Merchandise Planner

Job Title:                                Merchandise Planner

Location:                                Toronto (Hybrid) 

Reporting to:                         Merchandise Planning Manager

About UNIQLO

UNIQLO is a brand of Fast Retailing Co. (FR), a leading global Japanese retail holding company that designs, manufactures and sells clothing under five brands: GU, Theory, COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS, PRINCESSE TAM.TAM, J Brand, and UNIQLO. FR is the world’s third largest apparel retail company and UNIQLO is Japan’s leading specialty retailer.

At UNIQLO, we are committed to providing our employees with enriching and challenging opportunities where achievements and personal growth are acknowledged and rewarded. We are dedicated to offering our employees training, performance-based increases, and unlimited growth opportunities. If you are an ambitious, hard-working individual who welcomes new challenges, have a drive for success, and embrace the responsibility of leadership—then you belong at UNIQLO!

Position Overview

The Merchandise Planner is responsible for identifying sales trends, providing strategy and direction to realize fiscal targets are achieved through multi-leveled action plans. They will be able to build financial sales strategies, gross margin and sales plans for multiple departments in a given area.  The Merchandise Planner will manage and plan merchandise sales, including promotional and markdown plans to drive departmental sales, inventory, profit and sell through objectives.  Also, they will provide in-season financial projections and strategies while identifying risks and opportunities to maximize profits. 

Job Description:

• Build financial sales, gross margin and sales plans on a seasonal basis
• Reforecast business in-season based on current performance and present revised projections and recommendations to cross functional partners and senior leadership on a weekly basis
• Create allocation strategies, incorporating the merchandise plan and flow strategy to meet store inventory needs
• Review, analyze and adjust sales plans incorporating market trends and customer needs
• Create and plan product assortments (item, color, size) for each product category based on seasonal concepts
• Manage inventory levels to ensure that sales are optimized and stores are without missing SKUs
• Place orders for both seasonal and replenishment product buys
• Strategize cross functionally to meet sales plans and achieve business targets

Desired Skills and Experiences:

• Passion for fashion and customer service
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Economics, Finance or Mathematics preferred
• 2-3 years of fashion retail merchandise buying
• Previous in-store retail experience and store planning experience an asset
• Excellent analytical and mathematical skills with a strong business and financial acumen, able to analyze numbers to create reporting and come up with a solution to resolve any issues identified
• Aware of current fashion trends and have an understanding of customer needs/demands
• Experience in working with global timezone
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to effectively communicate and work with internal local teams and external global teams
• Strong organizational and time management skills; able to handle multiple priorities to meet tight deadlines
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially MS Excel, comfortable with pivot tables and lookup functions
• Independent with a high level of ownership, accountability and initiative
• Driven and has a sense of urgency
• Flexible schedule to support the business as needed

UNIQLO Canada is an equal opportunity employer. UNIQLO Canada encourages applications from all qualified candidates and accommodates person with disabilities. Candidates that are selected for interviews should advise us if they require accommodation.