Category Planning Manager

What you'll do

Embracing and driving change is critical to our success. The complexity and rate at which the retail industry is transforming has increased exponentially in recent years and we are committed to being a leader in the industry. As such we are relentlessly focused on innovating at every level of our business, investing in new technologies and products, and doubling down on the best talent to drive the company forward. It is an especially exciting time to join the Canadian Tire Family of Companies as a Category Planning Manager at Canada's premier sporting goods retailer, FGL. FGL owns the most recognizable sporting goods brands in the country including Sport Chek, Sports Experts, Pro Hockey Life and Atmosphere.

Reporting to the Associate Vice President, Merchandise Planning, the Category Planning Manager is responsible for overseeing the development and execution of all merchandise plans managed by their team of merchandise planners. The Category Planning Manager is tasked with maximizing sales and gross margin through effective leadership and fiscal responsibility. They ensure that monthly re-forecasts are accurate and that timely financial risk and opportunity is captured and addressed within their categories of business.

• Develop accurate and optimal pre-season merchandise plans for both seasonal and long life cycle merchandise assortments

• Deliver timely and accurate monthly in-season financial forecasts through a team of merchandise planners

• Deliver agreed upon targets for turn, average inventory, age of inventory, and merchandise lifecycle management

• Work with the Associate Vice President, Merchandise Planning to establish top down initial financial targets

• Ensure that bottom-up merchandise plans meet the company's top-down financial targets

• Achieve a high level of understanding of the underlying strategies of all business that fall within their category, ensuring that the strategies and financial aspirations are in alignment and that both are supportive of corporate strategic goals.

• Work directly with Merchandising Associate Vice Presidents to strategize, assess, and govern risk and opportunity towards achieving merchandise plan financial targets

• Manage a team of merchandise planners, ensuring that the fundamentals of good merchandise planning are upheld

• Set performance objectives & development plans for direct reports routed in delivering business outcomes

• Meet regularly with direct reports to coach and dialogue, as well as to develop and maintain a high standard of training and mentorship within the entire team

What you bring

• 5+ years of experience in a retail organization with 3+ years in a planning function

• Post-secondary education, preferably in business, finance, and/or a related field

• Experience in other areas of Merchandising, Inventory Management, or Finance is considered an asset

• Advanced knowledge of Merchandise Planning fundamentals

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal

• Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision

• Ability to lead effective teams and drive a sense of belonging and culture

Hybrid

We value flexibility. We have adopted a hybrid work model whereby employees use a combination of working in office and virtually in service of outcomes. Each leader is empowered to decide what work is best achieved in person based on the unique needs of their team.

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About Us

At Sport Chek, we want to find what moves you, and help build your career from there. As Canada's destination for footwear, apparel, and sporting goods; we believe that sport and activity has the power to help shape your style, your relationships, and your mind. Along with colleagues across the Canadian Tire family of companies, you'll be a part of a collaborative network of like-minded individuals who draw on their collective experience to best serve customers across all banners from coast-to-coast. Join us, where there's a place for you here.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging

We are committed to fostering an environment where belonging thrives, and diversity, inclusion and equity are infused into everything we do. We believe in building an organizational culture where people are consistently treated with dignity while respecting individual religion, nationality, gender, race, age, perceived ability, spoken language, sexual orientation, and identification. We are united in our purpose of being here to help make life in Canada better.

Accommodations

We stand firm in our Core Value that inclusion is a must. We welcome and encourage candidates from equity-seeking groups such as people who identify as racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, women, people with disabilities, and beyond. Should you require any accommodation in applying for this role, or throughout the interview process, please make them known when contacted and we will work with you to help meet your needs.