Store Planner (Hybrid), Belk Merchandising LLC, US

The Store Planner partners with merchants, planning, and store partners to drive strategic growth and optimize assortments at the store level. This role requires advanced Excel skills, robust analytical ability, and clear communication to support top-down and bottom-up forecasting, capacity planning, and inventory management. The Store Planner plays a key role in guiding localization strategies, influencing assortment decisions, and ensuring store-level execution through collaboration and data-driven insights.

Essential Functions:

• Lead the store and cluster hindsighting process to identify opportunities by vendor, classification, region, and store. Recap LY performance by cluster at levels predetermined by GVP through S5
• Supports our framework for cluster recommendations inclusive of choice counts, depth and fixture counts.
• Make strategic recommendations on store adds/edits and partner with leadership to align priorities across FOBs.
• Identifies store exceptions and partners with JDA/Blue Yonder Admin to execute settings impacting future allocations.
• Monitor store, tier, and/or cluster performance in season.  Provide analysis and strategic recommendations to improve in season store performance.
• Leads new store, remodel and closing process.
• Manage assortments in space-constrained stores, ensuring alignment with capacity and strategy.
• In partnership with merchant make recommendations for assortment expansions / reductions based on store performance
• Collaborate with merchants, planning, and process partners to prioritize programs for delayed allocation and single unit hold and flow

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent years of experience required
• 4-6 years of inventory management and/or store analysis experience

Knowledge / Skills Requirements:

• Experience in high volume, fast paced, big box/specialty retail environment or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple priorities and interact collaboratively, working with multiple partners to resolve exceptions and collaborate on best alternatives.
• Strong analytical skills - ability to analyze and understand quantitative data.
• Moderate technical skill proficiency (PC-based) using advanced functions in Excel and Access; demonstrated ability to learn and apply new software technology. Systems used: JDA Allocation, SAS, S5
• Ability to be a team player and to foster commitment to teamwork among other associates.