Brand Planning Director - Footwear

At Timberland, we’re a force of nature. We’re a team that steps outside, works hard together, and moves the world forward. The brand is widely recognized as the arbiter of boot culture. With a rich heritage of craftsmanship and an eye toward the future, Timberland has a decades-long commitment to make products responsibly, protect the outdoors, and build community.

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of fun, adventure-loving people, Timberland just may be the place for you. 

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit Timberland Careers or www.timberland.com.

Timberland: Director, Brand Planning – Footwear

What will you do?

Focused on our brand footwear line, this high-impact role will be instrumental in driving sales, margin, and inventory optimization while aligning with the company’s strategic goals and providing financial framework to our product organization. This role will not only take part in continuing to evolve this function but will broadly educate cross-functional partners on how planning will enable aspects of their function. Reporting directly into the Head of Brand Planning, this position keeps the footwear business on track to achieve seasonal and long-range financial objectives by aligning regional & global plans and ensuring product availability meets demand. Key responsibilities include creating top-down merchandise financial plans (MFP), driving the bottoms-up forecasting process, maintaining forward-looking perspective on consumer demand, collaborating on capacity planning, and optimizing inventory. This is a hybrid role, based in our office in Stratham, New Hampshire.

Let’s break down that day-in-the-life a bit more.

• Long Range Planning (LRP) – Create long-term financial ambition / targets (e.g., sales, margin, inventory, assortment breadth, etc)
• Seasonal strategy & financial goals - Translate LRP to create top-down MFP (setting line target to drive revenue and margin) incorporating regional inputs. Additionally, in partnership with merchandising build connectivity of the LRP and MFP to create product level plans (style, color, attribute, etc).
• Line architecture - Support global merchandising on building line architecture & align on global line plan. Validate line plan against MFP
• Seasonal planning - Develop & consolidate demand forecasts (with regional planning, global merch, supply chain, & finance).
• In-season management – Analyze inventory across regions, recommending product introductions & exits to meet demand, with consumer perspective with sell-through
• Season hind-sighting - Seasonal roll-ups across regions, in partnership with global planning, to drive global visibility & drive adjustments for future seasons
• Talent up-skilling - Coach, develop, and build a best-in-class planning organization
• Global Market Alignment - Adapt global strategies to meet unique needs of individual markets, balancing global consistency and local relevance. Monitor market trend, competitor activity, and customer behavior to inform planning decisions.
• Data-Driven decision marketing - Utilize advanced analytics and market data to inform planning decisions and identify growth opportunities. Establish KPIs to monitor performance across sales, margin, and inventory levels. Continuously refine forecasting models to improve accuracy and agility.
• Leadership and Team Development - Lead and mentor a global team of merchandise planning professionals, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. Build and scale processes to support growth across regions and product categories. Drive change management initiatives to implement new tools, technologies, and methodologies.
• System and data governance - working closely with digital technology teams

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 10+ years of experience and professional achievements in Merchandise Planning, Buying, or Financial Planning, with at least 5 years in a leadership position of managerial experience.

The foundation skills you will need in this position are:

• High degree of emotional intelligence & communication skills to foster a collaborative team environment and build strong relationships
• Strategic vision with the ability to articulate a clear, long-term strategy
• Cross-functional leadership Communication and influence
• Strong Analytical skills with expertise in demand forecasting, inventory management, and financial modeling
• Consumer insight and empathy with a deep understanding of consumer needs, trends, and local cultural nuances
• Proven success in driving revenue and profitability growth in a global, multi-channel retail environment
• Experience working with diverse markets with a strong understanding of regional differences in retail and consumer behavior

There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred
• Experience with merchandise planning tools and technologies (eg: ERP, BI, or AI-driven analytics platforms)
• Strong background in digital commerce and omnichannel planning strategies

Now WE have a question for YOU.

Are you in?

Hiring Range:

$144,000.00 USD - $180,000.00 USD annually

Incentive Potential: This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process.

Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this year's medical plan rates on www.MyVFbenefits.com  and by clicking Looking to Join VF? Detailed information on your benefits will be provided during the hiring process.

Please note, our hiring ranges are determined and built from market pay data. In determining the specific compensation for this position, we comply with all local, state, and federal laws.

At VF, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us at [email protected]. VF will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals to the extent required by applicable law.

Pursuant to all applicable local Fair Chance Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, VF will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.