Director, Planning
Recreational Equipment, Inc., Seattle, WA, United States
Overview
This job contributes to REI’s success by providing leadership and multi‑year strategic direction to the planning team to achieve membership, activity, and financial goals and drive the core business and transformation agenda. The Director of Planning (remote work eligible) develops near and long‑term strategic plans and inventory strategies in partnership with the Divisional Merchandising Manager. Reporting to the Divisional Vice President of Planning, this leader has direct supervision over Planning Managers and a team of 10+. This leader works closely with the Divisional Merchandise Manager to set direction and priorities for the division of responsibility that support REI’s membership, customer, and activity goals. Collaborates with supply chain, Co‑op brand, stores, digital, marketing and finance to understand cross‑divisional business needs and models and act in accordance with REI’s guiding values and mission.
Responsibilities
Develop deep understanding of and effectively communicate company strategies and priorities as a member of the Leadership Forum.
Translate company strategies into actionable divisional plans and execute delivery.
Identify and communicate key responsibilities and practices to promote a successful attitude, confidence in leadership, and teamwork.
Work cross‑divisionally to drive execution of specific divisional and company strategies, initiatives, and projects.
Support implementation of company programs, procedures, methods, and practices to promote key messages.
Challenge and inspire employees to achieve superior business results.
Ensure compliance with legal and operational requirements.
Oversee training and development of employees, make staffing decisions, and conduct performance reviews.
Provide coaching, direction and leadership support to achieve department, company and customer results.
Establish and maintain visibility within the department.
Monitor operational statistics, report trends, variances, and take appropriate action.
Develop and execute pre‑season and long‑term strategic plans aligned with overall company goals.
Lead all merchandise planning activities within the division, providing strategic guidance to Planning managers and teams during pre‑season planning and in‑season adjustments.
Direct the divisional financial planning process, ensuring bottom‑up plans reconcile with company top‑down direction and support enterprise and assortment strategies.
Lead monthly and seasonal plan reviews, identify variances and recommend course corrections.
Review and approve major investment requests, ensuring alignment with strategy and financial guardrails.
Ensure the right trade‑offs between short‑term profitability and long‑term growth.
Leverage expert knowledge to establish, implement and maintain best‑practice methodologies for merchandise planning, forecasting and inventory management.
Guide all planning and inventory management functions regarding analysis, actionable insight, data‑first mindset and test‑and‑learn approach.
Stay current on industry best practices in merchandising planning and inventory management.
Drive utilization of current and future processes and systems within responsibilities.
Facilitate communication between product management, stores, supply chain, digital, marketing, and Co‑op brand teams.
Required Skills & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, supply chain, analytics, mathematics; or equivalent.
8‑10 years of merchandising planning experience: management, assortment planning, financial planning, item planning, location planning, inventory management (forecasting, replenishment, allocation) and analysis.
10+ years of progressive merchandise planning experience, including pre‑season and in‑season financial planning, forecasting, inventory management, allocation/replenishment, assortment, item and location planning.
Proven leadership across multi‑channel, large‑scale retail environments with end‑to‑end understanding of merchandising, supply chain and financial planning interdependencies.
Experience influencing or owning enterprise or divisional financial plans, reconciling bottom‑up plans with top‑down corporate targets.
Expert knowledge of retail, merchandising and end‑to‑end supply chain process in a multi‑channel retail environment.
Experience operating at scale with material revenue and margin impact, balancing risk, inventory productivity and long‑term growth.
Guiding teams through change, system evolution or operating model transformation, especially within planning or inventory disciplines.
Leading and developing multi‑year strategic direction for merchandising planning, inventory management processes, change management and business readiness.
Advanced fluency in sales, margin, turn, inventory flow and profitability drivers, using data to anticipate risk and opportunity.
Build capacity of individuals and teams through employee development, communication, and supervision.
Create strong, mutually supportive work culture where people can perform best.
Establish trust and inspire others.
Make effective organizational and people decisions consistent with company values and ethics.
Hold self and team accountable to deliver on commitments.
Champion organization and advocate solutions in overall best interest.
Use business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment.
Consolidate information from various sources to reach sound decisions.
