Merchandise Planner

Overview Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren\’s reputation and distinctive image have been developed across brands and international markets. The company’s brand names include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, and Chaps. We unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.
We are seeking an Established Planner to join our Menswear team in a permanent role, based at our New Bond Street / Cork Street London offices. This is a hybrid position, with two days per week in the office.
The successful candidate will be highly analytical, commercially driven, and numerically strong, with proven planning experience managing seasonal OTB and WSSI, and the ability to provide insight and analysis across product categories and channels. You will thrive in a collaborative team setting and bring a proactive, solution-focused mindset.
This role plays a key part in driving sales, stock, and margin performance, partnering closely with cross-functional teams to deliver against Ralph Lauren\’s commercial and brand objectives.
Responsibilities Leads department trade and can take necessary actions, showing awareness of impact to topline business.
Drives channel performance and availability.
Drives and optimises line card process and communicates impacts to department KPIs to key stakeholders.
Accountable for WSSI management and understands brand positioning and department impact to total channel WSSI.
Works alongside key stakeholders to support the formulation of the category long-term forecast.
Oversees inventory management process, critically assessing long- and short-term risks and opportunities against department EOH stock targets and average stock turn, influencing key stakeholders to implement solutions.
Accountable for hindsight process and successfully delivers the strategy.
Leads OTB process, influencing buying counterparts to meet department KPIs through optimising buying strategies and OTB management, demonstrating flexibility in approach to maximise opportunities.
Accountable for overseeing seasonal markdowns.
Works efficiently and sets department priorities.
Commercial Awareness Utilises knowledge of brand positioning and market analysis to help shape future strategies.
Oversees regular store visits and competitor reviews.
Leadership & Team Clearly defines and articulates expectations and sets stretch goals for the team.
Coaches and trains the team, helping them acquire the skills and knowledge to be more effective.
Regularly reviews the team\’s progress.
Empowers team wellness and prioritises team psychological safety.
Feels confident leading a team and can clearly delegate tasks.
Actively provides candid feedback to individual team members to improve performance.
Identifies talent within own team and proactively devotes time to developing talent.
Addresses underperformance and supports those in need of development.
Builds a sense of shared ownership of responsibility within the team.
Communications & Partnerships Creates and maintains strong working relationships within key stakeholders.
Aligns and updates stakeholders on strategies and business goals.
Manages cross-functional projects and processes, leveraging key stakeholders’ knowledge.
Delivers on process and efficiency optimisation.
Qualifications Strong analytical mindset and experience in using planning and forecasting tools and systems.
Effective communicator able to convey messages clearly to a variety of audiences.
Able to work autonomously, results-oriented and able to think outside the box.
Able to demonstrate logical analysis and problem-solving skills.
Solution-oriented with an entrepreneurial attitude.
Able to organize, prioritise tasks and manage time to meet deadlines.
Confident in challenging others opinions respectfully.
Demonstrates self-awareness of their impact on others and seeks feedback to improve.
Able to build and maintain productive relationships within a team environment.
Proficient in Microsoft Excel and BI reporting tools.
Able to demonstrate resilience and remain positive during challenging periods.
Attention to detail.
Regularly recognises and praises good work.
Leads by example and shows desire to mentor junior members.
A passion for product and a collaborative work culture.
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