Merchandise Financial Planner

Career Opportunities: Merchandise Financial Planner (8078)

Requisition ID 8078 - Posted 08/07/2026 - Supply Chain/Logistics/Distribution - Full Time - United States - Hybrid - California - San Leandro, CA

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About the Role

The Merch Financial Planner leads the creation, execution, and management of financial plans across Ariat''s omni-channel business. This role is a critical link between Merchandising, Planning, Finance, and Channel teams-ensuring sales, margin, and inventory targets are aligned to corporate and seasonal strategies throughout the year.

You bring financial rigor to the merchandising process. You are organized, analytical, and commercially aware- translating numbers into decisions that make the business healthier.

You'll Make a Difference By

Seasonal & Annual Financial Planning

• Develop, manage, and present seasonal and annual merchandise financial plans across channels, genders, and categories.
• Partner with Finance to align top-down financial targets with bottom-up merchandise and item plans.
• Translate company goals into actionable plans that balance revenue, margin, and inventory investment.

In-Season OTB & Reforecasting

• Lead monthly OTB reviews, reforecasts, and hindsight analyses to inform forward-looking strategies.
• Partner with Merchandising and Channel teams to optimize in-season inventory flow, margin, and markdowns.
• Provide data-driven insights and recommendations to improve inventory turns, sell-through, and profitability.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate closely with Planning, Merchandising, Demand & Supply, and Finance to ensure channel and product alignment.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to maintain balance between demand and inventory investment.
• Drive consistency in financial planning frameworks and reporting tools across business units.

Process & Systems

• Support evolution of financial planning capabilities in partnership with IT and Planning Systems teams.
• Implement standardized reporting, KPI dashboards, and forecast accuracy measures across channels.
• Ensure alignment with enterprise S&OP and line planning processes.
• Assisting with other responsibilities based on business needs.

About You

Education & Experience

• Bachelor''s in Business, Finance, or Merchandising; MBA a plus.
• 5-8 years in Merch Financial Planning or FP&A within an omni-channel retail or wholesale environment.
• Strong understanding of MFP metrics: sales, margin, receipts, inventory, turn, and GMROI.

Technical Skills

• Advanced Excel and reporting skills; experience with MFP systems (Toolio, Anaplan, o9, or similar) preferred.
• Strong ability to analyze large datasets and translate findings into actionable financial insights.
• Experience with Tableau or Power BI for financial reporting and visualization.

Success Metrics (KPIS)

• Sales Plan Accuracy - % variance to seasonal and monthly sales targets by channel
• Margin Rate Achievement - % to plan for maintained and initial margin
• Inventory Productivity - Inventory turn, WOS, and GMROI vs. goal
• OTB Accuracy - Monthly OTB forecast accuracy and receipt management
• Channel Balance - Alignment of inventory and revenue mix across Wholesale, E-Com, Retail, and International

Core Competencies

• Financial Precision - Your plans are accurate because you challenge every assumption.
• Commercial Awareness - You understand what drives the business and build plans accordingly.
• Disciplined Process - Your OTB cycles run cleanly, on time, and with full stakeholder alignment.
• Collaborative Drive - You make Merchandising better by being their financial thought partner.

About Ariat

Ariat is an innovative, outdoor global brand with roots in equestrian performance. We develop high-quality footwear and apparel for people who ride, work, and play outdoors, and care about performance, quality, comfort, and style.

The salary range for this position is $90,000 - $110,000 per year.

The salary is determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data for geographic locations. Ariat in good faith believes that this posted compensation range is accurate for this role at this location at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future.

Ariat's holistic benefits package for full-time team members includes (but is not limited to):

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options
• Expanded wellness and mental health benefits
• Paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and paid volunteer days
• 401(k) with company match
• Bonus incentive plans
• Team member discount on Ariat merchandise

Note: Availability of benefits may be subject to location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements. Ariat reserves the right to alter these benefits in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

Ariat will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws. Ariat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics or any other basis protected under federal, state, or local law. Ariat is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to candidates with disabilities. If you need an accommodation during the application process, email human.resources@ariat.com.

Please see our Employment Candidate Privacy Policy at www.ariat.com/careers to learn more about how we collect, use, retain and disclose Personal Information.

