Holt Renfrew Merchandise Planner
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Mid-Level
- Compensation
- $70,000–80,000/year
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Posted
- Sep 30, 2026
Merchandise Planner at Holt Renfrew in Toronto — drive luxury retail profitability through strategic planning, forecasting, and inventory optimization. CAD $70K–$80K annually.
Role & Responsibilities
- Develop and own merchandise plans aligned with corporate strategy to maximize full-price sales and profit across all hierarchies and seasons
- Build strategic partnerships with merchants and buying counterparts to inform collaborative planning decisions and capitalize on business opportunities
- Conduct end-of-season and in-season analysis to optimize planning and buying decisions, with particular focus on inventory productivity
- Maintain plan integrity across merchandise, store, and seasonal hierarchies, tracking all relevant metrics including sales, markdown, margin, receipts, and inventory actions
- Manage in-season performance through reforecasting cycles to improve inventory productivity and drive profitability
- Produce forecasts and maintain accuracy across all metrics and hierarchies to ensure clear visibility of opportunities and risks
- Collaborate with merchants to identify slow-moving inventory and develop markdown strategies that balance margin preservation with profitable sell-through
- Manage demand forecasts and auto-replenishment models, maintaining appropriate open-to-buy levels
- Oversee promotional and marketing event forecasting and performance analysis, making recommendations to optimize inventory alignment
- Lead and mentor Assistant Planners and Allocation Analysts in executing planning activities across the network
- Partner with cross-functional teams including finance, supply chain, stores, and marketing to ensure consistent execution and process alignment
- Participate in strategic planning projects and champion process improvements
- Prepare and present performance analysis and findings to senior leadership and cross-functional audiences
Qualifications
- Post-secondary degree in a related field or equivalent professional experience
- Minimum 2+ years of successful experience in a merchandise planning business unit
- Excellent financial acumen and strong analytical skills
- Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and drive execution
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Experience with ERP and merchandise planning software systems
- Demonstrated adaptability and comfort navigating ambiguity and organizational change
- Genuine passion for fashion and luxury retail environments
Skills
Experience
2+ years of successful experience in a merchandise planning business unit within a retail environment
Education
Post-secondary degree in a related field (such as business, finance, supply chain management, or retail management) or equivalent professional experience
Workplace
The successful candidate will be located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from CAD 70,000 to CAD 80,000 per annum.
Benefits
Competitive total compensation, generous employee discount, pension, health and dental benefits, tuition assistance, and continuous learning and development opportunities
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Holt Renfrew, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Inventory Planner», «Planning Manager», «Merchandise Planning Analyst», «Allocation Planner», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.