Senior Merchandise Planning Analyst

Al Tayer Group Career site; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Al Tayer Group is seeking an Associate Planner to join our Retail Planning team in Dubai. You will develop seasonal and annual merchandise plans, manage Open-to-Buy, and drive inventory performance across our stores, partnering with Buying, Supply Chain, Store Operations, Finance, and leadership.

The ideal candidate has 7–8 years of merchandise planning experience, advanced Excel skills, and a proven ability to translate data into actionable business decisions in a fast-paced retail environment.

Qualifications

• 7-8 years of experience in Merchandise Planning or Retail Planning.
• Minimum 2 years of hands-on Open-to-Buy (OTB) experience.
• Strong experience in sales forecasting, inventory planning, stock optimization, and trading analysis.
• Experience working closely with Buying and Merchandising teams.
• Advanced Excel and analytical capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage seasonal, annual, and departmental merchandise plans.
• Drive sales, gross margin, sell-through, and inventory performance against targets.
• Own OTB process to ensure stock investment and inventory control.
• Review trading performance and provide recommendations to maximize sales and profitability.
• Identify risks and opportunities through sales, stock, and trend analysis.
• Lead markdown and promotional planning to reduce aged stock and protect margin.
• Monitor inventory levels, stock cover, and replenishment strategies across stores.
• Partner with Buying teams on range planning, forecasting, and buying decisions.
• Manage stock allocation, replenishment, and inter-store transfers to optimize inventory productivity.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain and vendors to improve delivery performance and stock availability.
• Produce planning reports and communicate performance updates, forecasts, and action plans to key stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement across merchandise planning processes and decision-making.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Analytical thinking

Tools

Planning tools

Forecasting systems

Retail ERP platforms

Job description

Al Tayer Group is seeking an Associate Planner to join our Retail Planning team in Dubai. You will develop seasonal and annual merchandise plans, manage Open-to-Buy, and drive inventory performance across our stores, partnering with Buying, Supply Chain, Store Operations, Finance, and leadership.

The ideal candidate has 7–8 years of merchandise planning experience, advanced Excel skills, and a proven ability to translate data into actionable business decisions in a fast-paced retail environment.