Ralph Lauren
Merchandise Planner
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Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing, and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands, and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands.
At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups, and Celebration.
A Planner is responsible for in-season forecasting, trading, and future season planning, inventory and OTB management, in order to maximize sales and profitability.
POSITION SCOPE
Operation/Financial
- Critically analyses trade reports, and utilizes own knowledge to influence forecasting & promotional/MD planning.
- Influence trade actions that impact Division/channel performance.
- Drives and optimizes line card process and communicates impacts to department KPI's to key stakeholders.
- Ensures the department is maximizing KPI opps and minimizing KPI risks, through successful management of the WSSI.
- Understands long-term sales plans and can translate this into department KPIs.
- Oversees inventory management process and works cross-functionally, to provide solutions to reach end of season stock targets and average cost turn, communicating KPI impacts to management.
- Uses hindsight assessment to formulate the financial building blocks required for strategy planning.
- Partners & influences buying counterparts to formulate the department forward strategy, and able to critically assess the risks and opportunities associated, whilst providing sound solutions.
- Owns OTB process, influencing buying counterparts to meet department KPI's through optimizing buying strategies and OTB management, demonstrating flexibility in approach to maximize opportunities.
- Responsible for overseeing seasonal markdowns & communication to stores.
- Works efficiently & sets department priorities.
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Commercial Awareness
- Utilizes knowledge of brand positioning and market analysis to help shape future strategies.
- Oversees regular store visits and competitor reviews.
Team Development
- To adopt a positive and proactive approach to their own training and development as well as that of their peers.
- Influences & collaborates with key stakeholders on cross-functional projects & process improvement.
- Coaches and trains team, helping them to acquire the skills & knowledge to be more effective.
- Regularly reviews team progress towards achieving goals.
- Participates in company initiatives as appropriate.
- Empowers team wellness & prioritises team psychological safety.
- Feels confident leading a team and can clearly delegate tasks.
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Communications & Partnerships
- Creates and maintains strong working relationships within key stakeholders.
- Collaborates and informs stakeholders on strategies & business goals.
Requirements
- Strong analytical mindset and experienced in using planning and forecasting tools and systems.
- Effective communicator - able to communicate messages clearly and concisely to a variety of audiences.
- Able to work autonomously, results-oriented, and able to 'think outside the box'.
- Able to demonstrate logical analysis and problem-solving skills.
- Solution-oriented with an entrepreneurial attitude.
- Able to organize, prioritize tasks, and manage time well to meet deadlines.
- Can confidently and respectfully challenge others' opinions.
- Demonstrates self-awareness of their impact on others & seeks feedback on ways to improve.
- Able to build and maintain productive relationships within the team environment.
- An expert in using Microsoft Excel and BI reporting tools.
- Able to demonstrate resilience and remain positive during challenging periods.
- Attention to detail.
- Regularly recognizes & praises good work.
- Leads by example & shows desire to mentor junior members.
- Desire to have fun at work and an appreciation for the product.
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