Key Responsibilities
1. Assist in developing seasonal merchandise plans at the department and class level in partnership with Buyers and Merchandise Planners, balancing close-out and non-close-out business opportunities.
2. Support the development and maintenance of sales, inventory, and margin forecasts through analysis of historical performance, trends, and business opportunities.
3. Participate in ongoing business reviews and provide observations, recommendations, and analysis to support planning decisions.
4. Assist in creating and maintaining subclass and SKU-level forecasts, ladder plans, and inventory projections.
5. Support Open-to-Buy (OTB) management by reviewing inventory levels, sales performance, receipt timing, and forecasted demand.
6. Analyze business results and identify trends, risks, and opportunities that impact sales, margin, and inventory productivity.
7. Assist in developing promotional forecasts and inventory recommendations to support marketing and merchandising strategies.
8. Support assortment planning efforts to ensure appropriate inventory levels and product mix across categories and stores.
9. Partner with Buyers, Allocation Analysts, and Merchandise Planners to support execution of merchandising and inventory strategies.
10. Prepare reports, presentations, and analyses that communicate business performance, trends, and opportunities.
11. Collaborate with Planning, Merchandising, Allocation, Replenishment, and Marketing teams to develop a broad understanding of the retail business.
12. Visit stores periodically to gain knowledge of merchandising strategies, customer shopping behaviors, inventory flow, and market trends.
13. Contribute to process improvements by learning and utilizing planning tools, systems, and best practices.
14. Demonstrate continuous growth in planning, forecasting, inventory management, and analytical capabilities.
Qualifications
1. Bachelor’s degree required.
2. Retail, planning, allocation, merchandising, or business analysis internship or work experience preferred.
3. Strong analytical aptitude with the ability to interpret data and identify trends.
4. Demonstrated retail math and problem-solving capabilities.
5. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
6. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
7. Ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment.
8. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other business software applications.
9. Willingness and ability to learn merchandising, planning, forecasting, and inventory management processes.
10. Ability to quickly learn new systems, tools, and technologies.
11. Demonstrated initiative, curiosity, and desire to develop a career in Merchandise Planning.
Success Measures
1. Demonstrates increasing proficiency in merchandise planning and forecasting concepts.
2. Provides accurate and timely analysis to support business decisions.
3. Contributes to achievement of sales, margin, inventory, and productivity goals.
4. Develops strong partnerships with Merchandising, Allocation, Replenishment, and Planning teams.
5. Successfully progresses toward independent ownership of planning functions and responsibilities.
6. Continuously expands knowledge of retail planning strategies, systems, and best practices.
Big Lots is an off-price retailer, offering bargains on everything for the home, including furniture, décor, pantry essentials, kitchenware, pet supplies, and more. Big Lots fulfills its mission to help customers "Live Big and Save Lots" by strategically sourcing bargains in a variety of creative ways, such as closeouts, overstocks and manufacturer liquidations.
