Position Overview

The Sr. Business Planner is a key strategic partner responsible for the end-to-end financial planning and performance of a major account or category. This role drives the achievement of financial goals by working in close partnership with Sales, Demand Planning, Supply Chain Planning, and the retail account’s Buying and Planning teams. The Senior Business Planner will lead the reporting, analysis, and forecasting of retailer sales, margin, and inventory financial plans, and will often mentor more junior planners.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Goal Achievement

• Independently develop, present, and gain alignment on comprehensive financial plans (sales, margin, inventory, and gross-to-net) and brand strategies in collaboration with Account Executives and cross-functional leadership.
• Lead the pre-season planning process for Replenishment, Key Items, and Assortment building at the brand level with Merchandising and Sales, driving data-informed recommendations.
• Serve as the primary planning expert and point of contact for the assigned account, proactively leading discussions on business performance, opportunities, and risks with internal and external partners.

Financial Analysis & Performance Management

• Own the weekly analysis of account selling reports, identifying critical business trends and variances. Proactively make recommendations on pricing, open-to-buy (OTB), and inventory flow to maximize profitability and minimize margin erosion.
• Drive in-depth business analysis using advanced tools (e.g., store performance, climate, volume groups) to uncover new growth drivers and opportunities.
• Develop and present complex inventory sell-off strategies and solutions to maximize internal sales and profitability, partnering closely with Division leadership.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Present quarterly hindsight business reviews to senior leadership, including Account Executives and Design/Merchandise teams, providing data-backed insights on selling, category performance, SKU rationalization, and forward-looking season strategies.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior planners and team members on best practices in retail planning, financial modeling, and system utilization.
• Lead the collaboration with Demand Planning and Sales to develop and refine statistical forecasts and assortment recommendations.
• Own the reconciliation and management of all inventory components, ensuring appropriate Weeks of Supply (WOS) is maintained against plan and prior year metrics.

System & Ad Hoc Reporting

• Design and manage complex ad hoc analysis to support executive-level decision-making.
• Drive process improvements and best practices in planning systems and tools.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive experience in retail merchandise planning, financial planning, or a highly analytical business role.
• Advanced proficiency in retail math, OTB management, financial modeling, and Microsoft Excel (including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, and complex formulas).
• Demonstrated ability to analyze large datasets, synthesize key findings, and present clear, strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Superior written and oral communication skills, with a proven ability to influence decisions cross-functionally and externally with retail buying teams.
• Strong, independent self-starter with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience managing financial plans for a major, complex retail account (e.g., department store, large e-commerce retailer).
• Expert-level experience using advanced planning systems such as Anaplan, Business Objects, or similar enterprise planning tools.
• Experience with gross-to-net planning (discounts, markdowns, allowances).
• Prior experience in a mentorship or team lead capacity.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic, curious mind with a high degree of accountability and ownership.
• Proactive and adaptable mindset with a focus on driving continuous improvement in systems and processes.
• Exceptional resourcefulness and ability to quickly master new systems, processes, and data sources.
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to build and maintain influential relationships with internal and external partners.