Merchandising & Planning Manager

Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery... the stuff dreams are made of.

Who We Are...

When we say, "the stuff dreams are made of," we're not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD's vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what's next...

From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.

From the phenomenally successful Warner Bros. Studio Tours in London, Hollywood, and Tokyo, to flagship retail stores in New York, Chicago and Tokyo, the next exciting addition to this collection is Warner Bros. Studio Tour Shanghai - The Making of Harry Potter, a completely new experience for Harry Potter fans in China.

Located in the heart of the city, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Shanghai - The Making of Harry Potter is an indoor attraction designed to transport visitors into the world of filmmaking, revealing production secrets through interactive experiences, showcasing stunning sets, and displaying beautifully crafted props.

This new attraction will deliver the Studio Tour values of exceptional customer service, experiences that exceed visitors' expectations and the very best in Harry Potter retail.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Shanghai (WBSTS) will be operated in partnership with Jinjiang International (Holdings) Co., Ltd, a State-Owned Enterprise, ensuring a world-class experience for all who visit.

• Lead the selection of products from the global range and other global product hubs, curating the most relevant and commercially compelling assortment for the Chinese guest.
• Act as the primary WBSTS interface with the Global Team on product selection, range architecture and launch planning for the global range.
• Build seasonal, annual and long-term merchandise plans aligned to global brand direction and WBSTS commercial objectives.
• Own order quantities, order timing and planning cycles for the global range, aligned with global lead times and the WBSTS sales plan.
• Lead inventory planning for key product launches, seasonal events and peak trading periods.
• For locally developed products, partner with the Product Development & Sourcing Manager on depth of buy, pricing recommendations and in-store allocation.

• Own the open-to-buy (OTB) and inventory investment for WBSTS Retail, optimising stock efficiency.
• Be accountable for inventory health - stock turn, weeks of cover, availability vs. demand, and aged and slow-moving stock.
• Lead reductions & discounts (R&D) management, including markdown planning, clearance strategy and margin protection.
• Lead forecasting, demand planning, replenishment and allocation, driving continuous improvement in forecast accuracy.
• Partner with warehouse, distribution and global supply chain teams to ensure stock is delivered on time and in full.

• Lead weekly, monthly and seasonal trading reviews, and develop action plans to improve sales, margin, sell-through and stock productivity.
• Analyse product performance, customer behaviour and guest data, turning insight into trading and range decisions.
• Feed Chinese guest insight back to the Global Team to influence future global ranges.
• Partner with the Marketing Team to align the range with campaigns, events and evolving customer trends.

• Ensure merchandising processes are documented, scalable and executed in line with retail system guidelines.
• Act as business owner for merchandising requirements in retail systems.
• Establish and monitor merchandising KPIs and reporting frameworks, aligned with global reporting standards.

• Lead, coach and develop the Merchandising & Planning team, strengthening commercial and analytical capability.
• Manage the team's objectives, performance and end-of-year review process.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Act as a key member of the WBSTS Retail Leadership Team, contributing to annual planning, budgeting and strategic priorities.
• Provide market insight, recommendations and constructive challenge to support decision-making.
• Collaborate with Finance, Marketing, Retail Operations and other functions to align merchandising priorities with WBSTS and global objectives.

• Sales and gross margin vs. plan
• Stock turn and weeks of cover
• Availability vs. demand
• Reductions & discounts (R&D) vs. budget
• Forecast accuracy
• Aged and slow-moving stock

• Global Team & Global Merchandising - global range selection, range architecture and launch planning
• Product Development & Sourcing Manager - one-assortment partnership; depth, pricing and allocation for locally developed products
• Data & Analytics - sales, inventory and guest insight
• Retail Operations - in-store availability, replenishment and trading feedback
• Warehouse & Logistics - inbound, stock flow and replenishment
• Finance - open-to-buy, budget and margin
• Marketing Team - campaigns, events and customer insight

• 5+ years of merchandising, planning or allocation experience in retail or consumer products, with at least 2 years managing a category, team or business unit.
• Proven track record of delivering sales, margin, stock turn and inventory targets.
• Hands-on experience in open-to-buy management, demand forecasting, replenishment and markdown planning.
• Experience working with global or regional teams in a multinational environment; licensed or IP-based product experience is a plus.
• Deep familiarity with the Chinese consumer; experience in attraction, destination or experiential retail is a plus.

• Strong commercial numeracy - margin, sell-through, stock turn, weeks of cover and forecasting.
• Advanced Excel skills; experience with BI and reporting tools.
• Experience with retail ERP/POS systems.
• Ability to present trading performance and recommendations to senior leadership with clarity and conviction.
• Fluent in English (working language) and Mandarin Chinese.

• Data-driven, commercially sharp decision-maker.
• Disciplined inventory owner who acts on risk early.
• Collaborative partner to Product Development, Retail Operations and the Global Team.
• Calm under pressure through peak trading periods.