Southern States Cooperative

Specialist, Merchandise Planning and Reporting

Southern States Cooperative  •  $65k - $85k/yr  •  Westlake Village, CA (Hybrid)  •  1 day ago
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Job Description

Important:

This role is based at our Westlake Village, CA corporate offices and follows a hybrid schedule (2–3 days onsite per week)

About the Role

We are seeking a detail-oriented and analytically driven professional to support our Vendor Relations, Merchandising, and Planning functions. In this role, you will provide essential analytical support, track performance, troubleshoot issues, develop and maintain reporting, and assist with systems and data-related needs.

What You’ll Do

Planning & Forecasting Support

  • Support Merchandise Planning through annual budget and monthly forecast cycles by communicating timelines, validating results, and maintaining applications/databases for data archiving.
  • Assist with day-to-day merchandising and planning tasks, helping track objectives and improve operational transparency.

Reporting & Analytics

  • Consolidate multiple teams' reports into executive-ready dashboards supporting key processes such as Joint Business Planning, Vendor Funding, Annual Budgeting, Advertising Tracking, In-Stock and Fill Rate performance, and Forecast Accuracy.
  • Conduct data analysis to ensure accuracy, investigate anomalies, and implement corrections as needed.
  • Leverage technical skills to transform large datasets using Microsoft Office tools into clear, intuitive reports that inform business decisions.
  • Track and report on marketing initiatives, including store activations, inventory levels, and sales performance.

Technical Tools & Automation

  • Build and automate Excel and Access reports using macros, VBA, and SQL scripts to improve efficiency and data handling.
  • Collaborate with Data and Business Intelligence (BI) teams to gather requirements and develop dashboards or reports that support budgeting, forecasting, and wider merchandising processes.

Systems, Processes & Support

  • Lead User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for system updates, troubleshooting issues, verifying bug fixes, and validating data changes or enhancements.
  • Log and escalate technical issues by documenting steps taken and including screenshots of errors or unexpected results.
  • Support vendor funding by entering deal details, communicating term changes, and ensuring funding transactions are accurately accrued and deducted.
  • Document business processes with clear, step-by-step guidance to expand and maintain resource libraries.

Qualifications

What You’ll Bring

  • Bachelor’s Degree (or 4 years of relevant experience), preferably in Business.
  • 4 years of experience in Planning, Merchandising, or related analytical field.
  • Advanced proficiency in Excel and Access, including modeling and building complex reports.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook).
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with excellent organizational and time-management abilities.
  • Foundational understanding of Business Intelligence tools (MicroStrategy, Tableau), data mining, advanced Excel formulas, pivot tables, and querying external databases.

Pay Rate $65,000 – $85,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.Actual compensation may vary based on experience, education, and other factors. Pay ranges are provided in accordance with state laws and may differ by location.

About Guitar Center

At Guitar Center, we live and breathe creativity, collaboration, and the power of music. Our mission is to inspire and equip musicians and music lovers to find their sound and share it with the world. Whether in our stores, contact centers, distribution hubs, or corporate offices, our team is united in one goal: to fill the world with more music.

Join Us

  • Become part of the world’s largest multichannel musical instrument retailer.
  • Work within a collaborative, high-impact finance organization that drives innovation and transformation.
  • Grow your career in an environment that values creativity, integrity, and passion.

Guitar Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on valid job-related criteria and are made without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.

If you require reasonable accommodation to apply for or perform this job, please contact recruiting@guitarcenter.com

Southern States Cooperative

About Southern States Cooperative

Welcome to Southern States Cooperative's Company Page!

You can also visit www.southernstates.com for special updates, our library of articles and more! Ask us for expert advice on farming, raising livestock, gardening and more.

Vision:

To be the trusted hometown ag retailer, generating sustained results for our customers and profitability for our cooperative members.

Mission:

To be customer focused, providing superior products and services with expertise for farms and around the home.

Core Values:

Our values are rooted in relationships, hard work, tradition, integrity and a dedication to the land, livestock and a rural way of living.

One Team: We trust, develop, and value one another.

Customer Experience: We nurture valued relationships and exceed customer expectations.

Sustainable Growth: We generate operational earnings to reinvest in the growth of our Member Owners, our employees, facilities and equipment.

Open Communication: Employees are well-informed, understand company direction and their role in the success of our cooperative.

Accountability: We live up to our commitments daily.

Integrity: We do the right thing. Every day.

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Southern States Cooperative reserves the right to collect User Generated Content such as submitted photos and videos to use in marketing materials where appropriate and to remove any and all inappropriate post content. Our team strives to answer your questions as quickly and accurately as possible through all of our social networks.

Industry
Agriculture & Forestry
Company Size
1,001-5,000 employees
Headquarters
Richmond, Virginia
Year Founded
1923
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