Category Planning Manager

About Stio4

Stio4 is a mountain lifestyle brand delivering exceptional apparel, footwear, and accessories inspired by the Tetons. Based in Jackson, Wyoming, they operate through multiple channels including e-commerce, catalog, B2B, and their Mountain Studio4 retail sites. The company is devoted to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and supporting environmental causes like Protect Our Winters and Conservation Alliance. Diversity, inclusion, and community engagement are core to their identity.

Role Overview

The Category Planning Manager (CPM) is responsible for crafting and communicating strategic, style-level sales and inventory plans aimed at maximizing sales, managing inventory efficiently, and increasing profit margins. Using past sales data, current season insights, and collaboration with cross-functional teams, the CPM drives purchasing and inventory management from pre-season through in-season stages.

Key Responsibilities

• Create pre-season sales and inventory plans aligned with historical data, merchandising strategies, and financial goals.
• Update item-level forecasts throughout the season and conduct analyses to identify inventory risks and opportunities, ensuring alignment with overall monthly targets.
• Analyze monthly actuals compared to plan and prior year, delivering presentations with key insights and proposed action plans to teams.
• Prepare materials and present category strategies during Open-to-Buy meetings.
• Collaborate with Product teams for seasonal line creation, providing analytics to meet financial and KPI objectives.
• Manage style, color, and size purchases across all sales channels.
• Develop and execute pricing and markdown approaches to optimize sales and margin while achieving sell-through targets.
• Oversee inventory availability across channels and coordinate with marketing and channel leads to optimize inventory.
• Maintain SKU Master database including creation and lifecycle management of SKUs.
• Continuously seek improvements in processes, tools, and meeting effectiveness.
• Work proactively with multiple teams to achieve shared business objectives.
• Embody and promote company mission, vision, and values.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Engineering, Economics, Operations Management, or related field.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in planning, finance, or supply chain analytics.
• Strong comprehension of financial metrics such as sales, gross margin, return rates, inventory turn, sell-through, and their impact.
• Advanced Excel proficiency including pivot tables, charts, and functions such as SUMIF and VLOOKUP.
• Experience with planning tools, with preference for Toolio.
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities with a drive for ongoing improvement.
• Dependable, detail-oriented, self-motivated team player with high energy focus.
• Capable of managing multiple ad hoc reporting and analysis requests effectively.
• Strong prioritization and communication skills.

Additional Information & Benefits

• Ability to remain seated for 75% of work hours.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Company-paid Long Term Disability coverage.
• Employee Assistance Program availability.
• 401(k) plan with employer matching contributions.
• Generous paid time off policies.
• Access to product gear testing opportunities and other perks.
• Competitive total compensation with base salary range from $70,000 to $85,000 dependent on experience and qualifications.

This description outlines primary duties and terms but is not exhaustive; tasks and responsibilities may evolve. Stio embraces equal opportunity employment inclusive of all qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds including minorities, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, veterans, and persons with disabilities.