Category Planning & Allocation Manager

MR DIY TRADING SDN BHD; Seri Kembangan; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in Malaysia seeks a seasoned professional to lead their Category Optimization and Product Allocation teams. This role requires over 8 years of experience in retail management, a strong background in analytics, and proficiency with Excel and BI tools. The ideal candidate should excel in cross-functional collaboration and possess strong leadership skills to drive departmental strategies and enhance productivity.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in retail category management or merchandising.
• Minimum 3 years in a leadership or managerial role.
• Familiarity with assortment planning and retail store operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team covering Category Optimization and Product Allocation.
• Oversee SKU-level analysis and category performance reviews.
• Monitor allocation strategies for new product launches.

Skills

Team Leadership

Analytical Skills

Category Management

Excel

Power BI

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Tools

Power BI

Looker

Tableau

Job description

Role & Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Strategy

• Lead, develop, and manage a team covering both Category Optimization and Product Allocation functions.
• Define departmental strategies and set annual objectives aligned with company goals.
• Establish workflows, review calendars, and category reset timelines to ensure process consistency and timeliness.

Category Optimization

• Oversee SKU-level analysis, category performance reviews, and product mix adjustments to improve productivity.
• Drive category resets based on performance, trends, and business direction.
• Ensure SKU rationalization efforts maintain balance between breadth of offer and efficiency.

Allocation Management

• Develop store clustering and allocation rules to ensure optimal stock delivery across the network.
• Monitor and guide allocation strategies for new product launches, seasonal changes, and replenishments.
• Coordinate with Purchasing, Supply Chain, Inventory Planning, Merchandising, Retail operations, and Warehouse operation to ensure end-to-end stock flow efficiency.

Reporting, Tools & Automation

• Oversee weekly and monthly reporting on category and allocation KPIs.
• Identify areas for automation and lead improvements in templates, dashboards, and tools used for planning.
• Ensure reporting is accurate, timely, and actionable for business users.

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Purchasing, Inventory Planning, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Operations, and IT teams to align strategies and execution.
• Act as a key voice in assortment discussions, product launch planning, and store execution meetings.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Retail Management, Statistics, Supply Chain or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in retail category management, allocation or merchandising.
• Minimum 3 years in a leadership or managerial role, preferably in a multi-store retail environment.
• Strong analytical and planning skills, with experience using Excel and BI tools (Power BI, Looker, Tableau, etc.)
• Familiarity with assortment planning, allocation systems and retail store operations.