Planning Analyst, Merchandise

About the Role

Join the Toronto Blue Jays as a Planning Analyst in Merchandise, where you will play a key role in directing financial planning and inventory management to boost sales growth. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Buying & Planning, you will help maintain in-stock targets for both pre-season and in-season periods for Canada's sole Major League Baseball team.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Senior Manager, Merchants, and suppliers to develop and adjust pre-season Brand Budget Plans.
• Manage Open-to-Buy forecasts balancing sales and inventory in line with budget objectives.
• Provide vendors with monthly and seasonal forecasts for "never-out-of-stock" initiatives to sustain fill rates.
• Analyze data and advise Merchandising and Finance teams regarding potential risks or opportunities.
• Partner in preparing monthly merchandising evaluations with Finance and Senior Management.
• Oversee purchase orders within budget together with Merchants.
• Monitor inventory levels, identify deviations from targets, and recommend actions such as procurement acceleration or order cancellations.
• Coordinate in-bound receipt management for events including home games, in-store promotions, and other Rogers Centre functions to ensure timely product allocation.
• Maintain product data accuracy within the retail inventory systems.
• Set and manage Par Levels for each product across multiple stadium locations.
• Use business intelligence to formulate weekly product allocation plans that maximize sales and inventory efficiency, ensuring optimal availability at Jays Shop locations.
• Examine inventory regularly to confirm all SKUs meet stock levels and sales plans; recommend clearance strategies for slow-moving items.
• Manage inventory proactively for "never-out-of-stock" programs through annual, quarterly, and monthly forecasting shared with Merchants and Vendors.
• Lead stock transfers to balance inventory among warehouse and stores.
• Validate inventory requirements for new product launches and events to support merchandising and promotions.
• Conduct store visits with Merchants and Retail teams to assess stock levels, share insights, and apply best practices.
• Communicate inventory changes affecting daily operations to Merchants and Retail divisions.
• Produce comprehensive sales and inventory reports on daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal timeframes, including analysis and action recommendations.
• Manage push replenishment to outlets and kiosks, flagging buying opportunities.
• Maintain continuous communication with vendors about sales trends, stock status, and outstanding issues.

Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years’ experience in retail planning or buying with at least 2 years in an office setting.
• Post-secondary education in retail management or a business-related field.
• Strong analytical abilities focused on finding solutions.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience handling retail data systems.
• Team-focused with excellent collaboration skills across internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to prioritize effectively and multitask in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Self-motivated with openness to receiving feedback.
• Competent in various Microsoft Office programs.
• Availability for all 81 home games, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Legal eligibility to work in Canada.

Additional Details

Applicants are expected to work 40 hours per week on a rotating schedule that includes baseball games and non-traditional hours such as evenings, weekends, and holidays.

The estimated base salary range is 62000 to 70000 CAD annually, subject to factors such as experience, education, and skills. Additional compensation includes discretionary bonuses, vacation benefits, a comprehensive benefits package, and unique employee perks associated with working in professional baseball.

Employee Benefits

• Strong commitment to employee success through ongoing hands-on training.
• Generous employee discounts for Blue Jays merchandise.
• Unique work environment as part of Canada’s only Major League Baseball team.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Toronto Blue Jays are dedicated to fostering diversity, accessibility, and inclusion. Candidates from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. The recruitment process accommodates individuals with accessibility needs to enable optimal performance. Questions about accessibility can be directed to the team’s career contact email.