Sr. Planner & Merchandiser

About This Role

We are hiring Sr. Planner & Merchandiser for our fashion retail client based in the UAE.

Department: Planning and Merchandising

Reports To: Head - Planning and Merchandising /GM

Financial Planning & Analysis:

• Develop and manage Brand Annual Budgets for sales, margins, and markdowns.
• Conduct Post-Seasonal Analysis to evaluate past performance at Department, Class, Sub-Class, and Item levels to guide future strategies.
• Collaborate with Buyers to propose Seasonal Strategies on Sales, Price Points, Size, Color, and Assortment Dimensions based on past performance and future trends.
• Prepare and propose Seasonal Budgets/OTB (Open-to-Buy) from Brand down to Class/Sub-Class levels, ensuring alignment with financial goals such as Sales, Opening/Closing Stocks, Inflows, Forward Covers, and Sales Margins.
• Develop WSSI (Weekly Sales and Stock Intake) reports, projecting Sales, Opening/Closing Stocks, Forward Covers, and Planned Inflows by month/season.
• Create Store Grading at the Class/Sub-Class levels to determine the appropriate width and depth of ranges for different store sizes (Medium/Small), optimizing stock levels for display capacity.
• Collaborate with Buyers to finalize the Buy Plan (Range Plan) by season, ensuring it aligns with financial targets, inventory needs, and product assortment plans.
• Track and report on performance throughout the season, comparing actual performance against planned objectives, adjusting strategies as needed.
• Identify any exceptions or discrepancies in Sales, Stockholdings, Forward Covers, and Inflows and propose corrective actions in collaboration with the Buyers.
• Monitor Seasonal Budget performance and reforecast as necessary, considering past performance trends to adjust for Sales, Stocks, and Inflows.
• Maintain the OTB tracker, ensuring clear visibility on orders placed, cancellations, and any excess or underbuys.

Inventory Management:

• Ensure the availability of all replenishment items and maintain timely reviews of replenishment orders to prevent stockouts.
• Monitor the flow of stock received in warehouses, ensuring it is allocated to stores and is actively selling. Collaborate with Buyers and Stores to resolve any out-of-stock situations.
• Develop and communicate the allocation plan for seasonal/product launches in collaboration with Buyers, ensuring timely execution for both retail stores and wholesale partners.
• Manage and track sell-through rates at the season and product level to optimize markdowns and avoid excess stock.
• Analyze aging stock and propose actions for clearance or redistribution, communicating necessary steps to the Stores.
• Ensure timely communication with Stores to address any stock consolidation requirements.

Pricing & Margin Management:

• Collaborate with Buyers to align on pricing for new shipments, ensuring it meets target intake margins.
• Monitor sell-through performance of both fast-moving and slow-moving items, proposing corrective actions for price adjustments, reorders, or markdowns.
• Propose and manage price adjustments for slow-selling items, ensuring alignment with the Buyer's strategy and obtaining Management approval before communicating actions to Stores.
• Contribute to Promotion and End-of-Season Sales (EOSS) planning, focusing on pricing strategies, discounting, and inventory optimization.

Store & Competitor Visits:

• Conduct regular store visits to monitor product performance, trends, and customer feedback. Ensure alignment with the brand’s strategy on quantity, range, pricing, and customer demands.
• Stay updated on competitor range compositions, pricing strategies, and overall market trends to drive competitiveness.

Systems Maintenance & Enhancement:

• Ensure the availability and accuracy of reports measuring performance against the planned objectives, maintaining effective tracking of key KPIs.
• Maintain systems, ensuring data integrity, and timely updates to reports and systems. Communicate any system enhancement needs to the Line Manager for review

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Retail Fashion Management, Business Administration, or equivalent from an accredited institution
• Post-Graduate Degree or MBA in Retail Management, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum 5-6 years of relevant experience in retail planning, particularly in fashion retail.
• Experience in managing financial planning, inventory management, pricing strategies, and open-to-buy (OTB) planning.
• Proven track record of working with Buyers, Merchandisers, and cross-functional teams to meet business goals.

Skills & Competencies:

• Strong analytical skills with a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Merchandise planning expertise with a deep understanding of inventory management, sales forecasting, and assortment planning.
• Strong knowledge of retail financials, including sales, margins, markdowns, and OTB.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in MS Excel (advanced level for financial tracking and data analysis).
• Strong communication and negotiation skills to interact with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and adapt quickly to changing market dynamics.

Application Question(s):

• What's your based location?
• How many years of experience do you have in retail planning and merchandising (specifically in fashion retail)?
• Do you have hands-on experience with OTB planning, WSSI reporting, and inventory management? Please briefly specify.
• What's your current salary (AED/month)?
• What's your expected salary? (AED/month)
• What's your visa status?
• Have you worked in fashion apparel industry?

Work Location: In person