Merchandise Planner

Company Description Milano Jewelry is a direct-to-consumer retail jewelry chain with over 40 locations across the Caribbean, Mexico, and Alaska. The company is headquartered in the New York City Diamond District and is known for combining high-end quality and service with competitive pricing. Through vertically integrated operations from manufacturing to retail, Milano Jewelry eliminates intermediaries and delivers duty-free savings directly to customers. This streamlined model allows the brand to offer premium jewelry at accessible prices while maintaining strong relationships with global retail markets. Team members benefit from working in a fast-paced, international retail environment with a focus on value and craftsmanship.

Role Description The Merchandise Planner at Milano Jewelry is a full-time, on-site role based in Mumbai. This role is responsible for analyzing sales trends, customer demand, and store performance to create accurate merchandise plans across regions and channels. The Merchandise Planner will monitor inventory levels, manage stock allocation and replenishment, and collaborate with buying and retail teams to ensure the right products are in the right locations at the right time. Daily tasks include preparing demand forecasts, tracking key performance indicators, supporting promotional and seasonal planning, and providing data-driven insights to optimize assortment and margin. The role also involves regular communication with cross-functional partners to align on merchandising strategies and support overall business growth.

What you'll do:

Vendor management

• Manage vendors and plan orders and replenishments
• Serve as the primary point of contact for vendor relationships, reconciliations, and maintaining strong supplier partnerships
• Evaluate vendor performance against agreed KPIs including delivery accuracy, lead times, turnover, gross margin etc.
• Onboard new vendors and maintain up-to-date vendor profiles, pricing agreements, and compliance documentation

Product distribution & inventory operations

• Oversee end-to-end product distribution from sourcing receipt through allocation and transfer to retail locations in NYC and the Caribbean
• Develop and maintain optimal stock levels across all store locations to minimize stockouts and excess inventory
• Coordinate with store managers and buying teams to align inventory distribution with sales trends and seasonal demand
• Ensure accurate and timely product entry into the POS system (JewelMate), maintaining data integrity across all SKUs, styles, and vendor records
• Conduct regular cycle counts and reconcile physical inventory against system records

Reporting & analysis

• Produce regular inventory reports including sell-through rates, aging stock, vendor fill rates, and distribution summaries
• Partner with the data and finance teams to surface inventory insights via Power BI dashboards
• Identify trends and make data-driven recommendations to improve inventory turnover and reduce shrinkage
• Support month-end and year-end inventory close processes in coordination with the accounting team

Qualifications

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales data, trends, and forecasting reports.
• Experience in demand planning and sales forecasting within retail, fashion, or jewelry is preferred.
• Proficiency in inventory management, including stock allocation, replenishment planning, and shrink control.
• Effective communication skills for collaborating with buying, retail, supply chain, and finance teams.
• Advanced skills in Excel and familiarity with planning or ERP systems; knowledge of reporting tools is an advantage.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Retail Management, or a related field; relevant certifications are a plus.
• Detail-oriented, organized, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Previous experience in multi-location retail or international markets is beneficial.

Skills Required
Power Bi, Inventory Management, Excel, Demand Planning, Sales Forecasting, Replenishment Planning, shrink control