Manager, Merchandise Planning
This role will be accountable for driving profitable sales for the region, managing sales and inventory activities by setting SKU sales targets, maintaining a bottoms-up open-to-buy plan, monitoring inventory aging and quality, and providing stock productivity analysis. They will also create and analyze forecasts across the region and provide robust reporting to all levels of the organization.

What You’ll Do

• Work cross-functionally with other departments within the organization to optimize buy targets, SKU optimization, and time-phased category plans. Work closely with Inventory planning and Merchant/Product teams. Monitor OTB flow for the current buying season and an extended 18- month strategic open-to-buy plan for future product seasons.
• Manage in-season inventory activities, forecasting to a roll-forward projection and making adjustments based on the agreed-upon top-down plan. Maintain communication with the Inventory team on outputs by creating and updating ad hoc reporting and monitoring results. Support the markdown and closeout process.
• Manage the markdown in season and closeout/end-of-life process. • Produce style count and SKU productivity targets to govern the region’s range selection activity. Monitor performance against these targets and make recommendations to the Merchant team to improve results.
• Create and update inventory productivity analysis including stock aging, pareto, velocity, flow optimization, and seasonal mix. • Prepare for monthly open-to-buy review meetings with Merchandising and Finance teams. • Planning/Allocation groups. Review current position against the top-down plan; identify risks and opportunities for optimization.
• Provide analysis on an as-needed basis. This may include assortment analysis by distribution grade/cluster, productivity and profitability by category, markdown cadence optimization, stockouts, and service levels, etc.
• Responsible for working with the Merchant team to create buy targets by channel. Breaking the future plans to lower classification levels to improve forecast accuracy. Time-phasing these category plans to improve cash flow and deliver products on time to maximize sales. • Responsible for developing and providing standard weekly and monthly reports and evaluating performance versus agreed-upon KPIs.

What You’ll Bring

• Experience in footwear retail merchandise planning, buying, demand, and supply planning • Knowledge of different business operating models
• Successful Retail Merchandise, Buying, Demand and Supply Planning experience
• Experience in key distribution channels – wholesale, retail, and digital • Ability to analyze trends and use that information to plan and forecast effectively • Strong analytical and verbal skills • Practical understanding of trading and marketing planning processes
• Strong computer skills, including the following tools:
• Data warehouse/data mart query and report development tools
• Advanced Microsoft Excel (if statements, linking, pivot tables, etc.)
• Planning Software (MID, Arthur, NSB/STS/MMS, I2, Retek, Evant, etc.)

About Clarks
Clarks, based in Somerset, England, has been at the forefront of innovative shoemaking since its foundation in 1825, when brother James and Cyrus Clark made a slipper from sheepskin off-cuts. At the time it was ground-breaking: a combination of invention and craftsmanship that has remained at the heart of what the brand does now. In the Clarks archive of more than 22,000 pairs that have sparked revolutions and defined generations. From the original Clarks Desert Boot, first designed by Nathan Clark and Launched in 1950, to the iconic Wallabee, each design has an instantly recognizable signature that makes it unmistakably Clarks.
This season, we’re proud to introduce the Clarks Collective: five incredible activists championing authentic social change. From mental health awareness and LGBTQ+ rights to greater racial equality, these trailblazers are committed to creating a brighter future for us all-bringing to life Clarks’ new global campaign, for the World Ahead. Through spotlighting their stories and supporting their chosen charities and initiatives, we’re ready to lead the way. After all, we’re the originators, not imitators. It’s who we are, who we’ve always been. And to change the world of tomorrow, we’re doing things differently today.
As a global employer, Clarks is committed to embracing diversity throughout our workforce by creating an inclusive environment that reflects the many cultures and locations where we work. We strive to create a productive environment which everyone has an equal chance to succeed at all levels through the organization. We will not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, disability, marital status, color, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment’, complying with local legislative requirements

• Work cross-functionally with other departments within the organization to optimize buy targets, SKU optimization, and time-phased category plans. Work closely with Inventory planning and Merchant/Product teams. Monitor OTB flow for the current buying season and an extended 18- month strategic open-to-buy plan for future product seasons.
• Manage in-season inventory activities, forecasting to a roll-forward projection and making adjustments based on the agreed-upon top-down plan. Maintain communication with the Inventory team on outputs by creating and updating ad hoc reporting and monitoring results. Support the markdown and closeout process.
• Manage the markdown in season and closeout/end-of-life process. • Produce style count and SKU productivity targets to govern the region’s range selection activity. Monitor performance against these targets and make recommendations to the Merchant team to improve results.
• Create and update inventory productivity analysis including stock aging, pareto, velocity, flow optimization, and seasonal mix. • Prepare for monthly open-to-buy review meetings with Merchandising and Finance teams. • Planning/Allocation groups. Review current position against the top-down plan; identify risks and opportunities for optimization.
• Provide analysis on an as-needed basis. This may include assortment analysis by distribution grade/cluster, productivity and profitability by category, markdown cadence optimization, stockouts, and service levels, etc.
• Responsible for working with the Merchant team to create buy targets by channel. Breaking the future plans to lower classification levels to improve forecast accuracy. Time-phasing these category plans to improve cash flow and deliver products on time to maximize sales. • Responsible for developing and providing standard weekly and monthly reports and evaluating performance versus agreed-upon KPIs