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Merchandise Planning Consultant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Sr Analyst, Assortment

Atlanta, GA · On-site

$83K - $110K/yr

Position Purpose: The Sr. Analyst, Merchandise Planning - Online will be responsible for ... a consulting/project management role in a corporate environment * Demonstrated ability with ...

... consultants, sell professionally branded products intended for use and resale by salons to retail ... College degree (BA or BS) or equivalent work experience * 3-5 years experience with planning at a ...

... consultants, sell professionally branded products intended for use and resale by salons to retail ... company merchandise planning and allocation, demand planning, production planning. * 2-3 years ...

... consultants, sell professionally branded products intended for use and resale by salons to retail ... company merchandise planning and allocation, demand planning, production planning. * 2-3 years ...

... consultants, sell professionally branded products intended for use and resale by salons to retail ... College degree (BA or BS) or equivalent work experience * 3-5 years experience with planning at a ...

... consultants, sell professionally branded products intended for use and resale by salons to retail ... College degree (BA or BS) or equivalent work experience * 3-5 years experience with planning at a ...

... consultants, sell professionally branded products intended for use and resale by salons to retail ... company merchandise planning and allocation, demand planning, production planning. * 2-3 years ...

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Merchandise Planning Consultant information

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How much do merchandise planning consultant jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for merchandise planning consultant in the United States is $30.30, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.83 and $36.78 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a merchandise planning consultant?

A Merchandise Planning Consultant is a professional who advises retailers and brands on optimizing their product assortment, inventory levels, and sales strategies to maximize profitability and minimize excess stock. They use data analysis, market trends, and forecasting tools to help businesses plan what products to buy, when to buy them, and how much to stock. Their expertise helps companies align their merchandising strategies with consumer demand, ultimately improving efficiency and sales performance.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a merchandise planning consultant, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Merchandise Planning Consultant, you need a strong background in retail analytics, inventory management, and financial forecasting, often supported by a degree in business, merchandising, or a related field. Expertise with planning software such as Oracle Retail, SAP, or JDA, as well as proficiency in Excel, is typically required. Strong problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills help consultants collaborate effectively and drive strategic decisions. These skills are crucial for optimizing product assortments, maximizing profitability, and ensuring alignment with business goals in a dynamic retail environment.

How does a merchandise planning consultant typically collaborate with buying and allocation teams to optimize inventory levels?

A Merchandise Planning Consultant works closely with buying and allocation teams by analyzing sales data, forecasting demand, and developing inventory strategies that align with business goals. Regular meetings and data reviews help ensure product assortments are well-balanced and stock levels are maintained to prevent both overstock and stockouts. This collaboration often involves sharing insights on market trends, customer preferences, and promotional plans, ensuring that each team is aligned for maximum profitability and efficiency.

What is the difference between Merchandise Planning Consultant vs Merchandise Buyer?

AspectMerchandise Planning ConsultantMerchandise Buyer
Primary RoleProvides strategic advice and develops merchandise plans for clients or companiesSources, selects, and purchases products to stock in stores or online
Work EnvironmentConsulting firms, retail companies, or freelanceRetail stores, e-commerce companies, or wholesale businesses
CredentialsExperience in retail planning, analytics, or supply chain; often a degree in business or related fieldKnowledge of product trends, negotiation skills; often a degree in business or merchandising

While both roles involve retail and merchandise, a Merchandise Planning Consultant focuses on developing strategic plans and advising clients, whereas a Merchandise Buyer is directly responsible for selecting and purchasing products. The consultant role emphasizes planning and analysis, while the buyer role emphasizes procurement and vendor negotiations.

How to get into a merchandise planning consultant?

To become a merchandise planning consultant, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in business, retail, or a related field, along with experience in retail or merchandise planning. Strong analytical skills, proficiency in planning tools like Excel or specialized software, and understanding of inventory management are essential. Gaining industry certifications or training can also improve job prospects.
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Infographic showing various Merchandise Planning Consultant job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $63,024 per year, or $30.3 per hour.

Manager Merchandising Planning

Phoenix, AZ • On-site

Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.
Retail • 10K+ employees

$49K - $61K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 29 days ago


Sprouts Farmers Market rating

6.9

Company rating: 6.9 out of 10

Based on 831 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Overview

The Manager Merchandising Planning will partner with Merchandising, Merch Planning, IT, and other key stakeholders to drive financial and strategic objectives of the organization through insights and reporting.

This will be a foundational role in the continual evolution of the Merchandising Planning, Pricing and Analytics function at Sprouts and requires collaboration and analytical leadership across multiple projects. This role will be expected to engage in sophisticated analyses including development of analytics for driving better decisions on buying, pricing, promotion effectiveness, revenue management, marketing, supply chain, and operations. The role is expected to provide timely, accurate and informative analytics used to assist management in making strategic decisions. The candidate is expected to be proficient in advanced statistical methods and/or optimization techniques, data mining and simulation.

