Dubai Retail: Strategic Merchandising Lead

Sharaf DG; Dubai; On-site; AED 134,000 - 201,000; Full time

Job summary

Sharaf DG is seeking a Strategic Merchandising Officer - Retail in Dubai to lead category performance, manage margins, and optimize inventory across locations. The role partners with stores, marketing, finance, and product teams to drive sales growth and market share in a dynamic UAE retail market.

The ideal candidate has strong experience in category management, merchandising, and supplier negotiations, with a focus on sales planning, open-to-buy, and planogram execution.

Qualifications

• Experience in retail category management, merchandising, buying, sales planning, and commercial retail operations.
• Strong knowledge of forecasting, margin planning, inventory control, and promotional planning.
• Ability to analyze category data, market trends, and performance reports.
• Open-to-buy management, stock balancing, and planogram updates are understood.

Responsibilities

• Prepare budgets, forecasts, margin plans, buying strategies, and action plans to hit targets.
• Lead supplier negotiations on terms, pricing, margins, volumes, and rebates.
• Collaborate with store teams to meet sales and inventory goals across locations.
• Track performance: sales, margin, stock, market share, promotions, and aging stock.
• Monitor trends, launches, displays, and category opportunities in the market.
• Develop marketing plans, calendars, and communication for promotions.
• Coordinate with product, finance, and operations for execution and reconciliations.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels with open-to-buy discipline and stock rotation.
• Provide regular reports to category leadership on performance and activity.

Skills

Category management

Retail merchandising

Merchandise planning

Retail buying

Supplier negotiation

Vendor management

Sales forecasting

Budgeting

Margin management

Inventory planning

Open-to-buy management

Stock balancing

GMROF analysis

GMROI analysis

Competitor analysis

Market share tracking

Promotional planning

Product assortment planning

Planogram management

Ageing stock clearance

End-of-life inventory planning

Retail sales analysis

Store coordination

Marketing coordination

Finance reconciliation

Supplier rebates

Product registration coordination

GFK data analysis

Retail trend analysis

Customer preference analysis

Microsoft Excel

Sales reporting

Category performance reporting

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Sharaf DG is seeking a Strategic Merchandising Officer - Retail in Dubai to lead category performance, manage margins, and optimize inventory across locations. The role partners with stores, marketing, finance, and product teams to drive sales growth and market share in a dynamic UAE retail market.

The ideal candidate has strong experience in category management, merchandising, and supplier negotiations, with a focus on sales planning, open-to-buy, and planogram execution.