• Provide communication, development, coaching, and leadership to the merchandise planning team. • Break out brand-level financial direction at the department level, balancing opportunity and risk to ensure the enterprise objectives are being met or exceeded • Prepare reporting dashboards with metrics and KPI’s that measure the departments performance and provide updates. • Lead the Top-Down/Bottom-up planning process, including in-season forecasting, pre-season assortment strategy and long range plans. • Partner with Directors of Merchandising on high-level strategic frameworks for driving department growth during pre-season planning process • Communicate and translate executive direction into actionable execution with direct reports • Actively monitor progress against gross margin and inventory objectives and support necessary pivots needed to meet the financial goals. • Develop planning calendar process leading up to milestone touchpoints and project manage the team to completion • Drive Open to Buy process for the assigned division, optimizing sales, margins, mark-ups, discounts, promotions, events, and advertisement. • Actively identifies business opportunities; revises plan as needed. • Analyze historic and current trends providing analytical support to buying team. • Partner with Allocation counterpart to determine allocation strategies and ensure proper execution. • Create vision and direction to move the team forward with new methodologies, process improvements and industry knowledge. • Establish cross-functional relationships to promote best practices and process adherence. • Foster teamwork and nurture a culture of inclusion, engagement, and growth while rewarding strong performance. • Establish and maintain trusting relationships with employees and management. • Partner with HR while provide leaders with guidance on performance management including coaching, counseling, talent development and disciplinary actions.