Damon J. Sowell
Merchandise Planner, Apparel
Atlanta, GA · (513) 555 0197 · name@example.com · linkedin.com/in/damonjsowell
Key Qualifications
EXPERIENCE
Six years in merchandise planning and allocation for apparel retail
INDUSTRIES
Specialty apparel retail, department stores, online retail
SPECIALTIES
Open to buy management, seasonal planning, store clustering, markdown planning
SYSTEMS
Blue Yonder Merchandise Planning, Oracle Retail Merchandising, Microsoft Excel, Power BI
CREDENTIALS
Certified in Planning and Inventory Management, Association for Supply Chain Management
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in fashion merchandising, University of Georgia
Executive Summary
Apparel merchandise planner with six years owning sales, inventory and margin plans for a two hundred forty store specialty chain. Builds the seasonal open to buy, sets receipt flow and manages allocation and replenishment by store cluster. Known for calling markdown risk early enough that the business can still act on it.
Signature Achievements
- Grew gross margin return on investment in womens tops from two point four to three point six across two hundred forty stores in four seasons.
- Reduced end of season carryover units by thirty one percent through earlier markdown triggers tied to weeks of supply thresholds.
- Built a nine cluster store grouping model that raised size level sell through from seventy three percent to eighty six percent.
- Held the seasonal open to buy within one percent of plan for eight consecutive quarters on a ninety million dollar receipt budget.
- Improved in stock on core basics from eighty eight percent to ninety six percent by moving twelve items to automated replenishment.
- Recovered four point two million dollars of planned sales in a slow spring by reallocating inventory from low velocity to high velocity stores.
Professional Experience
Merchandise Planner, Womens Apparel
Peachtree Apparel Group, Atlanta, GA 2022 to present
Sales, inventory, receipt and margin planning for womens apparel across two hundred forty specialty stores and an online channel
- Build and maintain seasonal and monthly sales, gross margin and inventory plans for a two hundred million dollar business.
- Manage open to buy by class and month and reforecast receipts against selling trend every week.
- Set allocation and replenishment rules by store cluster, size profile and climate zone.
- Run weekly business reviews with buying partners covering sell through, weeks of supply and markdown exposure.
- Own the markdown plan and model cadence and depth against clearance sell through targets.
Allocation Analyst
Southern Threads Retail, Marietta, GA 2020 to 2022
Store level allocation for accessories and outerwear across one hundred sixty stores
- Allocated initial sets and replenishment quantities to stores using size profiles and selling history.
- Managed store transfers and consolidations to clear inventory ahead of markdown events.
- Produced weekly sell through and in stock reporting for planners and buyers.
Licensure and Certification
Certified in Planning and Inventory Management, Association for Supply Chain Management
Education
Bachelor of Science in fashion merchandising, University of Georgia
Core Skills
Open to buy management · Seasonal planning · Allocation and replenishment · Store clustering · Markdown planning · Sell through analysis · Weeks of supply · Blue Yonder Merchandise Planning · Microsoft Excel · Power BI