Manager - Planning & Merchandising

Job description / Role

Position Objective

• The position assists the Brand Manager to plan the product and assortment strategies that meet or exceed financial goals.
• Coordinate all the activities related to allocation and delivery of merchandise to all the stores in the region.
• Assist in pre-season financial planning, in-season projections, open-to-buy management, and new store budgets.
• Ensure balanced collection at stores, regular replenishment from the warehouse, and inter-store transfers.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in merchandise plans for the category based on insights gained from merchandise mix, historical trends, and future outlook projected by the brand.
• Analyze store profile based on reports, including weeks of stock, merchandise sales blend, and inventory by store grade.
• Ensure effective in-season management (stock analysis and balancing, markdown management, stock vs. sale performance).
• Plan merchandise mix for each store and complete initial product allocation to stores and reserve management based on pre-distribution.
• Finalize seasonal assortment plan and size run book in collaboration with the Sr. Merchandiser.
• Monitor the product line, pricing, and developments of competitor brands.
• Ensure the aging standards are followed and the stock turns are maintained as per the company policy.
• Manage margin negotiations, orders, stock distribution, and product selection.
• Monitor and analyze both the best sellers and slow sellers and take appropriate actions.
• Keep track of actual sales vs. sales forecasts, inventory checks, forthcoming events, and address the replenishment needs of the stores on a day-to-day basis.
• Perform regular store visits and competition analysis, in collaboration with the Brand Manager, and communicate findings to the Brand.

About Us

Apparel Group is a global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate residing at the crossroads of the modern economy - Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Today, the Apparel Group caters to thousands of eager shoppers through its more than 1750 stores and 75 brands across all platforms employing 17,000 multicultural staff covering four continents.

Apparel Group has carved its strong presence not only in the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia but opened thriving gateways to market in India, South Africa, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Additionally, clear strategies are in place to enter emerging markets such as Hungary, Pakistan, Egypt, and the Philippines.

Apparel Group operates brands from around the world, originating from the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and Asia, and includes leading names in fashion, footwear, and lifestyle such as Tommy Hilfiger, Charles & Keith, Skechers, Aldo, Nine West, and Aeropostale, to name a few. Other key brands include Tim Hortons, Cold Stone Creamery, Inglot, and Rituals.

The Apparel Group owes its amazing growth to the vision and guidance of its dynamic Chairman, Nilesh Ved, who has taken the company from strength to strength since its inception in the last two decades.

About the Company

The Apparel Group is a global fashion and lifestyle brand conglomerate residing on the crossroads of a modern economy - Dubai, UAE. The mercurial growth in the last 17 years has been by acquiring a host of world class fashion labels from around the world - Nine West, Tommy Hilfiger, Kenneth Cole, Aldo & Tim Hortons just to name a few.

Today the group caters to thousands of eager shoppers through its over 1530 stores, 75 International brands and employing 12,000 multi cultural staff in over 4 continents. Apparel believes in turning dreams in to reality and we give everyone - our customers, our stakeholders, our employees - an equal opportunity to do so.

Apparel group has carved its strong presence not only in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia but opened thriving gateways to market in India, South Africa, Poland, Singapore, Jordan, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Additionally, clear strategies are in place to enter emerging markets such as Hungary, Pakistan, Egypt and Philippines.