Please note that Ariat does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Agreement, Ariat will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter/agency placement fee. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed Agreement, Ariat explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted directly to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Ariat.

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About the Role

The Merch Financial Planner leads the creation, execution, and management of financial plans across Ariat''s omni-channel business. This role is a critical link between Merchandising, Planning, Finance, and Channel teams-ensuring sales, margin, and inventory targets are aligned to corporate and seasonal strategies throughout the year.

You bring financial rigor to the merchandising process. You are organized, analytical, and commercially aware- translating numbers into decisions that make the business healthier.

You'll Make a Difference By

Seasonal & Annual Financial Planning

• Develop, manage, and present seasonal and annual merchandise financial plans across channels, genders, and categories.
• Partner with Finance to align top-down financial targets with bottom-up merchandise and item plans.
• Translate company goals into actionable plans that balance revenue, margin, and inventory investment.

In-Season OTB & Reforecasting

• Lead monthly OTB reviews, reforecasts, and hindsight analyses to inform forward-looking strategies.
• Partner with Merchandising and Channel teams to optimize in-season inventory flow, margin, and markdowns.
• Provide data-driven insights and recommendations to improve inventory turns, sell-through, and profitability.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate closely with Planning, Merchandising, Demand & Supply, and Finance to ensure channel and product alignment.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to maintain balance between demand and inventory investment.
• Drive consistency in financial planning frameworks and reporting tools across business units.

Process & Systems

• Support evolution of financial planning capabilities in partnership with IT and Planning Systems teams.
• Implement standardized reporting, KPI dashboards, and forecast accuracy measures across channels.
• Ensure alignment with enterprise S&OP and line planning processes.
• Assisting with other responsibilities based on business needs.

About You

Education & Experience

• Bachelor''s in Business, Finance, or Merchandising; MBA a plus.
• 5-8 years in Merch Financial Planning or FP&A within an omni-channel retail or wholesale environment.
• Strong understanding of MFP metrics: sales, margin, receipts, inventory, turn, and GMROI.

Technical Skills

• Advanced Excel and reporting skills; experience with MFP systems (Toolio, Anaplan, o9, or similar) preferred.
• Strong ability to analyze large datasets and translate findings into actionable financial insights.
• Experience with Tableau or Power BI for financial reporting and visualization.

Success Metrics (KPIS)

• Sales Plan Accuracy - % variance to seasonal and monthly sales targets by channel
• Margin Rate Achievement - % to plan for maintained and initial margin
• Inventory Productivity - Inventory turn, WOS, and GMROI vs. goal
• OTB Accuracy - Monthly OTB forecast accuracy and receipt management
• Channel Balance - Alignment of inventory and revenue mix across Wholesale, E-Com, Retail, and International

Core Competencies

• Financial Precision - Your plans are accurate because you challenge every assumption.
• Commercial Awareness - You understand what drives the business and build plans accordingly.
• Disciplined Process - Your OTB cycles run cleanly, on time, and with full stakeholder alignment.
• Collaborative Drive - You make Merchandising better by being their financial thought partner.

About Ariat

Ariat is an innovative, outdoor global brand with roots in equestrian performance. We develop high-quality footwear and apparel for people who ride, work, and play outdoors, and care about performance, quality, comfort, and style.

The salary range for this position is $90,000 - $110,000 per year.

The salary is determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data for geographic locations. Ariat in good faith believes that this posted compensation range is accurate for this role at this location at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future.

Ariat's holistic benefits package for full-time team members includes (but is not limited to):

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options
• Expanded wellness and mental health benefits
• Paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, and paid volunteer days
• 401(k) with company match
• Bonus incentive plans
• Team member discount on Ariat merchandise

Note: Availability of benefits may be subject to location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements. Ariat reserves the right to alter these benefits in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

Ariat will consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws. Ariat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetics or any other basis protected under federal, state, or local law. Ariat is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to candidates with disabilities. If you need an accommodation during the application process, email human.resources@ariat.com.

Please see our Employment Candidate Privacy Policy at www.ariat.com/careers to learn more about how we collect, use, retain and disclose Personal Information.

Please note that Ariat does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Agreement, Ariat will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter/agency placement fee. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed Agreement, Ariat explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted directly to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Ariat.