{"id":3745849,"url":"https://alion.io/job/vera-bradley-merchandise-planner","title":"Merchandise Planner","company":{"id":2713503,"name":"Vera Bradley","domain":"verabradley.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/verabradley","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":77,"open_postings":14,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.929,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":24,"computed_at":"2026-11-05T05:54:30Z"}},"role":"Operations","role_family":"Operations","seniority":"junior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Roanoke, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":58100,"max":79850,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":79850},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":2,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Microsoft Excel","optional":false},{"name":"Microsoft Office","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-03T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-03","last_verified_at":"2026-11-05T03:35:56Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":2,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":2},"description":"The Merchandise Planner is responsible for the analysis and identification of business risks and opportunities to maximize sales, profitability, and inventory turnover objectives. This includes creating plans and forecasts for sales and gross margin by channel/department/classification as well as forecasting activities for style/colors associated with channels and products.ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES (Note: Other duties may be assigned)\nTo perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.\nDevelop and maintain merchandise financial plans and forecasts by channel/department/class and establish inventory targets and strategies, translating the merchandise strategy and vision into actionable plans with profitable results.\nEnsure merchandise plans reconcile to company fiscal targets.\nAnalyze historical data and current trends to identify risks and opportunities.\nRecap and analyze actual sales results to plan; forecast in-season sales and inventory on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis.\nReconcile merchandise plans with the style/color SKU plans.\nAccurately assess financial risk associated with unproductive inventory and closeouts. Perform in-season discounting analysis to support exit strategies and related timing and execution with gross margin implications. Review and recommend items for markdown.\nWork with Merchandising to establish initial markup targets that reconcile to gross margin plans.\nDevelop and maintain collaborative working relationships with members of all cross-functional areas (Merchandising, Sales, Store Operations, E-Commerce, Marketing, Finance, Retail Allocation and Inventory Planning) to ensure that current and accurate information is used for demand forecasts.\nDevelop and propose tactics in response to current business trends.\nPrepare hindsight analysis to identify opportunities for future plans and strategies.\nAnalyze promotional effectiveness and make recommendations to guide future decisions.\nDeep dive into style/color plans by channel and/or sub-channel; identify opportunities to drive style and material performance to increase top-line sales while mitigating bottom line risk\nReview historical sales trends, research demand drivers, prepare forecast data and evaluate forecast results\nCoordinate cross-functional research activities to reconcile significant variances and refine forecasts to reflect updated sales and marketing assumptions\nUse JDA Planning software to maintain merchandise class and SKU forecasts\nProvide input to the Inventory Planning organization in developing inventory strategies on existing items, new products, and product phase-outs\nEDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE\nBachelor’s degree in finance, business, retail management, marketing or related field, or equivalent experience required\n2+ years of experience in planning or forecasting field, or equivalent experience required\nOmni channel experience strongly preferred\nKNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES\nThe requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.\nExcellent PC skills utilizing Microsoft Office applications, advanced Excel skills a plus\nDetail oriented with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously\nExceptional organizational skills with demonstrated ability to prioritize workload, and concurrently manage multiple projects.\nExcellent written, verbal and interpersonal skills with the proven ability to communicate with all levels across the organization\nStrong team player with the ability to build and maintain good rapport with both internal and external customers handling situations with confidence, tact and resourcefulness. Maintains a positive demeanor, is collaborative, and is able to influence and persuade. \nAbility to work and make decisions independently or with little supervision\nAbility to solve complex problems, analyze solutions and take a new perspective on existing solutions\nAbility to apply best practices and industry knowledge to improve products or processes\nHigh level of analytical thinking and attention to detail with strong aptitude in retail math and forecasting methodology\nUnderstands the key business drivers and uses this knowledge in own work\nENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS\nThe physical demands described here are representative of those an individual must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.