WE’D LOVE TO MEET YOU IF

• You hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business or a comparable field, with over 5 years of experience in Merchandising, preferably within eCommerce, and have managed at least two full planning cycles.
• You have proven experience leading business and functionally developing junior team members, demonstrating high levels of personal accountability and a commitment to achieving outstanding results.
• You excel in dynamic, fast-paced environments, embracing change and consistently seeking innovative solutions to complex challenges.
• You possess excellent English skills, can communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and have strong negotiation abilities.
• You love working with numbers, think strategically, and are an expert in Excel, other planning software, and Google Suite, using these tools to optimize planning processes.

THE ROLE & THE TEAM

As part of the Sports team you will contribute to our vision to inspire customers to live an active lifestyle. We are proud of our focus on deep customer relationships and continue to invest to deepen them even further. In this, we see Sports as a growth area and our Sports team leverages the full spectrum of the Zalando Platform and brings the very best of Zalando to our customers.
As a Senior Merchandise Planner - Sports (Maternity Cover), you hold end-to-end accountability for a specific business segment of significant turnover, high complexity, or strategic importance and you act as the commercial lead for your cluster. Your primary responsibility is to define the financial KPI plan and ensure the business area meets these targets. This involves planning and managing inventory to optimize sales and profitability.
In this role, you’ll need a sharp analytical mindset, advanced knowledge of merchandise planning tools and processes, and the ability to work effectively with various departments. You’ll analyse historical sales data and market trends to create accurate sales forecasts, preparing detailed reports and insights to support decision-making processes. Additionally, you will play an instrumental role in evolving these tools and processes to benefit the future business.

WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)

• Lead the end-to-end planning cycle to define and achieve financial KPI targets. Ensure full accountability for steering the business area to meet defined financial goals.
• Implement and monitor inventory strategies to maintain optimal stock levels, maximizing sales and minimizing excess stock through a monthly OTB cycle.
• Analyse historical sales data and market trends to create accurate sales forecasts. Prepare detailed reports and insights to support decision-making processes.
• Work closely with marketing, operations, and other cross-functional teams to ensure the successful execution of merchandise plans. Communicate effectively with external stakeholders to align on strategic goals and initiatives.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and accuracy in merchandise planning. Leverage technology and tools to streamline planning processes and data analysis.