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About the Role

The Director, Merchandise Planning builds an enterprise strategy to define functional priorities and lead transformational process improvements that elevate organizational impact, scalability, and efficiency across merchandise planning. This leader proactively identifies business gaps, advances capabilities, and modernizes planning practices to enable highly accurate, forward-looking, and data-driven decision-making. They serve as a strategic partner to cross-functional leaders, shaping brand direction through deep financial insight, scenario planning, and actionable recommendations. This role translates enterprise financial objectives into cohesive, actionable merchandise plans across divisions and categories, driving sales, gross margin, receipts, and inventory strategies. The Director ensures strong alignment between financial goals and merchandise strategies, while elevating forecast accuracy, long-range planning, and overall business performance. With a broad enterprise lens, this leader plays a critical role in influencing strategic decision-making, optimizing planning effectiveness, and driving sustained, profitable growth across the organization.

Responsibilities

Lead pre-season planning strategy development, consolidating insights to identify risks and opportunities across departments.
Monitor and analyze weekly sales performance, identifying variances to plan and driving actionable insights.
Own the OTB process, leading monthly reviews, managing departmental budgets, and recommending receipt flow and markdown actions in partnership with cross-functional teams.
Drive in-season profitability, adjusting plans to achieve or exceed financial targets.
Recommend forward-looking receipt strategies, capitalizing on growth opportunities and mitigating risks.
Balance strategic forecasting with day-to-day execution, ensuring plans translate into strong operational performance.
Communicate planning strategies and insights to senior leadership to inform key decisions.
Collaborate cross-functionally to optimize financial outcomes at the division and enterprise level.
Lead, develop, and retain talent, providing coaching and mentorship to drive individual and team performance.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree a plus.
8–12 years of relevant experience in retail planning or a related field.
4–6 years of people leadership experience.
Strong financial and business acumen with a proven track record of delivering results.
Microsoft Office Suite proficiency and strong knowledge of AI Planning software such as S5; JDA experience a plus.
Experience leveraging AI to optimize location and allocation strategies and drive data-informed decision-making.
Proven ability to lead teams, influence decisions, and achieve financial targets.
Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills.
Demonstrated ability to lead through change and manage ambiguity.
Applicants to this position must be authorized to work for any employer in the US without sponsorship. We are not providing sponsorship for this position.

Location

New York, NY

Work Type

Regular/Full time

Experience Level

8-12 years relevant experience
4-6 years people leadership experience

Education Level

Bachelor's degree required
Advanced degree a plus

Salary/Compensations

$155K - $175K

Benefits

Merchandise discount at select KnitWell Group brands
Support for individual development plus opportunities for career mobility within our family of brands
Culture of giving back – local volunteer opportunities, annual donation and volunteer match to eligible nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic activities to support our communities.
Medical, dental, vision insurance & 401(K)
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Time off – paid time off & holidays

About the Company

KnitWell Group, a specialty retail operating company, comprises some of the iconic brands in America – Ann Taylor, Chico's, Haven Well Within, Lane Bryant, LOFT, Soma, Talbots, White House Black Market.
Our common thread is our commitment to create exceptional products, provide memorable experiences, and achieve superior results.
Our associates are innovators who thrive through collaboration and are dedicated to excellence.
At the heart of it all are the customers we serve. We are dedicated to creating fashion that not only looks good but also makes our customers feel good.

Equal Opportunity

The Company is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from diverse candidates.
Hiring decisions are based upon a candidate's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under consideration and are made without regard to sex (including pregnancy), race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other category protected by applicable law.
The Company is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for job applicants with disabilities.
If you require an accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position you are seeking or to participate in the application process, please contact myHRSupport@knitwellgroup.com.
The Company will make reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified applicants or employees, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operations of the Company’s business.
The Company will not revoke or alter a job offer based on an applicant’s request for reasonable accommodation.