\nOffice environment: Utilizing an office desk - sitting, reading, listening, or speaking with the ability to move intermittently throughout the day\nAbility to work under pressure in a fast paced environment\nStrong sensory skills, such as good eyesight, good hearing, and dexterity\nAbility to operate office equipment, including computers, copiers and phones\nWe are proud of the competitive and comprehensive compensation and benefit package provided to our associates and their families. Our compensation package is designed to meet our associates today and help them plan for the future.\nHealth Benefits\nVera Bradley offers a variety of medical, dental and vision programs to meet your family’s health care needs.\nMedical plan options including both a HDHP/HSA plan and a PPO plan\n\nDental\n\nVision\n\nFlexible spending accounts\n\nSurvivor Benefits\nLife insurance provides peace of mind for your family should the unexpected happen.\nEmployer provided 2X your salary in life insurance\n\nAccidental Death and Disability insurance\n\nVoluntary life insurance for you, your spouse and your children\n\nIncome Protection \nIf you are unable to work due to illness or injury Vera Bradley provides several programs to protect your income at no cost to you.\nShort-term disability\n\nLong-term disability\n\nRetirement Plan\nThe Vera Bradley 401k plan helps you accumulate savings for retirement\n401k with generous company match, immediate vesting (age and service requirement)\n\nStrong line up of professionally managed funds\n\nSafe-harbor plan design\n\nPaid Time Off \nEnjoy generous time off programs.\nEarn up to 3 weeks of paid time off in your first year of employment with opportunity to earn more\n\n9 paid holidays a year\n\nPaid bereavement leave\n\nGive Back Opportunities \nVera Bradley offers the opportunity to serve your community.\nVoluntary Time Off\n\nHolistic Wellness\nAccess to a variety of financial, physical, and mental wellness experts\n\nEmployee Assistance Program with access to work/life wellness support including no cost unlimited telephonic counseling services\n\nOpportunities for leadership development, skill development and career advancement\n\nProduct Discount\nGenerous employee discount on Vera Bradley products\n\nAncillary Benefits and Programs\nBonus opportunity, identity protection, legal services, pet insurance, cell phone discount, employee referral bonus, annual birthday gift, DailyPay, corporate fitness facility and individual policies through Aflac\n\nEqual Opportunity Employer/Vets/Disabled\nVera Bradley is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Affirmative Action Employer.\nVera Bradley provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.\nFor more information, please click the following links:\nVera Bradley's Equal Employment and Affirmative Action Policy\nKnow Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (in English)\nKnow Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (in Spanish)\nPay Transparency (in English)\nPay Transparency (in Spanish)\nE-Verify Participation Poster\nRight to Work Poster (English)\nRight to Work Poster (Spanish)\nCalifornia Privacy Notice\nIf you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment application process, please send an e-mail to . Please include the accommodation you are requesting and your contact information. Reasonable accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation and other EEO/Affirmative Action issues will be responded to from this e-mail address.\nOur intention is to fill this opening within 30 days of the original posting date and applications will be accepted on an on-going basis until the position is filled.\nBase Pay Range:\n$58,100.00to\n$79,850.00Vera Bradley’s compensation ranges are based on market data and comply with all local, state and federal regulations. Individual pay within the listed range depends on work location, skills, experience, and relevant education. The posted salary reflects base pay only and excludes bonuses, equity, or other incentives, if applicable.","description_format":"text","description_chars":9429,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":2,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["401k plan","Equity","Life insurance","Retirement plans"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Blockchain & Crypto","Consumer Goods","Financial Services","Buy Now, Pay Later"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-04T13:19:46Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":63,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.632,"p_room":1,"age_days":2,"expected_fill_days":24,"reasons":["conf:2","stale_co","velocity","win:early","comp:junior,brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-05T05:54:30Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":79850,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/vera-bradley-merchandise-planner","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/vera-bradley-merchandise-planner.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-05T07:17:01Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":9200,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-06T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":2713503},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=2713503"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fvera-bradley-merchandise-planner"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fvera-bradley-merchandise-planner"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fvera-bradley-merchandise-planner"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/vera-bradley-merchandise-planner\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvera-bradley-merchandise-planner"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3745849}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"verabradley.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3745849},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. Docs: https://alion.io/developers"}}