Merchandise Planner

RHOBACK 

Merchandise Planner, Job Description 

The Role

Rhoback is seeking a proactive, highly analytical Merchandise Planner to join our Planning team. This role is responsible for managing SKU‑level sales and inventory forecasting to guide purchase orders and strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate is an Excel expert with strong retail or consumer goods experience and a demonstrated background in planning, forecasting, and inventory management.

This individual will work cross‑functionally with Merchandising, Finance, Production, and Rhoback’s Founders. The role is based in Charlottesville, VA.

What You’ll Do

• Update, maintain, and continuously improve bottoms‑up, SKU‑level monthly demand forecasts across all product categories and sales channels.
• Balance item‑level demand plans against supply plans; monitor stock levels and proactively flag demand/supply imbalances.
• Partner with Planning to align on open‑to‑buy (OTB) plans and reconcile tops‑down vs. bottoms‑up forecasts by sales channel and product category.
• Aggregate demand forecasts across channels to determine total company buy quantities for PO review meetings.
• Analyze historical sales data by size and category to inform sizing ratios and optimize sell‑through.
• Collaborate with Merchandising on trend analyses—item rankings, comps, marketing campaigns, and category performance—to inform forecasts.
• Support pre‑season planning to build seasonal assortments based on channel performance, SKU productivity, WOS/turn targets, and visual merchandising considerations.
• Partner with Planning, Merchandising, and Operations teams to execute transfer orders and reserve orders to support timely fulfillment across channels and store locations.
• Communicate regularly with Retail Store Managers to understand needs and ensure timely response to inventory requests.
• Develop replenishment plans by sales channel/store location based on historical trends and internal strategies.
• Track and manage replenishable vs. non‑replenishable products using sales trends, inventory levels, sell‑through, and seasonality to drive optimal results.
• Monitor embroidered inventory against forecasted demand to ensure stock availability and meet service-level requirements.
• Identify and resolve system‑related issues tied to PO delays, customer requests, oversells, or marketing timeline changes.
• Maintain seasonal style master files to ensure data accuracy and proper merchandise valuation.
• Participate in strategic planning sessions with Finance and Marketing to provide insights on SKU/product/color performance and inventory positions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of existing forecasting tools, models, and Excel files.

 What We’re Looking For

• Highly analytical with exceptional attention to detail. 
• Expertise in Microsoft Excel; demonstrated experience building and improving forecasting models. 
• Strong organizational skills; ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Strategic thinker with the ability to influence decisions using data‑driven insights. 
• Self‑starter with a bias toward action and a “no task too small” attitude. 
• Creativity, adaptability, and willingness to embrace new approaches. 
• High integrity and strong sense of accountability.

 What Success Looks Like

• Deliver accurate, data‑driven SKU‑level forecasts that inform smart buying decisions, maintain healthy inventory levels, and improve sell‑through and inventory turns. 
• Strengthen Rhoback’s planning capabilities by enhancing forecasting models, reporting tools, and cross‑functional processes. 
• Provide clear, proactive insights that surface meaningful business trends and support fast, informed decision‑making across teams. 
• Build strong cross‑functional partnerships through reliable communication, attention to detail, and high‑quality execution. 
• Operate as a self‑starter who anticipates risks and opportunities, drives continuous improvement, and embodies Rhoback’s values with a “no task too small” mindset.

 Education and Experience

• Minimum 2 years of merchandise planning or related experience
• Must have hands-on apparel experience, particularly in managing sizing standards and seasonal product cycles
• Bachelor’s degree preferred

Physical Requirement (if applicable)

This role may invole performing job-related tasks that occasionally require physical activity, such as lifting, pushing, or pulling items 10 lbs or more, with our without reasonable accommodation. (include for all warehouse and retail roles, determine if relevant for office roles)

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of duties, activities, or responsibilities of this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones assigned at any time with or without notice.

Company Mission: Rhoback is a community of passionate and motivated people looking to generate positivity, bring people together, and inspire activity by creating high quality products and engaging content for those who seek inspiration, motivation, and connection with a #craveactivity mentality.