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Posted September 18, 2026. The role appears to have been filled or removed. Check out similar open roles below.

Associate Merchandise Planner

Hottopic
Hot Topic HQ - City of Industry, CA
HybridCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

A natural match if you have 1-2 years of retail planning or inventory management experience and are comfortable with data analysis tools.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with retail planning experience and a data-driven approach to inventory optimization
    — “1-2 years of experience in retail planning or inventory management.”
  • Individuals who thrive in team-oriented environments and can translate analytics into actionable strategies
    — “Work closely with buying and marketing teams when planning promotional strategy.”
  • Professionals with strong communication and analytical skills who can balance detail orientation with strategic thinking
    — “Excellent communication and collaboration skills.”

Things to consider

  • The position may have limited remote flexibility despite a hybrid schedule.
    — “This role operates on a hybrid schedule and will require to work from our HQ located in the City of Industry, CA two to three days a week.”

How to stand out

  • Highlight your ability to analyze customer demand and optimize product assortment.
    — “Analyze product performance and customer demand to optimize assortment.”
  • Showcase your experience with Excel and data analysis in your resume and interview responses.
    — “Proficiency in Excel and an understanding of data analysis.”
  • Emphasize your experience with KPIs like sales, margin, and sell-through in inventory planning.
    — “Leverage KPIs such as sales, margin, and sell-through to proactively highlight opportunities.”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • optimized stock levels
  • analyzed product performance
  • managed open-to-buy process
  • generated insights for reporting
Typical background
retail planninginventory managementbusiness or finance degree

Skills & requirements

Required

Analytical SkillsProblem-solvingInventory ManagementData AnalysisCommunicationCollaborationOrganizational SkillsAttention To Detail

Preferred

VBAAI Experience

Stack & domain

ExcelVBAAICommunicationCollaborationProblem-solvingOrganizationalRetailInventory Management

About the role

Original posting from Hottopic via Lever

Do you have the organizational skills of Belle keeping her library in order or the strategic mind of Doctor Strange planning ten steps ahead? We are seeking a proactive and analytical Associate Merchandise Strategy and Analytics Planner to play a key role in driving inventory efficiency and sales performance. This role is ideal for someone with foundational experience in planning who is ready to take the next step in their career. If you have the determination of T’Challa leading Wakanda, the problem-solving skills of Peter Parker balancing life and responsibility, and the drive of Mulan proving her worth, then this is the opportunity for you! You'll work cross-functionally to optimize stock levels, analyze trends, and contribute to business growth.

This role operates on a hybrid schedule and will require to work from our HQ located in the City of Industry, CA two to three days a week.

WHAT YOU'LL DO:

  • Monitor sales and inventory levels to support business goals.
  • Analyze product performance and customer demand to optimize assortment.
  • Manage and maintain the open-to-buy process, providing recommendations to ensure alignment of sales, margin, and inventory goals.
  • Leverage KPIs such as sales, margin, and sell-through to proactively highlight opportunities, mitigate risks, and influence proper inventory levels.
  • Work closely with buying and marketing teams when planning promotional strategy.
  • Use analytics tools to generate insights and assist with reporting.
  • Evaluate competitive retail trends and translate insights into actionable recommendations for assortment and pricing strategies.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or a related field preferred.
  • 1-2 years of experience in retail planning or inventory management.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset.
  • Proficiency in Excel and an understanding of data analysis.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
  • Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
  • VBA and/or AI experience is a plus but not required.

Compensation:

Please note the pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but other factors such as an individual’s education, location, meeting the minimum job requirements for the role, training, and experience, will determine the final salary for potential new hires.

Our company participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is a program that electronically confirms a candidate’s eligibility to work in the United States after completing the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9). The information provided on the Form I-9 is compared to the records contained in the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases. This helps employers verify the identity and employment eligibility of newly hired employees.

Source: Hottopic careers (Lever)

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