C3 Presents - Merchandise Planning Manager

Job Summary: WHO ARE WE? Live Nation Entertainment is the world's leading live entertainment company, comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Media & Sponsorship. Ticketmaster is the global leader in event ticketing with over 620 million tickets sold annually and approximately 10,000 clients worldwide. Live Nation Concerts is the largest provider of live entertainment in the world promoting more than 50,000 events annually for nearly 7,000 artists in 40+ countries. These businesses allow Live Nation Media & Sponsorship to create strategic music marketing programs that connect more than 1,200 sponsors with the 145 million fans that attend Live Nation Entertainment events each year. For additional information, visit C3 Presents creates music festival experiences for millions of fans across the globe, setting the new standard each year for events that are as memorable as they are spectacular, including Austin City Limits Music Festival in Texas, Lollapalooza in Chicago (and seven other countries), and Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee. WHO ARE YOU? Passionate and motivated. Driven, with an entrepreneurial spirit. Resourceful, innovative, forward thinking and committed. At Live Nation Entertainment, our people embrace these qualities, so if this sounds like you then please read on! THE JOB The Merchandise Department oversees the merchandise programs for festivals produced by C3 Presents. Functions within the department include financial planning and analysis, creative development and production, retail partnership management, and sales operations for on-site and ecommerce channels. The Merchandise Planning Manager reports to the Director of Merchandise and is responsible for owning and executing the financial targets for the festival merchandise programs. This role drives product mix, planning, and buying strategies to improve product quality, operational efficiency, and overall profitability. WHAT THIS ROLE WILL DO Merchandise Planning and Financial Management Analyze historical sales data, leverage ticket sales trends, and use market insights to set revenue targets and inventory strategy for each festival Partner with the Director of Merchandise to align on financial goals by building and managing detailed merchandise budgets, forecasts, and open-to-buy plans Manage purchasing process by allocating inventory across channels, creating and processing purchase orders for each assortment/program Develop analytical and data-driven financial models to track sales performance and refine projections and forecasts Own post-event financial recaps, including SKU-level sales analysis, margin performance, and year-over-year comparisons to share with internal stakeholders and festival executives Identify opportunities to improve forecasting accuracy, inventory efficiency, and reporting processes Maintain clean, organized financial documentation for all merchandise programs to support Accounting & Finance processes Product Sourcing, Development and Buying Build orders and collaborate with the Creative team to develop assortments that align with festival brand identity, customer demand, and meet profitability targets Determine product mix, pricing strategy, and depth of inventory by category and channel, ensuring cost and budget projections are updated as needed Source products from the domestic imprintables market and custom manufacturing partners that meet desired aesthetic direction, quality standards and cost targets Negotiate and set contract terms for suppliers including payment terms, quality standards, and delivery deadlines Oversee production process from initial development to in-hands date, proactively identifying potential bottle necks, risks or other problems to address appropriately Work with Creative Managers to develop and maintain production calendars, establishing timelines for multi-category production for both onsite and online programs Support Director of Merchandise by researching and sourcing new vendors, and help maintain strong relationships with established vendor base Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with Ecommerce Manager to ensure inventory allocations, product data, and launch timing are aligned for post-festival and online sales strategies Partner with Operations Manager to facilitate inventory logistics, visual merchandising strategy, and other onsite needs Provide insights and recommendations to Marketing and Sponsorship teams as needed to support merchandise storytelling, activations and promotions WHAT THIS PERSON WILL BRING 3-4 years of experience in retail merchandising, planning, or buying Bachelor's degree; coursework in accounting or finance strongly preferred Experience in revenue optimization, creative and product development, omni channel activations Deep understanding of merchandising and marketing strategies within a retail environment Proficiency Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint Strong analytical background and experience building custom reporting using Data Visualization tools and dashboards Working knowledge of project management tools such as Asana and Airtable Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with internal teams, vendors, and external business partners Demonstrated integrity, professionalism and sound judgement in all business interactions Proactive, analytical, and collaborative mindset with strong attention to detail Ability to successfully balance both qualitative and quantitative information when recommending appropriate strategies and tactics Creative and curious mindset with an interest in fashion, merchandise, and live events Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to remain effective in high-pressure environments Excellent organizational skills Willingness and ability to travel and work non-traditional hours, including evenings and weekends during festivals C3 CORE COMPETENCIES Demonstrate integrity in the way you operate in day-to-day business and the way you deal with people Communicate effectively with various audiences by organizing and delivering information appropriately and listening actively to others Proactively seek solutions to problems. Be enthusiastic and energetic in your approach to your job. Commit to putting in extra effort with a positive attitude. Be flexible in handling change, able to juggle multiple demands, and adaptable to new situations with fresh ideas or innovative approaches Stay composed, confident, optimistic, and in problem-solving mode when the going gets tough Possess the skills needed to perform your job well, paying close attention to detail, accuracy, and completeness BENEFITS & PERKS Our motto is 'Taking Care of Our Own' through 6 pillars of benefits: HEALTH: Medical, vision, dental and mental health benefits for you and your family, with access to a health care concierge, and Flexible or Health Savings Accounts (FSA or HSA) YOURSELF: Free concert tickets, generous paid time off including paid holidays, sick time, and personal days WEALTH: 401(k) program with company match, stock reimbursement program FAMILY: New parent programs including caregiver leave and baby bonuses, plus fertility, adoption, foster, or surrogacy support CAREER: Career and skill development programs with School of Live, tuition reimbursement, and student loan repayment OTHERS: Volunteer time off, crowdfunding match EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY We aspire to build teams that reflect and support the fans and artists we serve. Every day we aim to promote environments where everyone can be themselves, contribute fully, and thrive within our company and at our events. As a growing business we will encourage you to develop your professional and personal aspirations, enjoy new experiences, and learn from the talented people you will be working with. Live Nation strongly supports equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of age (40 and over), ancestry, color, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), family and medical care leave or the denial of family and medical care leave, mental or physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), marital status, domestic partner status, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, military and veteran status, political affiliation, national origin (including language use restrictions), citizenship, race, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), gender, gender identity, and gender expression, sexual orientation, intersectionality, or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law, rule, ordinance or regulation. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Ordinance, San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act and consistent with other similar and / or applicable laws in other areas. We also afford equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with a disability. For this reason, Live Nation will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant consistent with its legal obligations to do so, including reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy in accordance with applicable local, state and / or federal law. As part of its commitment to make reasonable accommodations, Live Nation also wishes to participate in a timely, good faith, interactive process with a disabled applicant to determine effective reasonable accommodations, if any, which can be made in response to a request for accommodations. Applicants are invited to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made to assist them to perform the essential functions of the position they seek. Any applicant who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job should contact a Human Resources Representative to request the opportunity to participate in a timely interactive process. Live Nation will also provide reasonable religious accommodations on a case-by-case basis. HIRING PRACTICES The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Live Nation recruitment policies are designed to place the most highly qualified persons available in a timely and efficient manner. Live Nation may pursue all avenues available, including promotion from within, employee referrals, outside advertising, employment agencies, internet recruiting, job fairs, college recruiting and search firms. Please note that the compensation information provided is a good faith estimate for this position only and is provided pursuant to the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and Equal Pay Transparency Rules. It is estimated based on what a successful Colorado applicant might be paid. It assumes that the successful candidate will be in Colorado or perform the position from Colorado. Similar positions located outside of Colorado will not necessarily receive the same compensation. Live Nation takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, as well as the position's work location, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the CO EPEWA, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Created: 2026-03-04