effectively manage multiple priorities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Comfort with ambiguity and passion/excitement for building new tools and processes

Benefits

Alongside a unique and incredible culture, FREDA SALVADOR offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience and education and a benefits package that includes flexible vacation time, group medical, dental and vision plans, an employer-sponsored 401K retirement plan, flexible hybrid work schedule, and a generous discounts and shoe gratis program.