Associate Planner

**Job ID**: 212504
**Location Name**: ON-FSC Toronto Off (0581)
**Address**: 5560 Explorer Drive, 2nd Floor, Toronto, ON L4W 5M3, Canada (CA), will be relocating to 160 Bloor Street in the fall

**Job Type**: Full Time
**Position Type (Regular/Temporary)**: Contract
**Job Function**: Logistics/Operations
**Is This Position Eligible for Remote?**:Hybrid

At Sephora Canada, we’re passionate about finding and sharing beauty in the world. Our constant innovation, our ability to see and lead trends, and our focus on providing an outstanding customer experience make us the most-loved beauty community and top of mind for every Canadian. We find beauty in our communities, in our differences, our experiences, and in the spirit of our employees.

**ABOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN TEAM**:
Clients can’t wait to get their hands on our fantastic products. It’s one thing to promise beauty. It’s a whole other thing to deliver it. That’s where our Supply Chain department comes in. It takes planning, analysis and strategy to build brand partnerships, accurately forecast client behaviour and manage inventory levels across our network. Inventory Managers collaborate with operations and logistic experts to deliver beauty to our clients across the country. Our energetic and innovative team continually improves speed and accuracy to deliver on our promise to our clients.

**WHAT YOU'LL DO**:
As the Associate Merchandise Planner, you will manage brand sales and inventory planning for pre-season and in-season timeframes to achieve sales, inventory, profit and turnover objectives.

**Financial Planning and Open to Buy (OTB)**:

- Build pre-season Financial Plans that support merchant strategy and global targets
- Ongoing in-season strategy and financial plans to maximize sales and GM aligned to divisional strategy
- Develop New Brand strategies, projected sales, inventory by SKU needs, and order flow setups for launch timeframe & seasonal exit strategies
- Own monthly in season OTB forecast of sales, receipts, turnover and inventory needs to meet Target KPI's
- Analyze business & action for Top SKUs, Core, Newness, potential out of stocks, late orders

**In-Season**:

- PO creation & tracking - Newness, Holiday, Animation
- Allocate Newness to stores; track performance and recommend additional pushes to stores if newness is outpacing forecast. Partner and drive allocation strategy that supports inventory merchandise strategy for newness, animation and events/promos.
- Forecast and track newness/launch performance and seasonality, adjusting forecasts, receipts, inventory levels as needed to drive business
- Develop comprehensive pre-season planning strategy identifying opportunities and risks at a brand, channel, store level
- Develop liquidation strategy on exit brands/collections that are not being RTV, with Merch Team, US Inv. Team & Stores
- Review replenishment needs by brand, SKU on a weekly basis. Ensure replenishment rolls into OTB receipt targets - collaborate with Demand Planner to ensure replenishment forecasts are correct
- Manage store needs for key Promo periods based on Planner projections; Identify vendor OOS, fill rate, forecasting discrepancy - provide sku level forecast 3-4 months in advance
- Identify and analyze trends in order to provide recommended replenishment forecasts, receipts, proactively call out store inventory levels as needed
- Manage Overstock on a weekly basis - provide Merchants with recommendations for RTV/Swap, execute DC to DC transfers, store to DC transfers,
- Monitor US managed brand inventory for Launches, Holds/Releases and store in-stocks
- Validate productive assortment and recommendations of presentation quantity, items to discontinue, and items to develop, within new productivity guidelines & Merchandising Team
- Additional projects as required
- Foster a work environment that embodies the Sephora values

**Vendor Relations**:

- Partner with the US planners where necessary to ensure Canada brand management is in line with the US model
- Consistent communication with vendors in regards to OTB sales performance, in stocks, fill rates and outstanding issues
- Align on Merchant strategy for Brand Budgets; consistently provide OTB performance to vendors

**WHAT YOU'LL BRING**:

- You have a Bachelor’s degree or college diploma in business, retail management, or a related field - an MBA would be a huge bonus.
- You're experienced in planning and/or buying with at least 2 years' in the retail space
- You're curious, a go-getter, take ownership and responsibility for your work.
- You love tackling problems and using your analytical skills to find solutions.
- You have an entrepreneurial spirit, thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, and relish in working collaboratively with cross-functional groups.
- You've mastered the art of communication.
- You're technically savvy and are an Excel Guru.

**WHY YOU'LL LOVE WORKING HERE**:

- You’ll be part of a unique culture and family of pa