Consider impacts of decisions on internal and external customers.
Foster and execute change in company direction.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with supply chain management and inventory management systems.
Demonstrated success leading efforts to maximize space productivity.
Merchandising system working knowledge of SAP, Oracle or other ERP system.
Advanced knowledge of cost accounting.
Remote Work Eligible
Pay Range: $140,300.00 – $238,600.00 per year
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Responsibilities
Develop deep understanding of and effectively communicate company strategies and priorities as a member of the Leadership Forum.
Translate company strategies into actionable divisional plans and execute delivery.
Identify and communicate key responsibilities and practices to promote a successful attitude, confidence in leadership, and teamwork.
Work cross‑divisionally to drive execution of specific divisional and company strategies, initiatives, and projects.
Support implementation of company programs, procedures, methods, and practices to promote key messages.
Challenge and inspire employees to achieve superior business results.
Ensure compliance with legal and operational requirements.
Oversee training and development of employees, make staffing decisions, and conduct performance reviews.
Provide coaching, direction and leadership support to achieve department, company and customer results.
Establish and maintain visibility within the department.
Monitor operational statistics, report trends, variances, and take appropriate action.
Develop and execute pre‑season and long‑term strategic plans aligned with overall company goals.
Lead all merchandise planning activities within the division, providing strategic guidance to Planning managers and teams during pre‑season planning and in‑season adjustments.
Direct the divisional financial planning process, ensuring bottom‑up plans reconcile with company top‑down direction and support enterprise and assortment strategies.
Lead monthly and seasonal plan reviews, identify variances and recommend course corrections.
Review and approve major investment requests, ensuring alignment with strategy and financial guardrails.
Ensure the right trade‑offs between short‑term profitability and long‑term growth.
Leverage expert knowledge to establish, implement and maintain best‑practice methodologies for merchandise planning, forecasting and inventory management.
Guide all planning and inventory management functions regarding analysis, actionable insight, data‑first mindset and test‑and‑learn approach.
Stay current on industry best practices in merchandising planning and inventory management.
Drive utilization of current and future processes and systems within responsibilities.
Facilitate communication between product management, stores, supply chain, digital, marketing, and Co‑op brand teams.
Required Skills & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, supply chain, analytics, mathematics; or equivalent.
8‑10 years of merchandising planning experience: management, assortment planning, financial planning, item planning, location planning, inventory management (forecasting, replenishment, allocation) and analysis.
10+ years of progressive merchandise planning experience, including pre‑season and in‑season financial planning, forecasting, inventory management, allocation/replenishment, assortment, item and location planning.
Proven leadership across multi‑channel, large‑scale retail environments with end‑to‑end understanding of merchandising, supply chain and financial planning interdependencies.
Experience influencing or owning enterprise or divisional financial plans, reconciling bottom‑up plans with top‑down corporate targets.
Expert knowledge of retail, merchandising and end‑to‑end supply chain process in a multi‑channel retail environment.
Experience operating at scale with material revenue and margin impact, balancing risk, inventory productivity and long‑term growth.
Guiding teams through change, system evolution or operating model transformation, especially within planning or inventory disciplines.
Leading and developing multi‑year strategic direction for merchandising planning, inventory management processes, change management and business readiness.
Advanced fluency in sales, margin, turn, inventory flow and profitability drivers, using data to anticipate risk and opportunity.
Build capacity of individuals and teams through employee development, communication, and supervision.
Create strong, mutually supportive work culture where people can perform best.
Establish trust and inspire others.
Make effective organizational and people decisions consistent with company values and ethics.
Hold self and team accountable to deliver on commitments.
Champion organization and advocate solutions in overall best interest.
Use business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment.
Consolidate information from various sources to reach sound decisions.
Consider impacts of decisions on internal and external customers.
Foster and execute change in company direction.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with supply chain management and inventory management systems.
Demonstrated success leading efforts to maximize space productivity.
Merchandising system working knowledge of SAP, Oracle or other ERP system.
Advanced knowledge of cost accounting.
Remote Work Eligible
Pay Range: $140,300.00 – $238,600.00 per year
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