Planner & Buyer – Sports Apparel & Footwear

Cosmic Uplift; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Cosmic Uplift is seeking a Planner & Buyer to lead seasonal buying, assortment planning, and vendor relations for sports apparel and footwear. You will drive OTB planning, secure key styles, and align pricing with brand strategy to optimize stock and sales across channels.

The role requires 4–7 years in buying/planning, strong Excel skills, and an analytical mindset to forecast demand and manage inventories for peak seasons.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, fashion merchandising, retail management, or related field.
• 4–7 years in buying, planning, or retail planning (apparel or footwear preferred).
• Proficiency in Excel or buying planning tools; strong analytical mindset.

Responsibilities

• Develop seasonal buying plans for apparel and footwear.
• OTB Planning and Execution for the Season & Placement of Orders with Brand.
• Curate product assortments balancing performance, lifestyle, and trend-driven styles.
• Review upcoming brand collections and secure key styles for the market.
• Maintain and grow relationships with global brand partners.
• Negotiate order quantities, pricing, and delivery timelines.
• Monitor stock levels to minimise overstock and stockouts.
• Coordinate with marketing, channel, and brand teams to support launches.

Skills

Analytical mindset

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

Buying planning tools

Job description

The Planner & Buyer is responsible for planning, selection, pricing and managing product assortments across sports apparel and footwear categories. The role drives sales growth through strategic buying, pricing decisions, inventory management, and demand forecasting, while building strong relationships with global sports brand partners.

Key Responsibilities

Buying & Assortment Planning

• Develop seasonal buying plans for apparel and footwear categories aligned to brand strategy.
• OTB Planning and Execution for the Season & Placement of Orders with Brand
• Curate product assortments balancing performance, lifestyle, and trend-driven styles.
• Review upcoming brand collections and secure key styles for the market.

Vendor & Brand Management

• Maintain and grow relationships with global brand partners.
• Negotiate order quantities, pricing, and delivery timelines.
• Participate in seasonal line reviews, brand meetings, and product presentations.

Inventory & Demand Planning

• Monitor stock levels to minimise overstock and stockouts.
• Track sell-through rates and manage replenishment orders proactively.
• Pricing for BAU & EOSS
• Ensure key products and sizes are available during peak selling periods.

Sales & Performance Analysis

• Analyse sales data by SKU, division, and channel to guide buying decisions.
• Active Tracking of Best Sellers, Product Franchisee and Promotional Events.
• Adjust assortments and promotions based on ongoing performance insights.

Merchandising & Product Launches

• Coordinate with marketing, channel, and brand teams to support product launches.
• Ensure correct pricing, placement, and merchandising across e-commerce platforms.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Liaise with supply chain and logistics to ensure on-time product delivery.
• Align purchasing plans with finance and planning teams within approved budgets.
• Gather customer and market insights from channel and e-commerce partners.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Fashion Merchandising, Retail Management, or related field.
• 4–7 years of experience in buying, planning, or retail planning (apparel or footwear preferred).
• Prior exposure to global sports or lifestyle brands is a strong advantage.
• Proficiency in Excel or buying planning tools; strong analytical mindset.