Retail Development Program – Planning

Job Description

January 2027 – Retail Development Program – Assistant Planner | Belk

The Tone:
This is an early career role within Belk’s Retail Development Program, located in the Charlotte Metro area. Belk is a large retail organization preparing recent graduates for key positions within its business functions like Merchandising, Planning, and Supply Chain. This specific role matters because it prepares individuals to build financial plans, analyze business performance, and contribute directly to the company’s financial goals and overall profitability.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person Charlotte Metro

• Team: Placed within a Buying office, partners with a Planner, and matched with mentors.
• Mission: Build merchandise financial plans, conduct business analysis, and maximize profitability for a specific department.
• Tech Stack: Microsoft Office, Advanced Excel

What You’ll Actually Do
• Plan: Build merchandise financial plans that support merchandise strategies and achieve corporate financial goals.
• Analyze: Conduct key business analysis, partnering with the Planner to maximize profitability.
• Evaluate: Create and utilize planning ladders to identify sales, pricing, and stock related risks.
• Report: Generate data-driven business recaps to inform future season strategies and department profitability.
• Optimize: Analyze sales trends, inventory levels, and historical data to inform distribution strategies and allocations for optimal store inventory.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree required, with strong academic performance in business, finance, operations, or a related field. This is an entry-level role for graduates.
• Experience: Must have graduated between May 2026 and December 2026, and be able to start full-time in January 2027.
• Skills: Knowledge of Microsoft Office, specifically Advanced Excel; strong analytical skills and aptitude with numbers; ability to communicate effectively with clients and partners at all organizational levels.
• Bonus: Prior internship in the field is strongly preferred.