Merchandise Planner

About Our Company

Lids Sports Group is the largest licensed sports retailer in North America, selling fan and fashion-oriented headwear and apparel across the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Australia. Operating out of Indianapolis, IN, our retail stores offer officially licensed headwear and apparel from collegiate and professional sports teams, plus top brands like Nike, New Era, Adidas, and Mitchell & Ness.

We currently operate 1,200+ locations domestically and 50+ internationally, including specialty concept stores for the NBA, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, and numerous MLB teams. In recent years, Lids has built partnerships with iconic global brands including Marvel, Playboy, and the Harlem Globetrotters, and gained ambassadors like Justin Jefferson, Quavo, and Josephine Skriver – creating a community for both sports fans and fashion lovers.

The company is currently expanding with the goal of becoming the largest licensed brick-and-mortar sports retailer across the globe.

General Summary:

The Merchandise Planner is responsible for building financial sales, gross margin, and inventory plans for both pre-season and in-season time periods.  Partner with Buying & Merchandising group to create & deliver local assortment strategies maximizing sales and profits.  Responsible for the successful development, execution and communication of financial and inventory plans.  Provide analytics and support to the Merchandising organization as well as Executive updates on business performance.

Principle Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinate the development of annual, seasonal, monthly & weekly merchandise plans
• Construct merchandise purchase schedules; initial product deliveries and in-season merchandise flow.
• Manage monthly department level open to buy activities.
• Provide expert analysis on trends and recommendation to influence cancellations, future purchases, and assortment strategies.
• Analyze historic performance to identify areas of opportunity or risk. 
• Prepare preseason promotional and markdown strategy through partnership with buyer and merchandising.
• Develop, maintain, and update set of tools & reports to support the needs of the business.
• Establish appropriate process & tools to review product assortments; providing data & analysis to support decision making.
• Maintain business processes and serve as subject matter expert for process improvements.
• Partner with allocation & supply chain teams to implement consistent and profitable in-season replenishment strategies and practices.
• Develop enterprise wide risk mitigation plans and execute when appropriate.
• Test multiple business strategies simultaneously, quantifying & communicating business impacts.
• Manage sku intensive businesses.
• Manage location intensive assortments.
• Deliver local, regionally relevant assortments and business solutions.
• Manage multiple channels & banners that Lids Sports Group operates under.
• Communicate effectively, and at times persuasively, with employees at all levels of the company.
• Support and adhere to all company policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Provide excellent customer service as outlined in the HW&L policy manual.
• This position manages 1 employee and is responsible for leadership, performance management, discipline, and hiring
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Required Knowledge, Skills and Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, Fashion Merchandising or a related field.
• 3-5 years merchandising, planning, buying, or equivalent experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of retail math and measure used in financial reporting.
• Proven ability to perform independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to operate a computer and maneuver relative software programs.
• Analytic Skills:  Ability to think objectively and interpret meaningful themes from quantitative and qualitative data
• Financial and Business Acumen:  Ability to evaluate financial and business indicators and translate data into actionable information to drive results.
• Problem Solving & Decision Quality:  Able to use rigorous logic and methods to solve problems with effective solutions
• Relationship Management:  Able to build constructive and effective relationships with a broad and diverse group of business partners, both internally & externally.
• Dealing with Paradox: Ability to balance conflicting & competing priorities.  Delivering a set of options, detailing impacts for each while driving to a single recommendation.
• Presentation Skills:  Effective in a variety of presentation settings including one-on-one, small and large groups, and with peers and Executives
• Influencing and Negotiation:  Can present ideas and directions that lead others to action
• Planning and Priority Setting:  Demonstrate an ability to set objectives and goals and organize work appropriately to meet and exceed goals
• Process Management:  Can identify and articulate the processes necessary to get things down efficiently and align resources effectively complete activities
• Systems and Tools Acumen:  Advanced capabilities in Microsoft Excel, Proficiency in Microsoft Access, Powerpoint and Word. Must also have aptitude to learn technical applications quickly
• Risk Management:  Anticipate risks and identifies contingency plans and processes to prevent disruptions when risks occur

Physical/ Travel Requirements:

• In order to perform the essential functions of this job, an employee must be able to meet the following physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; talk; or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger; handle; or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop; kneel; or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision and depth perception
• This position requires less than 10% travel
• Ability and willingness to travel overnight for training and/or business meetings

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EEO Statement:
Hat World, Inc., Lids Holdings, Inc., dba Lids and subsidiaries is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to complying with all federal, state, and local EEO laws. Hat World, Inc., prohibits discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on the individual's race or color, religion or creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, marital status, sex, pregnancy status, age, military status, disability, or any other protected characteristic or class protected by law. Hat World, Inc. provides reasonable accommodation for disabilities in accordance with applicable laws.

Notice to Applicants:
In connection with your application, we collect information that identifies, reasonably relates to or describes you (“Personal Information”). The categories of Personal Information that we collect include your name, government issued identification number(s), email address, mailing address, other contact information, emergency contact information, employment history, educational history, criminal record, and demographic information. We collect and use those categories of Personal Information about you for human resources and other business management purposes, including identifying and evaluating you as a candidate for potential or future employment or future contract positions, recordkeeping in relation to recruiting and hiring, conducting criminal background checks as permitted by law, conducting analytics, and ensuring compliance with applicable legal requirements and Company policies.

Need accessibility assistance to apply?
Applicants who require accessibility assistance to submit an employment application, please email us at onboardingsupport@lids.com. A member of our Talent team will respond as soon as reasonably possible. This email address and is only for individuals seeking accommodation when applying for a career at Lids.

Req ID: 19641 

Location: Corporate Office