Assortment Planner

About the Position
The Assortment Planner is responsible for acting as the trusted advisor to the Merchant team to create an optimized assortment plan. Use robust analytics to help identify opportunities for growth along with creating assortments to help drive topline growth.
Responsibilities
• Analyze historical data and current trend to identify opportunities and risk in the assortment and store set strategy• Create CC guidelines by Store set• Monitor and evaluate chain and attribute CC’s for the total store• Collaborate with Merchandising and Merchandise Planning to establish store set calendar• Continuously look at ways to segment business to provide sales opportunity• Monitor in-season business and analyze and re-evaluate levels and store attributes. • Maintain all attributes, store counts and assortment groups• Analyze and evaluate attributes quarterly• Establish a strong partnership with field management and cross functional partners including Visual, Merchandising, Allocation, and Store Planning• Touch-base regularly and participate on conference calls (as needed) to drive regional strategy• Publish monthly and quarterly reports in an accurate and timely manner to the LOFT team. • Analyze, compile, and articulate findings on store levels and attributes• Key Liaison for Petites and Hot Store strategies• Provide analysis and strong point of view for assortment strategies
Requirements
• Bachelors degree required and 1-3 years of experience in Merchandise Planning, Store Planning or Buying.• Strong analytical and recapping skills with the ability to navigate and roll up large data sets• Ability to work in a position where the responsibility is evolving and expanding• Ability to make quality recommendations/decisions and to defend strategy with relevant data.• Ability to build effective, collaborative relationships with business partners in both the home office and field.• Demonstrate strong communication skills; using multiple methods and across diverse audiences• Comfortable presenting in meetings or over the phone.• Strong time management and organizational skills; prioritize workload and multi task to meet deadlines.• Aptitude to learn technical applications quickly. Desire to innovate tools and processes. • Proficient in Excel • Proficient in gathering, recapping and analyzing data in warehouse systems (SAP, Essbase, Proclarity)