Associate Merchandise Planner Jobs
Associate Merchandise Planner jobs are open across retail, apparel, e-commerce, and consumer goods, covering specializations in inventory planning, assortment planning, and open-to-buy management, from entry-level to senior planner roles. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 89+ Associate Merchandise Planner jobs
About us
Inspired by our customers who appreciate fashion as much as function, Soma is an intimate apparel brand that embraces a passion for comfort and confidence by offering beautiful, innovative solutions. At Soma, every day is a chance to make women feel more empowered. Join the movement. Bring your talents and discover opportunities, support, and growth.
POSITION OBJECTIVE:
This position is responsible for the development of annual, seasonal, monthly, and weekly plans utilizing current sales and trend information. This position is primarily responsible for translating the Merchant’s vision into viable plans and profitable results across Omni channels.
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Partners with the Merchants on the development of pre-season sales, markdown, margin, receipt and inventory.
- Develops projections and inventory flow for key items/collections.
- Provides other analysis related to driving business goals (e.g. hindsight’s, color-selling, etc.).
- Forecasts monthly and seasonal plans, to ensure all orders fall within approved financial targets.
- Analyzes and reacts to performance of strategy based on actual sales and current trend performance.
- Prepares and participates in Merchandise Review meetings (MBR, seasonal hindsight).
-
Partners with Merchant to develop and propose tactics in response to current business trends, such as:
- Makes recommendations for key financial meetings/decisions in order to maximize sales, margin and inventory productivity Monthly plan review process, develops sales, markdown, receipt and inventory re-forecasts
- Manages and executes promotional and liquidation strategy
- Communicates revisions within the team and cross functionally
- Partners with cross functional teams to utilize seasonal selling curves by region, climate, and store attributes.
- Exhibits initiative to look beyond the everyday business to look for opportunities to maximize sales potentials.
This position may be found in multiple brands. Some duties may vary from brand to brand.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, operations, or business preferred
- 4+ years of experience in retail merchandise planning, demand forecasting; inventory management, allocation or replenishment; financial planning or financial analysis experience
- 3 years of retail experience in merchandising/buying or allocation
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills; strong aptitude with numbers; retail math skills, understanding of forecasting methodology
- Makes decisions with limited information but also able to synthesize large quantities of data to drive business decisions
- Strong communication and presentation skills; concisely presents complex information/recommendations in terms meaningful to various audiences
- System proficiency with strong emphasis on Excel
- Builds collaborative partnerships cross-functionally; identifies/influences critical stakeholders
#LI-CS4
Location:
Corporate FAS Retail Services - Fort Myers, FL 33928Position Type:
Regular/Full timeEqual Employment Opportunity
The Company is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from diverse candidates. Hiring decisions are based upon a candidate's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under consideration and are made without regard to sex (including pregnancy), race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other category protected by applicable law. The Company is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for job applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position you are seeking or to participate in the application process, please contact myHRSupport@knitwellgroup.com. The Company will make reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified applicants or employees, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operations of the Company’s business. The Company will not revoke or alter a job offer based on an applicant’s request for reasonable accommodation.
About us
Inspired by our customers who appreciate fashion as much as function, Soma is an intimate apparel brand that embraces a passion for comfort and confidence by offering beautiful, innovative solutions. At Soma, every day is a chance to make women feel more empowered. Join the movement. Bring your talents and discover opportunities, support, and growth.
POSITION OBJECTIVE:
This position is responsible for the development of annual, seasonal, monthly, and weekly plans utilizing current sales and trend information. This position is primarily responsible for translating the Merchant’s vision into viable plans and profitable results across Omni channels.
FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Partners with the Merchants on the development of pre-season sales, markdown, margin, receipt and inventory.
- Develops projections and inventory flow for key items/collections.
- Provides other analysis related to driving business goals (e.g. hindsight’s, color-selling, etc.).
- Forecasts monthly and seasonal plans, to ensure all orders fall within approved financial targets.
- Analyzes and reacts to performance of strategy based on actual sales and current trend performance.
- Prepares and participates in Merchandise Review meetings (MBR, seasonal hindsight).
-
Partners with Merchant to develop and propose tactics in response to current business trends, such as:
- Makes recommendations for key financial meetings/decisions in order to maximize sales, margin and inventory productivity Monthly plan review process, develops sales, markdown, receipt and inventory re-forecasts
- Manages and executes promotional and liquidation strategy
- Communicates revisions within the team and cross functionally
- Partners with cross functional teams to utilize seasonal selling curves by region, climate, and store attributes.
- Exhibits initiative to look beyond the everyday business to look for opportunities to maximize sales potentials.
