Assistant Manager, Merchandise Planning

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

Assistant Manager, Merchandise Planning provides financial guidance to Canada retail buying teams to meet or exceed sales and target KPIs. Assist with the development of seasonal plans, analysis and reporting of sales, margin, and inventory. Make recommendations and collaborate with buying teams to achieve forecast/plan expectations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support Buying Teams in pre-season planning and in-season execution of category level targets.
• Support Buying and Planning to analyze, review and recommend strategies that maximize sales, margin, ASP (average selling price) and stock turns. Analysis of category/product/article performance to communicate risks and opportunities to financial targets, and drive retail excellence at stores.
• Liase with Financial Planning and OMNI inventory teams to determine DC to store forecast, excess consumption and inventory trading.
• Build and maintain key reporting tools to support Buying and Planning teams in business analytics to improve results.
• Support of promotional planning process working with Buying and Marketing teams with historical analysis and current trends, recommending actions to achieve overall targets in sales and margin.
• Maintain profitable inventory levels by monitoring and tracking receipts and inventory movements. Partner with Buying and Allocation on optimal store capacities and assortment blends to maximize store performance. Maintain inventory forecasts to reveal risks and opportunities to sales and margin targets.
• Assistant Merchandise Planner responsibilities will vary slightly based on the category and channel supported.

Key Relationships:

• Buying & Allocations
• Brand Marketing & Operations Teams
• Finance
• Demand Planning
• Warehouse Teams

Knowledge Skills and Abilities :

• Proficiency with MS Office, Business intelligence tools (Power BI) and various merchandising systems/applications, including database extracts
• Advanced Excel skills, with a thorough understanding of pivot tables, formulas, formatting, etc.
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to manage key stakeholder relationships
• Good planning and organization skills, resulting in the ability to meet critical deadlines
• Strong analytical skills and a thorough understanding of retail KPIs and metrics
• Strong communication and presentation skills, written and verbal
• Ability to manipulate large amounts of data and create reporting tools from data
• Ability to successfully multi-task and problem-solve

Requisite Experience / Minimum Qualifications: 

• 1-3 years’ experience in reporting and analysis
• Prior experience creating and publishing reports
• Inventory management experience a plus
• Experience in retail or consumer products industry a plus

adidas offers a robust and progressive range of benefits, including: health and dental benefits, including prescription drug coverage, out of country coverage, short and long-term disability, basic life and AD&D insurance, and an Employee & Family Assistance Program. Employees are able to enroll in adidas’ Retirement Savings Plan with employer match. Qualifying employees are eligible for our education assistance program and fitness reimbursement program.

Employees are eligible to earn an annual bonus based on both company and personal performance. We recognize the commitment of our employees by increasing vacation time with length of service. We also offer Service Awards & Service Time Off during milestone years, paid bereavement leave, and parental leave top-up to eligible employees.

At adidas we offer a Hybrid work policy which requires attendance in the office Monday through Thursday, with the flexibility to work remotely on Friday each week. For work requiring a high degree of collaboration or an in-person presentation, in-office attendance is required even on Friday. The role is based in Woodbridge.

The anticipated low and high end of the base pay range for this position is $65,000-$75,000 CAD. Actual salary will be based on various factors, such as a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills and competencies, proficiency for the role. 

Though our teammates hail from all corners of the world, our working language is English.

adidas is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, including those with Disabilities, and will accommodate applicants’ needs, upon request, throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process. If selected to participate in an interview, accommodations will be made available on request. Please inform the Recruiter of the accommodation(s) that you may require. Information received relating to accommodation will be addressed confidentially