Business Analyst, Supply Chain Merchandise Planning & Allocation

Supply Chain Merchandise Planning & Allocation Analyst Position Summary The Planning and Allocation Analyst develops maintains, analyzes and executes chain level item plans for one or more departments. He/she is also responsible for store allocations that account for promotional needs, seasonal build, display requirements and other factors. This position works directly with vendors to exchange orders, sales data and item availability information. Works directly with cross functional groups on tactics to achieve corporate goals. The P & A Analyst takes top side strategic plans and turns them into reality by creating detailed item level plans that are constantly adjusted as factors dictate. The position also plays a pivotal role between the merchant team, the vendor community, and other internal teams that support store execution. As such, the position demands a very high attention to detail, a flexibility and willingness to make running changes and a relentless focus on achieving results. This position reports directly to a Manager of Merchandise Planning and Allocation. Key Tasks & Responsibility / Strategy / * Support business initiatives through maintaining in-stocks, inventory levels and presentation integrity * Support corporate goals to drive sales margin and productivity while managing inventory targets * Utilize data accurately, identify root cause of problems and synthesize the most critical facts to understand problems always aligning solutions with team goals /Chain Item Planning/ * Develop and maintain item, unit and dollar plans by chain based on business trends, promotional activity and business requirements * Collaborate with vendors by sharing item level sales and receipts to maximize sales opportunities * Accountable for reconciliation of bottom up forecasts to top down class level plans * Analyze and communicate business trends with the team and provide team with solid data to reach effective decisions on down-trending or over-performing items or segments * Develop item, unit and dollar plans by week and by chain to maintain presentation standards and to achieve inventory turn targets while optimizing in-stocks, sales opportunities * Collaborate with the Merchant team on items selected for feature space or end caps, utilizing tools such as past performance, current trends, planograms and vendor feedback, ensuring inventory availability while balancing sales opportunities versus inventory investments * Communicate inventory concerns for promotional and inline sales through proper communication vehicles * Collaborate with merchant partners on; o item transition or end-of-life plans o markdown strategy o assortment performance o promotional sales forecasts /Replenishment/Allocation/ * Order and manage inventory investments to ensure the right product arrives in the right allocation, in the right quantity at the right time * Analyze, determine and execute initial orders for new items to coincide with reset timing * Maintain replenishment to ensure proper flow of products, optimizing Weeks-of-Supply and in-stock goals * Collaborate with vendors and internal resources to optimize the use of automated replenishment * Work directly with vendors to share performance metrics and to strategize on opportunities for improvement * Analyze in-stocks to ensure appropriate store replenishment * Collaborate with Sales and Operations (S&OP) partners to develop specific replenishment strategies, as well as, to address supply chain issues * Collaborateswith Logistics Team to ensure proper prioritization of hot/ needed product /Leadership/ * Maintain positive relationships across functions and strive to improve business processes, regularly partnering with the Merchandising, Store Planning, Logistics teams and vendors * Provide analytical support for your team and division and be able to synthesize the most critical facts needed to understand problems * Take accountability for outcomes by achieving the teams goals and complying with company policies/procedures * Demonstrate flexibility and resilience in response to constraints and respond constructively to new demands and challenges * Update knowledge and skills to handle new challenges * Initiate decisive and timely action to address day-to-day issues and address obstacles and redirect efforts to assure quality results * Initiate self-development to build technical and leadership competencies to enhance business results; partner with peers, managers and HR for continued personal development and improved performance against business goals * Actively contribute to weekly business review meetings * Assortment Optimization * Vendor Management * Retail Industry Acumen 1. Basic skills in Negotiation and Business Analyses 2. Basic knowledge and understanding of store fixtures, signage and merchandise layout 3. Advanced skills in MS Excel, intermediate skills in MS Word, and basic skills in PowerPoint **Job Function:** Merchandise Planning %26 Allocation **Primary Location:** USA-NJ-Wayne **Schedule:** Full-time **Organization:** Headquarters **Job Type:** Standard **Education Level:** Bachelor's Degree **Travel:** No **Brand:** Toys 'R' US **Req ID:** 59344