JOB SUMMARY:
The Category Planner plays a critical role in supporting the strategic and financial performance of assigned merchandise categories. Acting as the Business Partner for the Category Managers, this role leads financial planning, forecasting, and performance analysis, using advanced analytics to drive data-backed decisions. Category planner partners cross-functionally to support assortment, pricing, and promotional planning—ensuring alignment with 7-Eleven’s business objectives and financial targets.
KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Develop monthly and annual category financial plans through partnering with Category Managers and cross-functional teams (e.g., Demand Chain, Marketing, Delivery, Finance) to deliver sales and profit financial targets.
- Conduct monthly verification of merchandise performance and initiatives across categories, ensuring accountability and progress toward annual financial goals.
- Build and input mid-month and end-of-month forecasts using historical performance, current trends, and insights on planned strategies from cross-functional teams (e.g. Marketing, Delivery, Pricing, Promo).
- Provide reporting and insights about results by month, quarter, and annually to support category teams by understanding performance drivers (assortment, seasonality, innovation, resets), communicating cross-functionally through MBRs, and reassessing category plans to drive growth and ensure strategies are achieved.
- Partner with Demand Chain to monitor inventory levels and sales, identify product performance and inventory needs, and provide forecasting guidance for new items targets, promotions, overstocks.
- Create insightful executive-level reports and presentations (e.g. BOD, IR, SLT) detailing merchandise performance and proposing fact-based strategies to optimize results and meet annual financial goals.
- Support the merchandising team with scenario planning and financial modeling to ensure effective development of category plans, mitigate risk, and improve profitability.
- Provide insights and thought leadership in developing tactical and strategic category and merchandise plans (1-5 Years).
- Showcase ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple competing priorities while consistently executing at a high level.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
YEARS OF RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE: 3+ years of experience in retail planning, merchandising, demand forecasting, inventory management, finance, or analytics. Experience with merchandise planning tools and previous category management experience preferred. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and intermediate AI tools, including use of AI for diagnostics and planning. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make actionable recommendations. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to influence stakeholders at all levels. Comfortable working in a matrix organization with fast-paced, cross-functional collaboration.
SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Financial acumen and forecasting
Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
Strategic business partnership
Agile mindset and adaptability
Data visualization and storytelling
Proficiency in Technical tools
*Position not eligible for Sponsorship*
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If an hourly or salary range is included in this ad it represents the range 7-Eleven in good faith believes is the range of compensation for this role at the time of this posting. The Company may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in this state. This range may be modified in the future. No amount is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable under the terms and conditions of the applicable policies and plans. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, long-term incentive compensation, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.
For a general description of all benefits 7-Eleven is offering in the US for the position, please visit this link.
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What We Do
7-Eleven introduced the world to convenience. And in return, the world made us the #1 convenience retailer. It started with a simple idea – give customers what they want, when and where they want it. That was 1927. And what started on a single ice dock in Dallas, Texas, has since grown to more than 70,000 locations in 18 countries around the globe. The idea may have been simple, but it started a retail revolution.
