Merchandise Planner

Uniqlo; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonuses

Group profit sharing

Parental leave

Wellbeing support

Learning platform access

Global brand exposure

Travel to Tokyo/Global events

Job summary

UNIQLO in Melbourne seeks a Merchandise Planner to drive inventory strategy and optimize stock across seasonal lines. You will develop weekly financial plans, guide replenishment, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to maximize sales and profitability.

The role emphasizes in-season forecasting, pricing strategy, and alignment with marketing and store operations to deliver exceptional LifeWear experiences in Australia.

Qualifications

• 3–4 years in merchandise planning or 2–3 years in allocation.
• Proficiency with Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to collaborate cross-functionally.
• Detail-oriented with accuracy in merchandise planning.
• Proactive and results-driven with ability to manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Drive merchandise strategy and optimize inventory to meet financial goals.
• Develop weekly item-level financial plans for sales, gross margin, and inventory.
• Place orders for seasonal and replenishment product buys.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Store Operations to align product strategies.
• Reforecast in-season and present revised projections to leadership.
• Create allocation strategies to meet store inventory needs across formats.

Skills

Merchandise planning experience

Allocation experience

Excel

PowerPoint

Analytical thinking

Communication

Customer-centric

Multitasking

Detail-oriented

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Changing clothes. Changing conventional wisdom. Change the world.

UNIQLO stems from the words 'unique' and 'clothing' – simple and clever, just like our clothes. Our philosophy is based on the premise of Life Wear: apparel that comes from the Japanese values of simplicity, quality and longevity. Life Wear is clothing that is constantly being innovated, bringing more warmth, more lightness, better design, and better comfort to people's lives.

As the leading brand of the Fast Retailing Group, UNIQLO continues to open large-scale stores in some of the world's most important cities and locations, as part of its ongoing efforts to solidify its status as a global brand. Today the company has more than 2,500 stores in 26 markets around the world.

Australia stands as a key market for UNIQLO in establishing its brand in the Asia and Oceania region and remains focused on continuing its growth. UNIQLO opened the first store, in Emporium, Melbourne, in April 2014, and as of today has expanded to 41 stores across Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and Australian Capital Territory.

The Opportunity

The Merchandise Planner is responsible for driving the merchandise strategy and optimizing inventory to meet and exceed financial goals. They develop seasonal product strategies based on business opportunities and collaborate with cross-functional departments to execute their vision. They will manage and plan merchandise inventory positions and markdown strategies to drive departmental sales, inventory, profit, and sell-through objectives. The Merchandise Planner also provides in-season financial projections and strategies while identifying risks and opportunities to maximize profits. They are also responsible for providing the store allocators with the necessary guidance and direction to help them achieve their objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Drive customer satisfaction and expand UNIQLO's 'LifeWear' concept by delivering exceptional product experiences.

Collaborate with stakeholders to identify opportunities in the Australian market and optimize sales while meeting customer satisfaction goals.

Develop weekly item-level financial plans for sales, gross margin, and inventory to support business growth.

Devise pricing strategies that maximize sales and gross profit, ensuring competitiveness in the market.

Reforecast business in-season based on current performance, present revised projections and recommendations to cross functional teams and senior leadership.

Create allocation strategies that align with merchandise plans and flow strategies to meet inventory needs across stores.

Strategically create and plan product assortments (item, colour, size) for each product category to optimize sales and manage replenishment plans/ production plans.

Place orders for both seasonal and replenishment product buys, maintaining optimal stock levels.

Collaborate closely with cross-functional departments, such as Marketing and Store Operations to align product strategies for success.

Proactively gathering feedback from voice of customers and store members, identifying new opportunities, and ensuring appropriate product line up.

Coordinate with visual merchandisers to execute monthly layouts across different store formats.

Manage team tasks with manager to support each business function.

Support new members on job training.

Experience, skills and knowledge

Minimum 3-4 years' experience in merchandise planning AND/OR minimum 2-3 years' experience in allocation.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).

Knowledge of retail industry trends and an understanding of consumer behaviour.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data and make informed decisions.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Detail-oriented mindset, ensuring accuracy and precision in merchandise planning.

Proactive and results-driven attitude, with a passion for achieving and exceeding targets.

Ability to handle multiple projects effectively with a sense of urgency and commitment to accuracy.

Why Join Us?

At UNIQLO, we believe great work happens when people feel supported, valued, and inspired. When you join us, you're not just building a career—you're becoming part of a global brand that invests in its people.

What you'll enjoy:

• Performance based bonuses, paid twice a year
• Eligibility to join our ‘Group Profit Sharing Scheme’ after one year of service (subject to fiscal year requirements)
• UNIQLO Parental Leave Pay Entitlement of up to 34 weeks (subject to eligibility based on role level and policy requirements）
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential wellbeing support
• Access to a multilingual learning platform to support continuous learning and career development
• The opportunity to work with a leading global brand, with exposure beyond Australia
• Potential travel to our Tokyo Head Office through our Global Convention in Japan (held twice a year), subject to role and business needs
• More Competitive Employee Benefits

To be eligible to apply, you must have full working rights in Australia.

For more information about Fast Retailing / UNIQLO, please visit our website at www.fastretailing.com/employment/en/

UNIQLO is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.