JOB DESCRIPTION
Title: Planning Manager, Merchandise
Department Code & Name: Retail / Merchandising & Ecommerce
Reports To: Director of Planning, Merchandising
FLSA Status: Exempt
Direct Reports: 0
Location: Remote (U.S.-based) with occasional travel for site visits and business-related events
About LOVB (League One Volleyball):
League One Volleyball (LOVB) is reimagining women's sports. Launched in 2019, our company is a mission-led sports performance, training and media enterprise that will change the game of volleyball in the USA and empower new generations of female athletes.
It is a groundbreaking time for volleyball in the US with our historic triple Olympic Gold medals in Women's Indoor, Beach and Sitting Volleyball. Volleyball is already the #1 most played girls' youth sport. There are 38M current and former players today. Of major sports, it's the only one that is women-first (~90% of players are female). But the volleyball market has been almost entirely missed by traditional sports investors, brands, and media.
LOVB is capturing this opportunity by creating a strong club business, and from that built-in audience and fandom, is creating the best Pro League in the world and a digital ecosystem that will connect all aspects of LOVB. This community-up approach will drive participation and fandom, while enabling greater empowerment for girls and young women living this amazing sport. In this role, you will join a mission-driven, roll-up-your-sleeves team of innovators and builders who have come together to change the paradigm of professional volleyball and women’s sports.
Job Summary:
The Planning Manager is responsible for owning day-to-day planning operations, driving forecasting accuracy, and executing inventory and in-season purchasing strategies. This role bridges strategic direction from the Director of Planning with operational execution, ensuring alignment across merchandising, finance, and supply chain teams. The Planning Manager also oversees data integrity and supports process improvements to enable scalable growth.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Financial & Inventory Planning
Support the Director of Planning in delivering financial targets, including revenue, margin, and inventory goals
Translate high-level financial goals into actionable plans and forecasts
Open-to-Buy (OTB) Planning
Own the development, management, and execution of OTB plans
Ensure alignment with financial targets and inventory strategies
Partner with cross-functional teams to adjust OTB based on business trends
Forecasting & Demand Planning
Own forecasting processes, including demand, sales, and inventory projections
Continuously refine forecasts using historical data, trends, and market insights
Partner with the Director to validate assumptions and outputs
Own execution of in-season re-forecasting, reallocation, and promotional adjustments
Monitor performance and react quickly to trading trends
Support decision-making with data-driven insights
Reporting & Analytics
Own reporting frameworks and deliver insights to inform decision-making
Ensure timely, accurate, and actionable reporting across the business
Identify risks and opportunities through data analysis
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner with merchandising, finance, supply chain, and operations teams at a working level
Ensure alignment and execution of plans across functions
Act as a key point of contact for planning-related initiatives
Process & Systems
Build, refine, and execute planning processes and tools
Identify opportunities for efficiency and scalability
Ensure documentation and adherence to best practices across the team
Qualifications:
5-8+ years of experience in planning, merchandising, or analytics
Strong analytical and financial acumen
Attention to detail and process orientation
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Strong communication and influencing skills
Advanced proficiency in Excel and planning systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or similar)
Why You’ll Love Working at LOVB:
Be part of a ground-floor professional sports league
Direct impact on how fans experience LOVB and connect with teams
Opportunity to grow with the retail business as it scales
Collaborative, energetic, and mission-driven culture
Work Environment & Physical Requirements:
Ability to operate a computer and use a keyboard, mouse, and video conferencing tools for extended periods.
Ability to clearly communicate via video, phone, email, and written channels.
Ability to work effectively in a remote environment.
Occasional travel may be required for site visits, team launches, or business-related events.