Job Information
Nike Lead Business Planner, Sporting Goods, Japan in Tokyo, Japan
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
This role is part of Nike Japan Planning team, reporting to Director of Sales Planning. This role will work closely with the Marketplace Unit and collaborate across Assortment Planning, Merchandising, Finance, Inventory Operations, and Business Unit teams. Additionally, this role will partner with Asia Pacific Latin America (APLA) geography teams to support forecast reviews, process improvements, and system enablement.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Nike is seeking a strategic planner with a sharp analytical mindset and a strong command of retail financials. The ideal candidate thrives in fast-paced, cross-functional environments and brings a collaborative approach to influencing decisions and driving alignment. This individual will demonstrate leadership through data-driven insights, guiding business strategy and optimizing inventory productivity across Nike Japan.
Minimum 6 years’ experience in Buying, Planning, Allocation and/or Vendor Sales for a multi-store retailer or Financial Planning experience with other apparel/ footwear wholesale organization
Bachelor’s degree in business or related field.
Comprehensive understanding of retail math, including gross margin profitability planning.
Strong and demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and influence others.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft office applications; especially in Excel (ie. formulas, pivot tables, spreadsheets)
Experience analyzing customer behavior, competitor activity, and retail trends; knowledge of sports apparel and footwear market preferred.
Strong oral and written communication skills (in both English and Japanese)
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
You will lead seasonal financial planning for Sporting Goods, using consumer insights, trends, and marketing inputs to shape demand and inventory strategies. You’ll collaborate across functions to build aligned plans that drive revenue, margin, and inventory productivity.
Own and manage weekly, monthly (rolling four-seasons) open-to-buy forecasts (sales, inventory, margin) against plan/ target.
Adjust merchandise financial plans based on actuals and targets
Partner with Finance, Analytics, Assortment Planning, Inventory Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Merchandising to build integrated financial plans
Develop marketplace capacity plans for future seasons and inform cross-functional teams of growth opportunities
Guide Assortment Planners with pre-season plan, target and develop reconciled merch financial plans and bottom-up assortment plans at pre-season planning cycle
Set and track KPIs such as inventory weeks on hand (WOH), turns, cancellations to meet aligned goals
Create monthly and seasonal plans for Finance, including net ship plans in both amount and units which link to Nike total inventory plans
Lead alignment meetings with stakeholders and Marketplace Unit (MPU) leaders to drive “one number” planning
Build scenario plans to assess risks and opportunities, and manage inventory liquidation across business unit
Use planning tools and forecasts to anticipate trends and build KPI-driven plans (e.g., traffic, conversion rates)
NIKE, Inc. is committed to employing a diverse workforce. Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, protected veteran status, or disability. NIKE is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please call +1 503-671-4156 and let us know the nature of your request, your location and your contact information.