League One Volleyball

Compensation

Full Description

Director of Planning, Merchandising 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 Director of Planning drives merchandise strategy and inventory management to support the team’s business goals and elevate the fan experience. This role is responsible for building financial and merchandise plans, forecasting demand, and ensuring the right balance of product across all sales channels — from in-venue stores to e-commerce platforms. The Director of Planning partners closely with merchandising, e-commerce, finance, and operations to align strategy, optimize inventory, and maximize revenue opportunities. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Strategic Merchandise Planning • Develop and implement long-term merchandise strategies and financial goals that align with both team and league objectives. • Build multi-year roadmaps that support fan engagement, brand visibility, and revenue growth. • Ensure merchandise planning reflects both the competitive calendar (season schedule, playoffs, tournaments) and broader organizational priorities. Sales & Margin Targets • Collaborate with merchandising and e-commerce teams to set detailed sales, margin, and inventory targets by product category and distribution channel. • Monitor actual performance against targets, adjusting strategies to capture upside opportunities or mitigate risk. • Create financial frameworks that balance profitability with accessibility for fans. Growth Opportunities • Analyze fan behavior, purchasing patterns, and market trends to identify new product categories, styles, and collaborations. • Explore emerging retail opportunities, including limited-edition drops, athlete-driven collections, or localized merchandise for community events. • Leverage league-wide insights and benchmarks to stay competitive within the sports merchandise landscape. Seasonal Planning • Lead the full merchandise lifecycle: pre-season assortment planning, in-season forecasting and adjustments, and post-season performance analysis. • Incorporate historical data, promotional calendars, and event-driven demand into seasonal plans. • Provide clear insights and recommendations to improve future collections and revenue opportunities. Inventory Management • Align inventory investments with sales forecasts to ensure availability of high-demand products while minimizing excess stock and markdowns. • Develop replenishment strategies to support peak sales moments such as season openers, rivalry matches, and playoffs. • Ensure visibility into real-time inventory data across all channels. Product Flow & Allocation • Oversee the timing and movement of merchandise to ensure consistent flow from production through distribution. • Optimize turnover rates by balancing replenishment needs with new product introductions. • Manage allocation strategies to ensure the right product quantities are distributed to team stores, e-commerce, and special event locations. Channel Balance • Maintain strategic product balance across all sales channels — in-venue retail, e-commerce, and community events. • Align assortment and availability to each channel’s unique fan experience, ensuring exclusivity where appropriate and accessibility where needed. • Use channel-specific data to refine future distribution strategies. Cross-Functional Collaboration • Partner with merchandising, finance, e-commerce, operations, and marketing teams to ensure alignment across planning, execution, and fan engagement. • Provide actionable insights that inform promotional campaigns, pricing strategies, and marketing initiatives. • Act as a central connector between departments, ensuring the merchandise strategy supports both business goals and the fan experience. Education and Experience: • 8+ years of merchandising planning or inventory management experience, in sports, retail or entertainment. • Experience in managing multi-channel merchandise strategies (e-commerce, in-venue, retail, events). • Proven track record of growing engagement through brand-driven efforts. • Bachelor’s degree in business, Finance, Sports Management, Merchandising, or related field. Personal Attributes: • Strong analytical and financial skills with proven ability to forecast and deliver results. • Proficiency in planning systems, reporting tools, and Excel. • Passion for sports and fan management, with an entrepreneurial mindset. • Strategic thinker who can balance creativity with data-driven decision making. • Excellent leadership and team-building skills; collaborative working style. • Strong communication and organizational abilities; thrives in a fast-paced environment. Work Environment & Physical Requirements (Remote): • Ability to operate a computer and communicate via video, phone, and digital tools. • Willingness to travel for events, site visits, and team meetings • Preference for candidates based in Pro team markets Location: This is a remotely based position.