Job Description
About the Role
The Planning Analyst is a key contributor within the Retail Planning organization, partnering closely with the Planning & Allocation Manager and the Buying team. This role supports end-to-end retail planning workflows—from seasonal buy preparation, size-level analysis, and inventory optimization to weekly reporting and in-season reforecasting. The Planning Analyst provides data-driven insights, identifies risks and opportunities, and recommends actions that improve inventory productivity, in-stock rates, and store performance.
In addition, this position may provide direct allocation support during peak periods, system implementation, and new-store openings. The ideal candidate is highly analytical, detail-oriented, proactive in problem-solving, and comfortable shifting quickly between tactical tasks and strategic analysis in a fast-paced retail environment.
You’ll Make a Difference By
- Building size-level size breaks and buying templates for pre-season buys; partnering with buyers to validate and finalize size curves.
- Creating and distributing weekly business recaps, highlighting performance drivers, risks, opportunities, and actionable recommendations.
- Producing quarterly and seasonal hindsight recaps summarizing wins, misses, and learnings to guide future strategic buying.
- Monitoring inventory by style, store type (Full Price, Outlet), and stock category; identifying opportunities to improve inventory utilization.
- Performing in-season analysis to recommend re-buys and early releases based on sales trends, inventory levels, and weeks of supply.
- Providing allocation coverage for stores as needed when allocators are redirected to system implementation.
- Partnering with the Allocation team during new-store openings to prepare initial allocations and order tracking.
- Other duties as assigned.
About You
- 2+ years of retail planning, allocation, business analytics, or merchandising experience.
- Strong Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, formulas) and comfort with retail math (sell-through, WOS, turn, AUR, etc.).
- Experience working with reporting systems (Tableau, BI tools preferred).
- Ability to synthesize large datasets into clear insights and recommendations.
- High attention to detail and accuracy; able to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills.
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 pay range for this position is $37.00-$43.00 per hour.
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.
This contract position may be eligible for select benefits through the payrolling agency. Benefits may include medical, dental, and vision insurance options and 401k.
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.