Senior Manager Retail Merchandise Planning

Job Title: Sr. Manager Retail Merchandise Planning – North America

Team: Retail Merchandising

Scope: People Manager: M4

Year of Experience: 5-7+

Location: Ventura, CA, Hybrid

General Summary

The Sr. Manager, Retail Merchandise Planning — North America leads the merchandising, sales, and inventory planning strategy for Patagonia’s owned retail stores across North America (US and Canada). This role owns, in collaboration with the Global Product and Retail Operations teams, the development and execution of seasonal and long‑range plans that drive sales, margin, and inventory productivity, while reinforcing Patagonia’s commitment to product integrity, engaging consumer experience, and responsible growth. The ideal candidate is a strategic, collaborative, data‑driven planning leader who can balance commercial performance with Patagonia’s mission and values.

What You’ll Do

• Own the North America retail merchandising, seasonal buys, and store segmentation that brings to life Patagonia’s product and community engagement vision.
• Lead seasonal and long‑range retail financial strategies (sales, margin, AUR, markdowns, inventory, turn, WOS) that support sustainable, responsible growth across the NA network.
• Set and monitor inventory flow strategies in alignment with cross channel partners, balancing pre-season buys, replenishment, and new product intros across store clusters.
• Partner with Marketing, Retail Operations, Visual Merch, and Allocation to align seasonal sales and inventory plans with store‑level inventory strategies that optimize consumer experience and financial performance.
• Develop and mentor planning talent, build strong analytical capability, business acumen, and strategic thinking across the retail planning team.
• Establish clear operating processes and planning frameworks that drive accountability, transparency, and effective decision‑making.
• Champion the use of modern tools and processes to improve forecast accuracy, efficiency, and team’s focus on insights and strategy that balances quantitative and qualitative execution.
• Partner closely with Merch Financial partners to align retail plans to regional and global targets and clearly articulate variance drivers, tradeoffs, and recovery paths.
• Lead weekly and monthly NA retail business reviews diagnosing performance vs. plan and recommending corrective actions.
• Partner with Retail Allocation and Outlet Planning team to support markdown and clearance strategies to optimize a clean and healthy marketplace.
• Align with eCommerce and Digital partners to leverage omni-insights while maintaining channel‑appropriate strategies for retail.
• Collaborate with channel partners on product feedback and market opportunities.
• Represent NA Retail in GTM milestones and cross‑functional forums, influencing decisions through clear, data‑backed insights.

Who You Are

• Analytical – Ability to collect, process, and interpret complex information to make decisions
• Storyteller – Strong written, visual, and verbal communication skills to create cross functional alignment connecting product to the consumer
• Team Player- Strong collaborative tendencies and team development skills
• Adaptable- Ability to remain flexible to change within the work environment and scope of responsibility
• Resilient - Able to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines

What You Bring

• 5–7+ years of merchandise planning experience in retail, with deep ownership of sales, margin, and inventory performance; apparel or outdoor lifestyle strongly preferred.
• Proven expertise in retail MFP, forecasting, OTB, and in‑season inventory management.
• Strong analytical skills set, including advanced Excel and experience with planning/allocation systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence cross‑functional teams without direct authority.
• Omni‑channel planning background with strong understanding of retail vs. eComm dynamics.
• Experience developing and mentoring planners or analysts to create a high performing team that can operate in the details as well as at a product strategy level.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with detailed execution in an evolving environment.
• Alignment with Patagonia’s mission and values, including responsible growth and environmental stewardship.

Hiring Range: $145,000-$165,000 USD Annual

At Patagonia, pay ranges are assigned to a job based on the location specific market median of similar jobs according to 3rd party salary benchmark surveys. Individual pay within that range can vary for several reasons including skills/capabilities, experience, and available budget. Note the full pay range for this role ranges from: $140,100.00 - 210,100.00 USD Annual. The Hiring Range reflects where in the range we intend to hire for this role.

Benefits

Patagonia offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, retirement and leave of absence plans. Benefit plans may vary slightly depending on the nature of your employment.

Workplace Location Overview

This position is Hybrid , with a standard schedule of Tuesday - Thursday on-site and remote work on other days. Occasional additional office visits may be required for team events or critical meetings.

Employee Conduct

It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive, inclusive work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers and vendors.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.