Director of Merchandising and Planning; Jewelry

Key Responsibilities

Merchandising & Assortment Strategy

• Partner with Creative, Design, and Sales teams to develop assortment strategies that balance new launches, core styles, and proven best sellers
• Create and maintain merchandising guidelines for assortments across stores, pop-ups, trunk shows, events, and key domestic and international markets
• Ensure assortments consistently reflect the brand identity while meeting commercial objectives
• Evaluate assortment performance and recommend style rationalization, discontinuation, resets, or archival decisions

Inventory Planning, Forecasting & Replenishment

• Develop and maintain demand forecasts across e-commerce, retail, wholesale, consignment, international, and event channels, aligned with inventory budgets and financial targets
• Own inventory planning, purchasing, allocation, and replenishment strategies by channel and location
• Manage replenishment for core and best-selling styles to optimize availability, sell-through, and stock levels
• Analyze sell-through, inventory turns, weeks of supply, and stock-to-sales ratios to guide planning and allocation decisions
• Incorporate production timelines, vendor lead times, and seasonal demand patterns into forecasting and buying plans
• Oversee inbound and outbound inventory flows across domestic and international partners and distribution points
• Oversee consignment and memo programs, ensuring accurate tracking, reconciliation, and reporting
• Partner with Sales and Operations to manage inventory risk associated with special placements, events, and international partners

Financial, Reporting & Analytical Oversight

• Own inventory-related KPIs and reporting, including inventory aging, sell-through, margin, and working capital impact
• Produce regular reporting on inventory health and performance for leadership and cross-functional teams
• Deliver clear insights and recommendations related to markdowns, reorders, reallocations, and inventory risk
• Maintain master assortment, allocation, and replenishment trackers as a central planning resource

Systems, Process & Optimization

• Support ERP implementation and ongoing system optimization to ensure data accuracy and operational integrity
• Develop and refine reporting tools, workflows, and planning processes to improve visibility and decision-making
• Implement best practices for inventory controls, including cycle counts, audits, and reconciliations
• Identify opportunities for automation and process improvement as the business scales

Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as a key thought partner to Retail, E-commerce, Wholesale, Operations, Finance, and Production teams
• Translate data into actionable insights that support strategic decision-making
• Help establish scalable planning frameworks and discipline as we grow our retail and global footprint

Experience

• 10-15+ years of experience in merchandising, inventory planning, or demand planning
• Background in luxury, fine jewelry, fashion, or adjacent premium categories strongly preferred
• Experience managing inventory across multiple channels, including retail, wholesale, and e-commerce
• Proven ability to balance creative product strategy with financial discipline
• Track record of building or significantly improving planning processes and systems in a growth-stage environment
• Hands-on experience with ERP systems (Net Suite preferred) and advanced planning tools
• Experience managing consignment, memo, or similar inventory programs with complex tracking requirements
• History of successfully managing precious materials inventory and understanding the unique cash flow dynamics of fine jewelry
• Experience leading or mentoring junior planning team members

Skills & Attributes

• Highly analytical, with strong Excel and planning tool proficiency
• Deep understanding of inventory health, aging, and cash flow dynamics
• Organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable managing complexity
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on, ownership-oriented approach
• Collaborative, pragmatic, and confident communicator

What Success Looks Like? Within the first 6–12 months, this leader will:

• Completed a comprehensive assessment of current inventory position, assortment architecture, and…