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Job description / Role
Objectives: The purpose of the Merchandise Planner is to manage the working capital of the business, by planning sales and intakes, and executing those plans through stock management and allocations to stores. The Merchandise Planner is responsible for developing the appropriate inventory, assortment, financial plans and forecasts for the merchandise department. Ongoing responsibility is to maintain accurate sales, margin and inventory forecasts to ensure the open-to-buy plans reflect the proper purchase opportunities.
Main responsibilities:
• Sales measured against Plan: lost sales opportunities identified, control of markdowns measured against Sales, stock levels measured against plan
• Financial plan with key performance indicator targets produced for the new season/year in line with strategy
• Design, develop and implement Product strategy effectively, presenting and communicating to relevant stakeholders, whilst ensuring pre-season product plans reflect and support the product strategy
• Highlight specific growth areas (new opportunity or product), to aid in actively driving sales growth, ensuring strategic growth by brand for OTB purposes
• Plan realistic markdowns for promotional activities across the multiple brands
• Post-Mortem historical performance across categories and brands
• Analyse and innovate size curves across commodities
• Set ideal store stock capacities by product groupings, overseeing the process of allocating stock to stores
• Manage minimum display quantities through effective use of profiles / grades inorder to better distribute assortment of product to stores
• Driving replenishment parameters to reduce closing stocks also reacting timeously to under and overstock situations within stores
• Drives goods in stores being re-distributed effectively [IBT], ensuring promotional styles are prioritized
• Proposals for slow selling products
• Initiate & execute in-season promotions and end-of-season markdowns
• Improving actual markdowns taken vs planned season totals
• Monitor the allocations of the promotional product before campaign launch
• Weekly feedback provided on campaign performance
• Provide feedback on total campaign performance
Reporting to: Planning Manager
Requirements
University Qualifications: Bachelors Degree in Business Administration or relevant field
Nature and length of previous experience: Minimum of 2 years experience in retail merchandise planning preferably within Sports retail
Specialist knowledge:
• Business Acumen
• Document Control
• Forecasting
• Inventory and Supply Chain
• Procurement
• Retail Operations
Soft Skills and Personality traits:
• Accuracy
• Attention to detail
• Personal Motivation
• Process Excellence
• Productivity
• Service orientation
Language Fluency: English is essential, Arabic would be an advantage
About the Company
Al Mana is one of the largest and most diversified groups in the region, operating over 55 companies in 8 countries and employing over 3500 personnel. Industries that we operate in include automotive distribution and services, real estate and investments, retail and luxury fashion, F&B, engineering, technology, media and entertainment. The group covers most areas of retail including luxury goods, beauty, fashion, home interiors, watches and jewellery. Operating over 300 outlets, Al Mana represents some of the largest and most successful brands in the world.