Merchandise Planner - Retail Assortment

Apparel Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 100,000 - 156,000; Full time

Job summary

Apparel Group is seeking a Merchandise Planner for the Dubai region to optimize product assortments and ensure stock availability aligns with demand across our multi-brand network.

This full-time role requires strong analytical skills, experience in merchandising, and proficiency with Retail Pro. You will collaborate with Brand Management, Buying, Logistics, and Store Operations to drive sales and margins.

Qualifications

• Experience in merchandising, allocation, assortment planning, or retail analysis preferred.
• Strong numerical and analytical skills; able to review sales, sell-through, stock data.
• Proficiency with Retail Pro or similar merchandising reporting systems.
• Comfort with detailed spreadsheets and cross-functional coordination.

Responsibilities

• Assist Brand Manager with product and assortment planning aligned with financial and commercial objectives.
• Support pre-season financial planning, seasonal budgets, in-season projections, and open-to-buy management.
• Coordinate product allocation and delivery across stores within the region.
• Maintain balanced collections across stores based on sales performance and demand.
• Monitor warehouse inventory and initiate replenishment to stores where stock supports sales.
• Coordinate inter-store transfers to correct stock imbalances and improve productivity.
• Prepare Retail Pro reports, Sell Thru reports, and product breakdown reports.
• Analyze sales performance across categories, styles, colors, sizes, and price points.
• Identify best sellers and actions to improve performance.
• Review slow-moving products and highlight corrective actions.
• Compare current season performance with historical data and trends.
• Produce analysis to support repeats, replenishment, and future buying.
• Liaise with stores, logistics, and warehouse teams to ensure supply aligns with demand.

Skills

Merchandise planning

Retail merchandising

Assortment planning

Merchandise allocation

Store allocation

Stock replenishment

Inter-store transfers

Open-to-buy management

Pre-season planning

In-season forecasting

Retail Pro

Sell Thru analysis

Sales analysis

Product performance analysis

Best seller analysis

Slow seller analysis

Price point analysis

Color performance analysis

Style performance analysis

Seasonal sales analysis

Range planning

Product mix planning

Sub-category planning

Merchandise budgeting

New store budgeting

Inventory optimization

Stock balancing

Warehouse coordination

Logistics coordination

Delivery tracking

Buying support

Repeat order analysis

Customer feedback analysis

Competitor analysis

Commercial opportunity analysis

Merchandise reporting

Consolidation reports

Product breakdown reports

Retail invoice processing

Microsoft Excel

Inventory analysis

Category profitability

Tools

Retail Pro

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Merchandise Planner - Retail Assortment Job Snapshot

Role: Merchandise Planner - Retail Assortment

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Industry: Retail

Function: Merchandise Planning and Buying

Experience: Previous experience in merchandising, allocation, assortment planning, retail analysis, or merchandise planning preferred

