Merchandising Planning & Analytics Manager

Location: Grinnell, Iowa | Hybrid preferred, with remote consideration in Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota, or Florida
Salary range: $110,000-$130,000, based on experience
Bonus: Annual bonus potential up to 18%

Are you the kind of merchandising and analytics professional who can look at inventory, pricing, assortment, and margin data and quickly see where the business can perform better?

We are seeking a Merchandising Planning & Analytics Manager who can turn product, inventory, and financial data into better business decisions. This role sits at the intersection of merchandising planning, inventory analytics, and commercial finance, with meaningful influence over how we invest in inventory, manage assortment, improve gross profit, and optimize working capital.

This is not a reporting-only or BI role. As our Merchandising Planning & Analytics Manager, you will dig into SKU-level performance, identify opportunities, develop clear recommendations, and partner with leaders across the business to move those insights into action.

What You'll Do

• Analyze inventory, category, SKU, margin, and product mix performance to identify opportunities to improve inventory productivity, gross profit, and working capital
• Develop forecasts, dashboards, analyses, and decision-support tools that improve inventory investment decisions, demand planning, assortment planning, and merchandising performance
• Identify opportunities to improve inventory turns, optimize replenishment, reduce excess and obsolete inventory, and support effective product lifecycle decisions
• Partner with Merchandising and Pricing to evaluate pricing strategies, promotions, discounts, and customer incentives against sales, margin, and inventory objectives
• Evaluate supplier programs, rebates, product costs, sourcing opportunities, and drop-ship strategies to improve product economics and reduce inventory investment
• Identify opportunities to increase revenue and margin through value-added services and improved product and business mix
• Translate complex analysis into clear recommendations and influence decisions across Merchandising, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Finance, Sales, and Marketing

What You Bring

• 5+ years of experience in merchandising planning, inventory planning, category management, supply chain analytics, financial analysis, or a related discipline
• Strong understanding of inventory management, assortment planning, demand planning, replenishment, pricing, margin, and gross profit optimization
• Strong financial acumen with experience analyzing working capital, inventory productivity, profitability, and related business metrics
• Advanced analytical skills with experience using ERP systems, BI platforms, reporting tools, and data visualization tools
• Ability to move beyond reporting to identify opportunities, develop recommendations, and influence cross-functional business decisions
• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, supply chain, analytics, economics, merchandising, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience

Experience in retail, eCommerce, distribution, consumer products, or another inventory-intensive business is especially valuable. Experience with drop-ship programs, promotional analytics, product lifecycle management, forecasting, or executive-level presentations is also a plus.

Work Arrangement

Our preferred location for the Merchandising Planning & Analytics Manager is Grinnell, Iowa, with hybrid work available. Candidates must currently reside in Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota, or Florida, or be willing to relocate to Iowa.

Remote employees should expect periodic onsite travel to Grinnell, typically 1 to 3 weeks per quarter, based on business needs.

If you are energized by using data to improve merchandising performance, inventory productivity, and financial outcomes, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact across the business. Apply now!