Integrated Merchandise Planning & Product Ops

Position : Integrated Merchandise Planning & Product Ops Specialist Who we are: Astral believes in living better through Nature. We create unique and necessary products that elevate your experience with Nature made consciously to preserve the maximum amount of water and soil. Essentially we are passionate athletes artists and craftspeople that love working together to benefit Nature. These are our Core Values: Think beyond profit. Always be honest. Focus on growth. Embrace Collaboration. Surprise Delight. Be like Water. What youll do: The Integrated Merchandise Planning & Product Ops Specialist owns key operational workflows that support Astrals seasonal and ongoing product needsincluding demand planning merchandising planning purchasing supply management and upstream product operations. This role exists to build clean repeatable and automated processes that connect Product Marketing Sales Finance and Operations. Youll work closely with the COO as a key operational partner helping ensure Astral has the right product in the right quantities at the right timesupported by strong systems and efficient cross-functional processes. Integrated Planning (Demand Merchandising and Supply) Execute the demand forecasting process for all channels (Wholesale D2C Drop Ship) both pre-season and in season. Partner with Sales Product and Marketing to build bottoms-up forecasts that align with top-down business goals. Own biweekly and monthly reporting on sales inventory sell-through and category performance. Analyze trends risks and opportunities; provide recommendations to drive sales and reduce liability. Monitor site merchandising and recommend updates to improve sales performance. Deliver seasonal and annual post-season hindsight reporting. Analyze product returns and share insights with Product and Marketing teams. Own purchasing and supply planning for PoP Logo Accessories and Apparel (non-footwear/pfd). Product Operations (Upstream Workflows) Own the SMS set up from an operational and system perspective. (from sku set up to PO placement and inbound tracking.) ead the collection and upload of new and existing SKU setup info to ensure on-time go-to-market execution internally and with retail partners. Manage product setup in Hubsoft NetSuite and other internal systemsincluding SKU creation data entry and attribution. Create and maintain seasonal Merchandise List ensuring data integrity and accuracy. Ensure timely and coordinated handoffs across Product Sales Marketing Finance and Ops by leveraging product and commercial calendars. Contribute operational and other insights to support product development and merchandising decisions. Recommend tools and frameworks that streamline the product-to-market process. Systems Automation & Process Ownership Develop deep expertise in NetSuite Trello and Google Workspace. Identify and implement automation opportunities to reduce manual work. Standardize templates document SOPs and support cross-team training as needed. Champion clean data organized systems and structured planning rhythms. Other Support the COO on cross-functional projects that improve company-wide efficiency. Serve as a flexible operational resource to back up teammates within the Operations team. Take on other duties as assigned. Who you are: Experience & Skills 25 years in demand planning merchandising product operations supply planning or purchasing Experience with vendor communication and cross-functional project ownership Strong understanding of product lifecycles and go-to-market processes Advanced skills in Excel/Google Sheets; familiarity with ERP/planning systems (NetSuite a plus) Systems thinker who builds scalable repeatable workflows Analytical and detail-oriented; comfortable owning processes end-to-end Traits & Behaviors Thrives in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment Demonstrates initiative follow-through and accountability Adapts quickly and maintains composure in changing conditions Excellent communicator and active listener Collaborative team player who handles conflict professionally Creative problem-solver who brings new ideas to the table Customer-obsessed: anticipates and solves internal and external needs Emotionally intelligent and empathetic toward team members and partners Positive and productive even in the face of challenges