Job Type: Full-time

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• City: Dubai
• Industry: Retail
• Function: Merchandise Planning and Buying
• Salary: 9000-14000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
• Gender: Any
• Candidate Nationality: Any
• Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Merchandise Planner will support the commercial planning process by ensuring the right products reach the right stores at the right time and in the appropriate quantities. The role connects Brand Management, Buying, Merchandise Planning, Logistics, Warehousing, and Retail Operations through accurate reporting, allocation decisions, replenishment, and sales analysis. By reviewing historical performance, current sell-through, customer response, stock availability, and product-level trends, the position helps improve assortment quality, reduce stock imbalances, maximize commercial opportunities, and support stronger sales and margin performance across the regional store network.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist the Brand Manager with product and assortment planning aligned with agreed financial and commercial objectives.
• Support pre-season financial planning, seasonal merchandise budgets, in-season projections, and open-to-buy management.
• Coordinate product allocation and delivery across stores within the assigned region.
• Maintain balanced collections across stores based on sales performance, location requirements, and product demand.
• Monitor warehouse inventory and initiate replenishment to stores where stock availability can support additional sales.
• Coordinate inter-store transfers to correct stock imbalances and improve merchandise productivity.
• Prepare Retail Pro reports, Sell Thru reports, consolidation sheets, and detailed product breakdown reports.
• Analyze sales performance across categories, styles, colors, sizes, and price points.
• Identify best sellers and determine the attributes contributing to stronger product performance.
• Review slow-moving and underperforming products and highlight opportunities for corrective action.
• Compare current season performance against historical sales data and previous seasonal trends.
• Produce analysis that supports decisions on repeats, replenishment, assortment adjustments, and future buying.
• Liaise with retail stores, logistics teams, and warehouse operations to ensure product supply remains aligned with demand.
• Track merchandise deliveries and coordinate follow-up where delays could affect store availability.
• Analyze product categories to improve both sales volume and profitability.
• Gather and review customer feedback relating to products, collections, styles, and price points.
• Share relevant customer and store feedback with the Brand and Buying teams.
• Coordinate with Buying teams on product orders, repeats, damaged items, delivery issues, and range planning requirements.
• Support buyers with sales analysis and product performance information during range development.
• Prepare merchandise plans and commercial information for product range presentations and brand reviews.
• Maintain accurate information required by buyers and Brand Managers for seasonal planning meetings.
• Monitor competitor product offerings, pricing, assortment, and market activity.
• Highlight commercial opportunities and competitive gaps to the Brand team.
• Process Retail Pro reports and related retail documentation accurately and efficiently.
• Support invoice processing and ensure relevant merchandise records are properly maintained.
• Prepare required reports and records within agreed deadlines.
• Maintain confidentiality of commercial reports, financial information, product plans, and other sensitive documentation.
• Work closely with the Merchandise Planning team to optimize product ranges and stock investment.
• Support planning at sub-category, price-point, and product level to achieve an effective merchandise mix.
• Identify opportunities to redistribute inventory where changing demand patterns create stronger sales potential.

Ideal Profile

The preferred candidate will have previous experience in merchandising, merchandise planning, allocation, retail analysis, buying support, or a closely related retail function. Strong numerical and analytical skills are important because the position involves regular review of sales, sell-through, product performance, stock levels, price points, and seasonal results. Candidates should understand core retail planning concepts including assortment planning, replenishment, open-to-buy, allocation, inter-store transfers, product mix, and sales forecasting. Experience using Retail Pro or similar retail reporting and merchandise management systems will be highly valuable. The successful candidate should be comfortable working with detailed spreadsheets, commercial reports, inventory data, and product-level performance information. Strong coordination skills are required to work effectively with Buying, Brand Management, Retail Stores, Logistics, Warehousing, and Merchandise Planning teams. Attention to detail, timely reporting, confidentiality, and the ability to identify meaningful patterns within large volumes of retail data are essential.

Skills Set

• Merchandise planning
• Retail merchandising
• Assortment planning
• Merchandise allocation
• Store allocation
• Stock replenishment
• Inter-store transfers
• Open-to-buy management
• Pre-season planning
• In-season forecasting
• Retail Pro
• Sell Thru analysis
• Sales analysis
• Product performance analysis
• Best seller analysis
• Slow seller analysis
• Price point analysis
• Color performance analysis
• Style performance analysis
• Seasonal sales analysis
• Range planning
• Product mix planning
• Sub-category planning
• Merchandise budgeting
• New store budgeting
• Inventory optimization
• Stock balancing
• Warehouse coordination
• Logistics coordination
• Delivery tracking
• Buying support
• Repeat order analysis
• Product issue coordination
• Customer feedback analysis
• Competitor analysis
• Commercial opportunity analysis
• Merchandise reporting
• Consolidation reports
• Product breakdown reports
• Retail invoice processing
• Microsoft Excel
• Inventory analysis
• Category profitability

Why Join Us

This position offers strong exposure to the commercial planning side of Retail in Dubai, where assortment quality, inventory productivity, product availability, and accurate forecasting have a direct impact on sales and profitability.

The role provides valuable involvement in buying support, merchandise planning, allocation, replenishment, Retail Pro reporting, seasonal analysis, and cross-functional coordination. It is particularly suitable for a merchandising professional seeking to progress toward senior merchandise planning, buying, category management, or brand commercial roles.

About the Company

Apparel Group is a major retail organization operating a broad portfolio of international fashion, lifestyle, beauty, footwear, and consumer brands across the United Arab Emirates and other markets. Its merchandising operations combine product planning, buying, allocation, inventory management, retail analysis, and commercial decision-making to support strong store performance across its multi-brand network.