This position may be found in multiple brands. Some duties may vary from brand to brand.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, operations, or business preferred
- 4+ years of experience in retail merchandise planning, demand forecasting; inventory management, allocation or replenishment; financial planning or financial analysis experience
- 3 years of retail experience in merchandising/buying or allocation
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills; strong aptitude with numbers; retail math skills, understanding of forecasting methodology
- Makes decisions with limited information but also able to synthesize large quantities of data to drive business decisions
- Strong communication and presentation skills; concisely presents complex information/recommendations in terms meaningful to various audiences
- System proficiency with strong emphasis on Excel
- Builds collaborative partnerships cross-functionally; identifies/influences critical stakeholders
#LI-CS4
Location:
Corporate FAS Retail Services - Fort Myers, FL 33928Position Type:
Regular/Full timeEqual Employment Opportunity
The Company is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from diverse candidates. Hiring decisions are based upon a candidate's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under consideration and are made without regard to sex (including pregnancy), race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other category protected by applicable law. The Company is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for job applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position you are seeking or to participate in the application process, please contact myHRSupport@knitwellgroup.com. The Company will make reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified applicants or employees, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operations of the Company’s business. The Company will not revoke or alter a job offer based on an applicant’s request for reasonable accommodation.
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Find JobsAssociate Merchandise Planner Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
- Fashion & Apparel
- Energy
- Technology & Software
- Marketing & Advertising
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in associate merchandise planner jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in merchandising, business, supply chain, or a related field
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel including pivot tables and advanced formulas
- Experience with retail planning or merchandise management software
- Understanding of open-to-buy planning and inventory management principles
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales and inventory data
- Effective written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration
Tips for Your Associate Merchandise Planner Job Search
Quantify your planning impact on your resume
Hiring managers for associate merchandise planner roles want numbers. Replace vague descriptions with metrics like in-stock rate improvements, inventory turn results, or sell-through percentages you influenced, even from internships or academic projects.
List every planning tool you have used
Job postings for associate merchandise planners almost always specify tools: Excel, SAP, Oracle Retail, or proprietary OTB systems. Name each one you have worked in directly on your resume so automated screening does not filter you out.
Target postings that name your merchandise category
Experience in footwear planning does not automatically transfer to home goods in a recruiter's eyes. Search for openings in the category you know best first, then broaden to adjacent categories once you have applied to the strongest fits.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists associate merchandise planner openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a case study for your interview
Merchandise planning interviews often include a scenario question: given a sales shortfall or an overstock situation, walk through your response. Prepare one real example from past work or coursework that shows your analytical process from data to decision.
Negotiate by anchoring to market data
When an offer comes, reference BLS occupational wage data for merchandise planners in your metro rather than guessing. Knowing the median for your region gives you a factual anchor and signals that your expectations are grounded, not inflated.
Associate Merchandise Planner Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most associate merchandise planners?
Crocs, Petco, and Victoria's Secret are hiring the most associate merchandise planners right now, with openings concentrated in California, New York, and Massachusetts, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Retail chains, department stores, and specialty apparel brands tend to post the highest volume of associate-level planning roles.
How many associate merchandise planner jobs are remote?
About 83% of associate merchandise planner openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with remote arrangements more common in e-commerce and direct-to-consumer brands than in traditional brick-and-mortar retail, where proximity to buying and allocation teams is often preferred.
How do you become an associate merchandise planner?
Start with a bachelor's degree in merchandising, retail management, business, or supply chain. Build Excel proficiency and familiarity with inventory concepts through coursework or internships. Entry-level retail analyst or allocation analyst roles are common stepping stones. Demonstrating comfort with data, sell-through analysis, and open-to-buy fundamentals makes candidates competitive for associate planner postings.
How do you get hired as an associate merchandise planner with little experience?
Focus on roles labeled 'associate' or 'junior' that explicitly welcome new graduates. Highlight any coursework in merchandise math, retail buying, or supply chain. A relevant internship, even in allocation or replenishment, signals you understand the planning cycle. Tailoring your resume to the specific category a retailer sells, rather than sending a generic application, meaningfully improves your chances.
What does the associate merchandise planner interview process look like?
Most processes include an initial phone screen with HR, followed by a panel or one-on-one interview with a planning manager. Expect at least one analytical exercise, such as interpreting a sales trend or building a simple OTB model in Excel. Final rounds often involve a cross-functional interview with buying or allocation team members to assess collaboration skills.
Where can I find and apply to associate merchandise planner jobs?
You can find and apply to associate merchandise planner jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that fit your category experience and background, then apply directly to each listing that matches what you are looking for.
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