Planner - Merchandising

Fanatics Commerce is the global leader in licensed sports merchandise, operating a vertically integrated platform that designs, manufactures, and delivers officially licensed apparel, jerseys, headwear, and collectibles for major leagues, teams, and events worldwide. With more than 900 e-commerce sites and a global omnichannel presence across digital, in-venue, and retail, Fanatics Commerce reaches fans in over 180 countries and powers official fan experiences for many of the world's most iconic sports properties. At Fanatics, we bring our BOLD Leadership Principles to life every day - building championship teams, obsessing over fans, acting with entrepreneurial speed, and delivering with a determined and relentless mindset. As we continue to scale our global platform, the Merchandising Planner will play a critical role in driving category-level financial performance through data-informed inventory and assortment planning. ROLE OVERVIEW The Merchandising Planner owns category-level business performance through pre-season planning, in-season management, open-to-buy, and SKU-level planning, partnering closely with the product team to align inventory, assortment, and financial plans with customer demand and seasonal trends. This role requires deep analytical capability, exceptional Excel proficiency, and a proven ability to build tools, improve reporting, and translate complex data into clear, actionable recommendations. The Merchandising Planner delivers business and fan impact through BOLD leadership and execution excellence, leveraging data, automation, and AI-enabled insights. HOW WILL YOU DRIVE IMPACT Success is measured by the ability to deliver results through BOLD capabilities and measurable outcomes. Team & Leadership Impact (Build Championship Teams) Partner closely with the product and buying teams to align on assortment decisions, launch timing, and inventory investments, ensuring planning and merchandising strategies are unified and mutually reinforcing. Collaborate with cross-functional partners, including product, pricing, and operations to support markdown, pricing, and inventory actions that optimize category performance. Present clear, concise insights and recommendations to the Director of Planning and other key stakeholders, influencing decisions without direct authority. Fan & Customer Impact (Obsessed with Fans) Build and maintain pre-season and SKU-level plans that reflect customer demand patterns, seasonality, and product strategies to ensure the right product reaches fans at the right time. Analyze category and SKU performance to develop actionable recommendations that improve sell-through, inventory productivity, and margin, keeping fan-facing assortments fresh and relevant. Manage in-season performance through weekly forecasting, business recaps, and timely plan adjustments based on sales trends and inventory position, minimizing out-of-stock and overstock situations that impact the fan experience. Support pricing and markdown decisions that maintain competitive, fan-friendly assortments while protecting business margin goals. Innovation & Problem Solving (Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit) Build and continuously improve Excel-based tools, templates, and reporting models that elevate planning efficiency and business management capabilities. Create reporting that drives greater visibility into performance, seasonality, risks, and opportunities; leverage Domo or equivalent visualization tools to make insights accessible and actionable across the organization. Perform ad hoc analysis to answer emerging business questions, identify trends, and support data-driven decision-making across the organization. Evaluate and apply AI-enabled solutions to streamline planning workflows, automate routine reporting, and enhance overall productivity. Ownership & Execution (Determined & Relentless Mindset) Own category-level performance across sales, margin, inventory, receipts, and open-to-buy, ensuring plans consistently support financial and operational goals. Manage competing priorities and shifting business needs in a fast-paced environment, adjusting plans proactively as conditions evolve. Identify risks and opportunities within the category early and develop clear recommendations to address them, driving outcomes with a sense of urgency and accountability. Deliver consistent, high-quality recaps and forecasts that provide leadership with the clarity needed to make confident business decisions. AI & DIGITAL CAPABILITY We are building a future-ready organization. This role is expected to: Apply AI and technology to improve efficiency, quality, and outcomes Use data and digital tools to inform decisions and enhance performance Demonstrate curiosity and adaptability in adopting new technologies and ways of working Contribute to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement CAPABILITIES & EXPERIENCE YOU BRING Required Qualifications: 3–5 years of experience in merchandise planning, retail planning, inventory management, or a related analytical function, with demonstrated ownership of pre-season planning, in-season management, open-to-buy, and SKU-level planning. Highly proficient in Excel with hands-on experience building tools, models, and reporting frameworks from scratch or meaningfully improving existing ones. Deep understanding of seasonality, demand trends, and inventory management, with the ability to translate data into clear business recommendations. Experience with ad hoc analysis, forecasting, recapping, and communicating findings in a way that drives action across cross-functional teams. Familiarity with markdowns, pricing strategies, and margin optimization levers within a retail or e-commerce planning context. Reporting and visualization experience required; Domo experience is a plus. Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across levels without direct authority. Education: A bachelor's degree is required. WORK LOCATION Remote. At Fanatics, we operate with a BOLD mindset - We Build Championship Teams, we’re Obsessed with Fans, we embrace a Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit, and we approach every challenge with a Determined and Relentless Mindset. If you’re ready to contribute to a dynamic, fast-paced environment that thrives on collaboration and growth, we want you to be part of our team. ABOUT US Fanatics is building a leading global digital sports platform. We ignite the passions of global sports fans and maximize the presence and reach for our hundreds of sports partners globally by offering products and services across Fanatics Commerce, Fanatics Collectibles, and Fanatics Betting & Gaming, allowing sports fans to Buy, Collect, and Bet. Through the Fanatics platform, sports fans can buy licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods; collect physical and digital trading cards, sports memorabilia, and other digital assets; and bet as the company builds its Sportsbook and iGaming platform. Fanatics has an established database of over 100 million global sports fans; a global partner network with approximately 900 sports properties, including major national and international professional sports leagues, players associations, teams, colleges, college conferences and retail partners, 2,500 athletes and celebrities, and 200 exclusive athletes; and over 2,000 retail locations, including its Lids retail stores. Our more than 22,000 employees are committed to relentlessly enhancing the fan experience and delighting sports fans globally. ABOUT THE TEAM Fanatics Commerce is a leading designer, manufacturer, and seller of licensed fan gear, jerseys, lifestyle and streetwear products, headwear, and hardgoods. Fanatics Commerce has a broad range of online, sports venue, and vertical apparel partnerships worldwide, including comprehensive partnerships with leading leagues, teams, colleges, and sports organizations across the world—including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, Formula 1, and Australian Football League (AFL); the Dallas Cowboys, Golden State Warriors, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea FC, and Tokyo Giants; the University of Notre Dame, University of Alabama, and University of Texas; the International Olympic Committee (IOC), England Rugby, and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). At Fanatics Commerce, we infuse our BOLD Leadership Principles in everything we do: · Build Championship Teams · Obsessed with Fans · Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit · Determined and Relentless Mindset By submitting your application, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our Candidate Privacy Policy.