Planning Manager, Merchandise at League One Volleyball

Worldwide

JOB DESCRIPTION Title: Planning Manager, Merchandise Department Code & Name: Retail / Merchandising & Ecommerce Reports To:  Director of Planning, Merchandising FLSA Status: Exempt Direct Reports: 0 Location: Remote (U.S.-based) with occasional travel for site visits and business-related events ABOUT LOVB (LEAGUE ONE VOLLEYBALL): League One Volleyball (LOVB) is reimagining women's sports. Launched in 2019, our company is a mission-led sports performance, training and media enterprise that will change the game of volleyball in the USA and empower new generations of female athletes.  It is a groundbreaking time for volleyball in the US with our historic triple Olympic Gold medals in Women's Indoor, Beach and Sitting Volleyball. Volleyball is already the #1 most played girls'  youth sport. There are 38M current and former players today. Of major sports, it's the only one that is women-first (~90% of players are female). But the volleyball market has been almost entirely missed by traditional sports investors, brands, and media.  LOVB is capturing this opportunity by creating a strong club business, and from that built-in audience and fandom, is creating the best Pro League in the world and a digital ecosystem that will  connect all aspects of LOVB. This community-up approach will drive participation and fandom, while enabling greater empowerment for girls and young women living this amazing sport. In  this role, you will join a mission-driven, roll-up-your-sleeves team of innovators and builders who have come together to change the paradigm of professional volleyball and women’s sports. JOB SUMMARY: The Planning Manager is responsible for owning day-to-day planning operations, driving forecasting accuracy, and executing inventory and in-season purchasing strategies. This role bridges strategic direction from the Director of Planning with operational execution, ensuring alignment across merchandising, finance, and supply chain teams. The Planning Manager also oversees data integrity and supports process improvements to enable scalable growth. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: FINANCIAL & INVENTORY PLANNING * Support the Director of Planning in delivering financial targets, including revenue, margin, and inventory goals * Translate high-level financial goals into actionable plans and forecasts OPEN-TO-BUY (OTB) PLANNING  * Own the development, management, and execution of OTB plans * Ensure alignment with financial targets and inventory strategies * Partner with cross-functional teams to adjust OTB based on business trends FORECASTING & DEMAND PLANNING  * Own forecasting processes, including demand, sales, and inventory projections * Continuously refine forecasts using historical data, trends, and market insights * Partner with the Director to validate assumptions and outputs * Own execution of in-season re-forecasting, reallocation, and promotional adjustments * Monitor performance and react quickly to trading trends * Support decision-making with data-driven insights   REPORTING & ANALYTICS  * Own reporting frameworks and deliver insights to inform decision-making * Ensure timely, accurate, and actionable reporting across the business * Identify risks and opportunities through data analysis CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION  * Partner with merchandising, finance, supply chain, and operations teams at a working level * Ensure alignment and execution of plans across functions * Act as a key point of contact for planning-related initiatives PROCESS & SYSTEMS   * Build, refine, and execute planning processes and tools * Identify opportunities for efficiency and scalability * Ensure documentation and adherence to best practices across the team QUALIFICATIONS: * 5-8+ years of experience in planning, merchandising, or analytics * Strong analytical and financial acumen * Attention to detail and process orientation * Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment * Strong communication and influencing skills * Advanced proficiency in Excel and planning systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or similar) WHY YOU’LL LOVE WORKING AT LOVB: * Be part of a ground-floor professional sports league * Direct impact on how fans experience LOVB and connect with teams * Opportunity to grow with the retail business as it scales * Collaborative, energetic, and mission-driven culture WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: * Ability to operate a computer and use a keyboard, mouse, and video conferencing tools for extended periods. * Ability to clearly communicate via video, phone, email, and written channels. * Ability to work effectively in a remote environment. * Occasional travel may be required for site visits, team launches, or business-related events.