Inventory Planner - Outlet

Our Company

Founded in 1956, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is the premier specialty retailer of home furnishings in the United States, Canada and Australia. Our brands are among the best known and most respected in the industry. We successfully market them through all three major channels - retail stores, catalogs, and the Internet.

Position Summary

The Inventory Planner, Outlet is responsible for the strategic planning and management of inventory across the Outlet business, including Outlet Stores and Outlet Online, for all Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brands. As a member of the Outlet Inventory team (Buying, Planning, and Distribution), this role owns the sales, margin, and inventory plan for the Outlet channel. It manages the flow of brand overstock transfers and customer returns (chip and dent) to deliver the right inventory to the right stores at the right time. The Merchandise Planner partners with Outlet Buyers, Distribution, DC/Supply Chain, brand Merchandising and Planning teams, and field leadership to maximize sales, protect margin, optimize inventory turn, and drive profitable growth. This position reports into the Outlet Inventory Manager and is responsible for meeting Outlet sales, MMU, inventory, and turn goals as outlined in the financial budget.

Specific Responsibilities

• Financial Planning & Forecasting
  • Own monthly Open to Buy forecasting of Outlet sales, MMU, receipts, and EOP inventory by brand and channel, and recommend near-term actions to achieve sales goals and budgeted inventory EOMs.
  • Partner with Buyers and Finance to build pre-season and annual Outlet plans that align with tops-down financial goals and the overall brand inventory strategy.
  • Plan and manage a favorable mix of allocated brand overstock vs. chip and dent inventory to deliver MMU dollar and rate goals.
  • Perform in-season forecasting and ad-hoc analysis to identify inventory-related risks and opportunities and estimate the impact of inventory shortages and gluts for field and brand leadership.
• Inventory Flow & Management
  • Plan and manage inventory flow across all brands, incorporating brand overstock transfers, customer returns, and brand store transfers into a single inventory plan to achieve annual turn goals.
  • Partner with Distribution to allocate large cube, clearance, and slow-moving (E/F) product to Outlet Stores to achieve model stock store density and alleviate DC capacity constraints.
  • Consistently review brand inventory positions to identify and facilitate opportunities to reallocate inventory from brand to Outlet to drive sales.
  • Scrutinize returns disposition logic across all DCs and develop creative strategies to add inventory to Outlet Online from sources throughout the network.
  • Support Outlet Online site and assortment strategies, including expanded offerings, filtering and sorting, and improved conditioning categorizations.
• Pricing, Promotions & Liquidation
  • Recommend targeted promotions and progressive markdown cadence on aging inventory that maximize sales and margin and address inventory gluts.
  • Develop and execute disciplined liquidation strategies for store relocations and closures that minimize margin erosion and support the real estate repositioning plan.
  • Determine end-of-life disposition strategies for aged and non-saleable inventory.
• Assortment & Milestone PlanningDelete since they are buyer responsibilities
  • Create and maintain a monthly milestone calendar inclusive of seasonal allocation timing and key assortment flow dates, ensuring Buying, Planning, and Distribution are aligned on product flow, transfer cadence, and inventory priorities.
  • Partner with Buyers to develop a channel-right, brand-balanced assortment that prioritizes margin-rich brand overstocks and balances offerings at standalone vs. shared stores.
  • Leverage store profile and market analysis to inform localized store assortment and inventory decisions.
• Reporting & Analytics
  • Deliver comprehensive, actionable reporting on store and DC inventory position, pending transfers, seasonal ownership, allocation tracking, and category performance.
  • Utilize reporting and planning tools (Qliksense, Microstrategy, etc.) to inform inventory forecasts and follow a data → insight → action approach in every analysis.
  • Leverage historical data to identify key learnings around product, pricing, and inventory and apply learnings to future seasons.
  • Optimize monthly shopping and planning processes for efficiency across all involved cross-functional teams.
• Leadership & Collaboration
  • Operate as one Outlet Inventory team across Buying, Planning, and Distribution: share information freely, align on priorities, and show up as a collaborative partner to the field and to each other.
  • Bring proactive, clear, and action-oriented communication to stores, DC/Supply Chain, Transportation, and brand partners, flagging risks and surfacing opportunities.
  • Actively participate in creating a people-first culture that is entrepreneurial, accountable to delivering results, and celebrates success.
  • Support new-hire onboarding and provide training and mentorship to assistant planners.
  • Travel within country occasionally.

Qualifications

• Data driven individual with a curious, entrepreneurial mindset.
• Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent professional experience required.
• Minimum three to five years of experience in Merchandise Planning or Inventory Management required; experience in outlet, off-price, or clearance businesses preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in the retail industry preferred; multi-channel (stores and e-commerce) experience a plus.
• Proficiency in retail math and experience managing a traditional open-to-buy.
• Proven ability to objectively interpret data and extract actionable insights that drive the business.
• Advanced Excel skills; experience with reporting and BI tools (e.g., Qlik) and MRP/ERP systems preferred.
• Understanding of supply chain and distribution processes, including inventory allocation, transfers, and returns.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills; comfortable addressing all levels within an organization.
• Experience leading others in a project setting, mentoring, and complex problem solving preferred.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload to meet deadlines.
• Flexible and adaptive to changing priorities; able to thrive in a fast-paced, constantly changing environment.

Our Culture & Values 
We believe that taking care of our people is vital to our success, and we strive to offer equitable and transparent practices for all. We prioritize connection, growth, and wellbeing. 
 
People First 
Putting People First means investing in overall well-being and opportunities to grow and advance within the organization. Depending on the position and location, here are a few highlights of what benefits may be available: 
 
Benefits 
- A generous discount on all WSI brands 
- A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities 
- Paid vacations, holidays, and time off to volunteer 
- Health benefits, dental and vision insurance, including same-sex domestic partner benefits 
- Tax-free commuter benefits 
- A wellness program that supports your physical, financial and emotional health 
 
Continued Learning 
- In-person and online learning opportunities through WSI University 
- Cross-brand and cross-function career opportunities 
- Resources for self-development 
- Advisor (Mentor) program 
- Career development workshops, learning programs, and speaker series 
 
 
WSI will not now or in the future commence an immigration case or "sponsor" an individual for this position (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration).

This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, or other applicable state or local laws and ordinances.

This role requires being onsite in our office in The Colony, TX Monday through Thursday, and remote option on Friday.