Company DescriptionDedicated to telling stories and creating experiences, Indigo is always looking for bright, energetic and customer-focused people who can help bring our exciting mission to life in one of our more than 170 Indigo, Indigospirit, Chapters and Coles stores across Canada. We offer a variety of exciting opportunities at our retail stores, distribution centres, and home office for people who share our passions and want to be part of a dynamic and enriching culture.WHO WE AREWe love books and all things beautifulWe are Canada’s Cultural Department StoreBooks are our heart and our soul and Great Books are JUST the Beginning…We play by the following rules:We exist to add joy to our customers’ lives each and every time they interact with us and our productsOur job is to create joyful moments for our customersWe treat each other the way we’d treat a valued friendWe inspire each other to do our best workWe seek to ignite creativity and innovation every dayWe give back to the communities in which we operateJob DescriptionThe Merchandise Planner is responsible for developing annual merchandise plans for a given category in partnership with the Planning Manager, Category Manager, and Planning Director. This role will assist in driving the business's overall profitability and lead the weekly forecast planning process, managing Open to Buy and key figures (purchases, returns, inventory, markdowns, etc.). The Merchandise Planner is also responsible for allocating and replenishing merchandise and maintaining inventory integrity at the store level.KEY PERFORMANCE METRICSSales & Net MarginInventory Turns and NMROIForecasting accuracyEOM Inventory LevelsStore stock levels and Weeks of supplyHEAT ticket resolutionKEY ACCOUNTABILITIESFunctionalAssist in the development and implementation of the strategic plan and annual budgetLead the forecasting process for the assigned categories, including managing and maintaining Open to BuyMonitor and manage article and program performanceIdentify early markdown opportunities on poorly performing itemsAssist in managing the performance of the category groupIdentify best practices and opportunities for improvement against assortment and trend direction (external/internal research) to contribute to improved category performance and overall business intelligence through recommendations on pricing, inventory levels, promotions, etc., and recommending these actions to the Category Manager and Planning DirectorDrive sales and net margin contribution through financial planning and category analysisDevelop regular reports and recommendations based on review and analysis that are shared with the Category TeamManage replenishment ordersMonitor store stock levels, adjusting allocations for performance trends and inventory levels to maintain target inventory levels.Recommend re-orders based on sales, on-hand, and support product exit strategy.Communicate with stores and DC regarding inventory and replenishment questions.Work with a sense of urgency to identify opportunities based on sales trends.Act as an advocate for the customer by placing them at the forefront of all decision-making and design processes.Proactively identify and anticipate customer expectations and needsEmbrace and seek out technology that creates high-tech and high-touch solutions for Indigo’s customersChallenge the status quo by consistently identifying areas for improvement, diagnosing issues, and working to resolve themPeopleCollaborate with others to drive flexible and iterative solutions, quickly and easilyShare technical knowledge with others and actively seek to learn from those more knowledgeable than yourselfHelp others see the impacts of their efforts and proactively engage other functions to get inputEncourage others to freely share their point of view and be open to feedbackCulturalModel Indigo’s beliefs and convey a positive image in everything you doCelebrate the diversity of thought and have an open mindsetTake an active role in fostering a culture of continual learning, taking risks without the fear of making mistakesEmbrace, champion, and influence change through your team and/or the organizationSCOPEReports to: Manager, Planning & Inventory ManagementKEY RELATIONSHIPSInternal:FinanceMerchandisingSupply ChainRetail OperationsConsumer ExperienceExternal:VendorsQualificationsWork Experience / Education / CertificationsBachelor’s degree in Finance or a similar/related field3 years’ experience in a planning or allocations-related roleCompetencies / Skills / AttributesAdvanced Excel skills requiredSound financial and business acumenDetail-oriented with a strong analytical skill set, quantitatively orientedDemonstrated abilities in multi-tasking and problem solvingExcellent communication and interpersonal skillsUnderstanding of Retail distribution businesses is an assetStrong ability to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environmentAbility to deal with change and uncertaintyStrong ability to work across functional groupsAbility to negotiate and influence peers effectivelyAdditional InformationAt Indigo, we are committed to our communities, our customers, and each other; together we can make a positive impact. We know that fostering diversity and inclusion brings out your full potential and creates a joyful and welcoming environment for everyone. We are driven to be an equitable employer, which highly values your diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that you, in all your uniqueness, belong at Indigo. We welcome all applicants and encourage applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, a person of colour, LGBTQ2+ and people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request to individuals who self-identify as having a disability or special need. Please contact Human Resources at [email protected] if you require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment process. WELCOME HOME
