Assistant Planning Manager (Merchandising) | Retail

Tanqeeb; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Tanqeeb is seeking an Assistant Planning Manager to develop accurate financial, sales, and inventory plans across channels in Abu Dhabi. You will forecast sales, margins, markdowns, and stock needs while aligning with Merchandising, Allocation, Retail and Supply Chain teams.

Responsibilities include delivering weekly WSSI, supporting pricing strategies, and preparing KPI-rich performance reports. Ideal candidates have 3–5 years in planning and strong Excel, BI and SAP experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Retail Management or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in merchandise planning, financial planning, or retail analysis.
• Experience with planning systems such as JDA, Power BI, Tableau or SAP.

Responsibilities

• Develop annual Business Plan by Market and Business Unit.
• Deliver weekly Warehouse Sales and Stock Intake for multiple categories.
• Support Markdown management and pricing optimization.
• Prepare financial projections for Gross Profit, Margin, Markdown, and Inventory.
• Create weekly/monthly performance reports and KPI analyses.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Advanced Excel

Communication & presentation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Finance/Retail Management

Tools

JDA

Power BI

Tableau

SAP

Job description

Job description

Overview Of The Role:

• The Assistant Planning Manager plays a crucial role in supporting the Planning function by developing accurate financial, sales, and inventory plans across various channels and markets. This role is key to forecasting sales, margin, markdown, and inventory requirements, which are essential for maintaining robust business performance and effective stock management. Collaborating closely with Merchandising, Allocation, Retail, and Supply Chain teams, the Assistant Planning Manager ensures that all plans are well-aligned and executed with precision. They contribute to the annual business planning and are instrumental in managing markdown strategies to optimize sales and profitability.

What You Will Do:

Business Planning

• Responsible for Planning Annual Business Plan by Market and Business Unit.
• Deliver Weekly Warehouse Sales and Stock Intake (WSSI) for Clothing & Home, Food and Total Business.
• Execute Markdown Management ensuring alignment with business objectives.

Sales & Financial Planning

• Support the development of seasonal and annual sales plans by market, store, category, and channel (Retail, E-Commerce, Omnichannel).
• Assist in building weekly, monthly, and seasonal sales forecasts, incorporating past performance, trends, and business drivers.
• Prepare financial projections for Gross Profit, Gross Margin, Markdown, and Inventory.
• Track performance versus plan and highlight risks or opportunities.

Business Unit Sales Planning

• Support Planning Manager in Business Unit sales planning by season, incorporating new product strategies and potential sales gaps from the previous year.
• Monitor performance against plan, identifying risks, opportunities, and corrective actions to optimize seasonal results.

Markdown & Price Optimization

• Support markdown planning, price phasing, and promotional analysis.
• Track sell-through and aging stock to recommend timely markdown actions.
• Partner with Merchandising to ensure markdown strategy protects margin while achieving sell-through targets.

Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare weekly and monthly business performance reports including sales, margin, stock, and KPIs.
• Analyze product, category, and store performance to support strategic decisions.
• Identify business risks and provide insight-driven recommendations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Support Finance in validating forecasts and financial submissions.
• Work with Buying and Merchandising team on Weekly BU and Dept level planning.

System & Process Support

• Maintain accurate planning data and product hierarchies in reporting systems.
• Develop templates, dashboards, and presentations for planning reviews.

Skills

Required Skills To Be Successful:

• Strong analytical and numerical skills, proficient in Excel and reporting tools.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work collaboratively across functions.
• Advanced Excel & reporting skills.

What Qualifies You For The Role:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Retail Management, or related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in merchandise planning, financial planning, or retail analysis, preferably in fashion or multi-category retail.
• Experience with planning systems such as JDA, Power BI, Tableau, SAP, or similar.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced retail environment.