Merchandise Planner

Location: US Remote (ET hours) Role Type : Full-time | Exempt Reports To : Director of Merchandise Planning Overview Alex and Ani is in an exciting phase of growth, operating with the pace and agility of a scaling business while leveraging the foundation of an established consumer brand. We're seeking a Merchandise Planner to support inventory and demand planning execution across our channels, including Direct-to-Consumer (DTC), Amazon (US, CA, MX), and wholesale partners. This role reports into the Director of Merchandise Planning - with the Planning function rolling up to the SVP of Strategy - and works closely with cross-functional partners across merchandising, supply chain, and web. The Merchandise Planner will support line-level forecasting, inventory tracking, and promotional planning, while building toward broader planning ownership over time. The role is primarily focused on planning, with the flexibility to support merchandising as business needs require. We're looking for a planner who thrives with autonomy and sound judgment, confidently owning day-to-day execution across line-level planning, promotional management, allocation, and inventory health. This is a strong opportunity for a planner to build deep, hands-on experience across a multi-channel business and grow alongside the planning function as it scales. Key Responsibilities Demand Forecasting & Inventory Support Maintain and update sales and demand forecasts for an assigned category or channel, partnering closely with the Director of Merchandise Planning Analyze historical sales, trends, seasonality, and market dynamics to support demand plans Translate forecasts into inventory recommendations that support service levels and turnover targets Inventory & Channel Support Monitor inventory health across assigned channels, identifying and acting on stockout and excess risk Support inventory allocation across regions and channels, escalating as needed Partner with supply chain and operations teams on production, replenishment, and lead-time tracking Open-to-Buy (OTB) Support Support the monthly OTB process, including data prep, tracking, and reporting, with the ability to independently keep this cadence on track Support merchandising and finance with OTB updates and variance tracking Surface risks and opportunities identified in the data Systems & Reporting Use existing planning tools and reporting workflows to maintain accurate, up-to-date plans Identify and flag opportunities for process or reporting improvements Stay curious about emerging AI-enabled planning tools and support evaluation efforts as needed Channel & Market Support Execute planning tasks specific to assigned channel(s) (DTC, Amazon US/CA/MX, or wholesale) based on established strategy Collaborate with marketplace and wholesale teams to incorporate partner promotions into forecasts Merchandising Support Support assortment planning work as needed, partnering with the merchandising team Assist with sample coordination and related merchandising tasks Qualifications 2–4+ years of experience in merchandise planning, demand planning, inventory management, or a related analytical role, ideally within DTC ecomm, retail, fashion, accessories, lifestyle, jewelry, or consumer brands Experience in multi-channel environments (DTC, Amazon/marketplaces, and/or wholesale) preferred Solid working knowledge of forecasting methodologies, inventory tracking, and markdown processes/ promotional management Strong focus on execution with the ability to independently manage detailed, recurring analytical work in a fast-paced environment Comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy and sound judgment Experience partnering with senior stakeholders (e.g., VP/SVP-level) a plus Strong Excel skills; familiarity with Looker or similar BI tools a plus