Overview of Responsibilities
  • Design and implement analytical tools and techniques for supporting merchandising, promotional planning and forecasting
  • Think, act and communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical business partners to fully understand the analytic needs, devise approaches and implement solutions via appropriate models
  • Generate, analyze and distribute key business reports; review weekly, monthly and quarterly results, and provide stakeholders with key findings and recommendations
  • Develop prototypes and proofs of concept for analytical approaches to validate assumptions and expected outcomes
  • Identify data and suitable test cases to prove the algorithms’ ability to handle boundary conditions, and for measuring accuracy and efficacy
  • Understand complexities and intricacies of multiple departments & channels to ensure that proposed analytical approach works across the portfolio
  • Develop and refine forecasting methodologies and operating mechanisms to continuously improve forecast accuracy
  • Effectively present recommendations to colleagues for review and to all levels of the organization using various modes of communication/presentation
  • In some cases, work with Product Management and IT teams to develop scalable solutions applying the analytics developed
  • Serve as project lead for ad hoc projects by managing objectives, deliverables, and key milestones with minimal supervision
  • Make sound decisions on routine matters and thrive in collaborative, constantly evolving environments.
Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Statistics, Accounting, or a related field is required. MBA Preferred.
  • Minimum experience: 5+ years designing analytics in retail/CPG/services industries
  • Progressively increasing responsibility in analytical roles, merchandise planning, category management, or retail consulting (or related fields)
  • Analytical mindset with detail orientation and entrepreneurial work ethic – in short, a “general athlete”
  • Proven ability to execute with speed and a high degree of accuracy in a proof of concept environment
  • Comfortable manipulating large amounts of data and problem-solving, generating impactful recommendations – bringing insights to action
  • Highly adept in various systems, including superior Excel and PowerPoint skills
  • Strong in SQL and MS Excel; familiarity with databases such as MS SQL Server, Oracle etc.
  • Strong mathematical background and hands‑on experience in conducting statistical analysis, development of quantitative models and machine learning algorithms, and/or optimization routines
  • Proven ability in applying theoretical knowledge to practical applications, data analysis, algorithmic prototyping, and data visualization
  • Demonstrated skill with root cause analysis; able to spot when something isn’t quite right and audit with limited guidance
  • A structured and creative thinker, able to toggle easily between the big themes and the little details; can effectively manage the short‑term priorities and analysis while still focusing on the long‑term vision
  • Experience building, leading, and supervising teams
  • Ability to influence organizations to pursue value‑driving, data‑led use‑cases
  • Demonstrated ability to work with a range of technically and culturally diverse people, influencing them to get things done, and delivering value‑added business results
Benefits

In addition to a rewarding career, Sprouts offers a comprehensive program to help support you and your family. These programs include:

  • Competitive pay
  • Sick time plan that you can use to support you or your immediate families health
  • Vacation accrual plan
  • Opportunities for career growth
  • 15% discount for you and one other family member in your household on all purchases made at Sprouts
  • Flexible schedules
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • 401(K) Retirement savings plan with a generous company match
  • Company paid life insurance
  • Contests and appreciation events throughout the year full of prizes, food and fun!

Eligibility requirements may apply for the following benefits:

  • Bonus based on company and/or individual performance
  • Affordable benefit coverage, including medical, dental and vision
  • Health Savings Account with company match
  • Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care
  • Company paid short‑term disability coverage
  • Paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers
  • Paid holidays

Get Paid Every Day!

Sprouts Farmers Market offers DailyPay - if you’re hired as an eligible employee, you’ll be able to transfer the money you’ve already earned at no extra cost, and get it the next business day, for free. We offer DailyPay so you don’t have to wait for payday to access the money you’ve already worked for. With DailyPay, you can see how much you’ve made every day and you can transfer your money any time before payday.

You can learn more by visiting https://www.dailypay.com/partners/sprouts-farmers-market/.

Why Sprouts

Grow with us!

If you have a passion for inspiring people and a flair for fresh food, consider applying for a job at Sprouts! With a focus on customer service, our neighborhood grocery stores offer high-quality, farm fresh produce, natural meats, plenty of scoop-your-own bulk goods and much more in a fun, friendly, old-fashioned farmer’s market setting. Come grow your career in healthy living with a fast-paced, rapidly growing company and teams that pride themselves on empowering others along their journey.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Sprouts’ management reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Sprouts will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance.

California Residents: We collect information in accordance with California law, please see here for more information.

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