Merchandise Planning Manager at Columbia Sportswear Company

This is a hybrid role based out of our HQ office near Portland, Oregon. The expectation is for employees to be in-office 3 days or more per week, depending on business need. This in-office expectation is subject to change at business discretion.

OUTGROWN YOUR OWN BACKYARD? COME PLAY IN OURS.

At Columbia, we’re as passionate about the outdoors as you are. And while our gear is available worldwide, we’re proud to be based in the Pacific Northwest, where natural wonders are our playground.

Every product we make and every task we undertake is inspired by the famous words of our founder Gert Boyle: “It’s perfect. Now make it better.” As pioneers of relentless improvement, we are constantly evolving.

We believe the outdoors is ours to protect and strive to keep our planet healthy. We believe in empowering people to experience the outdoors to the fullest.

And we believe in you.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Columbia Sportswear’s dynamic global supply chain consists of 4 distribution centers, 430 retail stores, 80 apparel factories and 20 footwear factories worldwide. We pride ourselves on being able to get products to market quickly, safely, and in the most cost-effective manner. By leveraging data analytics, we are constantly pushing to make smarter business decisions and identifying innovative ways to make Columbia Sportswear’s supply chain more efficient and effective to meet our consumers’ ever-changing needs.

As the Merchandise Planning Manager, you will be responsible for managing specific merchandise sales and inventory plans to meet key business objectives and financial goals for the Outlet Channel, ensuring profitability and aligning product offering with consumer purchasing trends in Columbia retail stores.

HOW YOU’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

• Develop, execute and communicate strategic merchandise financial plans and strategies that support the merchandising, marketing and financial objectives of the channel.
• Manage, train and develop Outlet Merchandise Planners.
• Lead Outlet team in Demand Planning process, ensuring accurate style forecasts
• Direct the development of pre-season sales, gross margin and inventory plans that support product strategies
• Recap and analyze actual sales results by product class to plan and forecast in-season business on a weekly, monthly and annual basis; manage OTB process
• Analyze historical data and current trends to identify risks and opportunities to business and recommend strategies to achieve financial goals; conduct hindsight analysis to incorporate learnings into current plans
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners on traffic projections, promotional strategies to inform store plans.
• Build Intake Plan to support SMU strategy as well as inventory liquidation strategies; align Sales and Margin Plans
• Review total financial plans with Merchandise Managers and DMM to ensure alignment of future financial and product opportunities as well as inventory productivity.

YOU ARE

• Able to work successfully in a team environment and across multiple functions and departments
• Exceptionally analytical and have strong problem-solving skills
• Organized and have influencing skills required
• Analytical and numbers oriented, must have a vision of how merchandise should be presented or grouped, understand store profiles

YOU HAVE

• Bachelors degree in Business, Merchandising or related field
• 6 or more years experience in retail merchandise planning, buying or allocation; prior retail planning experience is required
• Minimum 1 year in management
• Experience in a branded vertical apparel & footwear business is preferred
• Project Management experience strongly preferred
• Omni-channel experience preferred
• A strong understanding of retail math including intricacies of open to buy, inventory turnover and gross margin
• Familiarity with merchandise management systems and retail planning software
• PC proficiency with working knowledge of Excel including writing formulas

#LI-JD1

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company. 

Columbia Sportswear Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Columbia Sportswear is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf. If you need reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please notify your recruiter.

At Columbia Sportswear Company, we’re proud to offer regular full-time employees a benefits package that includes a variety of services and products to help make your life and work more rewarding. Our benefit programs contribute to overall employee well-being by aligning those programs with the fundamental elements of well-being: physical, social/emotional, financial, career and community. Benefits that can protect your family’s financial future and help you save money through our 401k plan plus a generous company match. Columbia offers medical, dental, vision, life Insurance, disability, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, and an assortment of voluntary benefit offerings (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and legal services). In addition, Columbia offers EAP + which is free and confidential 24/7/365 counseling services. We have extensive wellness benefits, employee discounts and a generous time off program available.

If you need an accommodation/adjustment to successfully complete and submit your application, please reach out to [email protected] with the Subject: Applicant Assistance Requested. Apply Now