Associate Category Management Planner

Support Center - Irving
For nearly 50 years, Michaels has been the destination where Makers get inspired, learn, shop, and create. We strive to cultivate an inclusive shopping environment for all Makers and work environment for all Team Members, providing a place of belonging and empowering everyone to bring their creative dreams to life. At Michaels, every Team Member is encouraged to hone their craft with opportunities for personal and professional growth. From our Stores and Distribution Centers to Artistree and our Support Center, our best-in-class team is passionate about leaving the world a better, more creative place by contributing to every “make”.
Michaels is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are here for all Team Members and all Makers to create, innovate and be better together.
The Associate Category Management Planner will be a key business partner with Category Manager and Category Director (CM/CD) to ensure achievement of department goals in terms of sales, gross margin and inventory.
Major Activities
Analysis:

• Ensure corporate inventory initiatives are included in dept strategies
• In season management and execution of basic assortment exit strategies for resets
• Optimize seasonal inventory flow
• Partner with Financial Planner to develop and execute SKU rationalization goals
• Provide CD/CM with analysis and recommendation to optimize sales, margin and inventory in season recommendations to optimize seasonal plans

Purchase Planning:

• Using MFP (Michaels Financial Planning) to create weekly sales, margin and inventory plans at subclass level for seasonal and trend programs
• Recommend "wave breaks" for seasonal flow
• Evaluate forward buys on market deals and other opportunities
• Incorporates correction of errors
• Recommend optimal inner and master packs
• Owns MFP administration for seasonal and basic plans
• Work with pricing and CD/CM to make appropriate in season MD recommendations for seasonal and trend product
• Develop and adhere to critical timelines

Assortment Planning:

• Participate in assortment plan review with category mgt team for seasonal and SBA assortments by analyzing historical information, and make appropriate recommendations.
• Ensure assortments are completed within specific time frames

Reset support:

• Implement discontinue timing
• Other duties as assigned
• Develop and implement MD strategy following reset financial timeline
• Monitor progress of reset activities and integrate into MFP sales, margin and inventory forecast
• Implement order placement timing for new product with CD/CM and Replenishment Team
• Update finance partner on any activities that would require updating reset financials

Minimum Education

• BS or equivalent
• Business, retail or related field

Minimum Special Certifications Or Technical Skills

• Microsoft Office literate, especially Excel

Minimum Type Of Experience The Job Requires

• Numerical analysis and project management experience
• 2-5 years in retail

Other

• Ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure and time constraints
• Ability to work comfortably on unstructured problems/tasks

Preferred Special Certifications Or Technical Skills

• Planning system skills preferred

Preferred Type Of Experience The Job Requires

• 2+ years in retail planning or allocation preferred

Applicants in the U.S. must satisfy federal, state, and local legal requirements of the job.
To review a comprehensive list of benefits, please visit Michaels Benefits
CA, CO, CT, WA, RI and select New York cities only - To review pay ranges for the position you are applying for, please visit Michaels Pay Ranges - CA, CO, CT, WA, RI, and select New York cities only.
Michaels is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with this commitment, Michaels will assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if a reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the job, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Customer Care at 1-800-642-4235 (1800-MICHAEL).
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