Head - Supply Chain

Apparel Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Apparel Group is seeking a Commercial Planning & Business Performance leader to steer regional merchandise planning, demand planning, and inventory strategy across GCC markets. You will partner with Merchandising, Retail and Finance to optimize category performance and deliver data-driven insights to support assortment, new product launches, promotions and pricing.

The role emphasizes forecasting excellence, cross-functional leadership, and building executive dashboards to inform the Managing

Responsibilities

• Lead the regional merchandise planning and demand planning strategy across all GCC markets.
• Partner with Merchandising, Retail and Finance to optimize category, collection and SKU performance.
• Deliver meaningful commercial insights that support assortment decisions, new product launches, promotional activities and pricing strategies.
• Develop executive dashboards and business reporting for the Managing Director and Leadership Team.
• Translate business trends into clear recommendations that improve sales, profitability and inventory productivity.
• Identify commercial opportunities and risks through data analysis and recommend proactive actions.
• Own the regional forecasting process, ensuring high forecast accuracy across all channels and markets.
• Lead monthly demand review and forecast alignment with Commercial, Retail and Marketing teams.
• Drive continuous improvement of forecasting methodologies using historical trends, commercial intelligence and product lifecycle analysis.
• Monitor forecast accuracy and bias while implementing initiatives to improve planning performance.
• Develop inventory strategies that maximize product availability while optimizing working capital.
• Ensure the right balance between customer service levels, inventory investment and commercial objectives.
• Manage replenishment planning from European distribution centres into the Middle East.
• Monitor stock availability, weeks of cover, ageing inventory and replenishment performance across all GCC markets.
• Lead initiatives to minimize obsolete inventory and maximize sell-through while protecting gross margin.
• Own the regional planning and performance reporting framework.
• Produce regular executive reports on category performance, inventory health, forecast accuracy, stock productivity and commercial KPIs.
• Provide strategic insights to support investment decisions, assortment optimization and business growth.
• Develop planning dashboards and reporting tools that improve decision-making across the organization.
• Build strong partnerships with European Supply Chain teams to ensure effective product availability and successful product launches.
• Collaborate closely with Merchandising, Retail, Finance, Regulatory, Marketing and Business Technology to align planning priorities.
• Support strategic business reviews through robust analysis and recommendations.
• Drive the evolution of planning processes, systems and reporting capabilities.
• Identify opportunities to automate reporting and improve planning efficiency.
• Champion a data-driven planning culture across the organization.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance forecast accuracy, inventory productivity and commercial decision-making.
• Build, develop and inspire a high-performing Supply Chain Planning team.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable and commercially focused culture.
• Coach team members to strengthen analytical capability, business partnering and strategic thinking.
• Demonstrate resilience, curiosity and ownership in a fast-paced and evolving environment.

Job description

Commercial Planning & Business Performance

• Lead the regional merchandise planning and demand planning strategy across all GCC markets.

• Partner with Merchandising, Retail and Finance to optimize category, collection and SKU performance.

• Deliver meaningful commercial insights that support assortment decisions, new product launches, promotional activities and pricing strategies.

• Develop executive dashboards and business reporting for the Managing Director and Leadership Team.

• Translate business trends into clear recommendations that improve sales, profitability and inventory productivity.

• Identify commercial opportunities and risks through data analysis and recommend proactive actions.

Demand Planning & Forecasting

• Own the regional forecasting process, ensuring high forecast accuracy across all channels and markets.

• Lead monthly demand review and forecast alignment with Commercial, Retail and Marketing teams.

• Drive continuous improvement of forecasting methodologies using historical trends, commercial intelligence and product lifecycle analysis.

• Monitor forecast accuracy and bias while implementing initiatives to improve planning performance.

Inventory & Supply Planning

• Develop inventory strategies that maximize product availability while optimizing working capital.

• Ensure the right balance between customer service levels, inventory investment and commercial objectives.

• Manage replenishment planning from European distribution centres into the Middle East.

• Monitor stock availability, weeks of cover, ageing inventory and replenishment performance across all GCC markets.

• Lead initiatives to minimize obsolete inventory and maximize sell-through while protecting gross margin.

Business Analytics & Reporting

• Own the regional planning and performance reporting framework.

• Produce regular executive reports on category performance, inventory health, forecast accuracy, stock productivity and commercial KPIs.

• Provide strategic insights to support investment decisions, assortment optimization and business growth.

• Develop planning dashboards and reporting tools that improve decision-making across the organization.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Build strong partnerships with European Supply Chain teams to ensure effective product availability and successful product launches.

• Collaborate closely with Merchandising, Retail, Finance, Regulatory, Marketing and Business Technology to align planning priorities.

• Support strategic business reviews through robust analysis and recommendations.

Transformation & Continuous Improvement

• Drive the evolution of planning processes, systems and reporting capabilities.

• Identify opportunities to automate reporting and improve planning efficiency.

• Champion a data-driven planning culture across the organization.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance forecast accuracy, inventory productivity and commercial decision-making.

Leadership

• Build, develop and inspire a high-performing Supply Chain Planning team.

• Foster a collaborative, accountable and commercially focused culture.

• Coach team members to strengthen analytical capability, business partnering and strategic thinking.

• Demonstrate resilience, curiosity and ownership in a fast-paced and evolving environment.