Product Owner (Merchandise Planning)

HUNKEMOLLER; Hilversum; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

International environment

Travel allowance

25% employee discount

Hunkemöller Academy

25 days annual leave

Job summary

Hunkemöller seeks a Product Owner to own and optimize the Merchandise Planning platform, connecting planning, assortment, replenishment, and allocation with a focus on scaling across markets.

You will partner with Merchandising, Buying, Supply Chain, Retail Operations, and Technology to drive forecasting accuracy, stock availability, and KPI-driven improvements while managing the backlog and delivering value through an Agile delivery model.

Qualifications

• '5+ years of experience in product ownership or management roles.'
• 'Deep understanding of retail merchandise planning, assortment planning, and replenishment.'
• 'Experience with Merchandise Financial Planning (MFP) solutions like Centric Planning.'
• 'Proven backlog management and Agile delivery experience.'
• 'Strong analytical mindset and data-driven decision making.'
• 'Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.'
• 'Experience in retail, fashion, omnichannel environments.'
• 'SAP S/4HANA experience is a plus.'

Responsibilities

• Own and optimize Merchandise Planning processes across Merchandise Planning, Assortment Planning, Assortment Strategy, and Allocation & Replenishment.
• Drive standardization and continuous improvement across countries, channels, and departments.
• Own and prioritize the product backlog based on business value and technical dependencies.
• Deliver business value by measuring KPIs and driving adoption.
• Lead Agile product delivery through sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Ensure operational excellence by maintaining platform health and incident response.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships across Merchandising, Buying, Supply Chain, Retail Operations, and Technology.

Skills

Product Owner

Product Manager

Merchandise Planner

Planning Manager

Agile

Stakeholder management

Analytical mindset

Communication skills

Tools

Centric Planning

SAP S/4HANA

Job description

Overview

In this role, you'll be at the heart of the business, connecting Buying, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Retail Operations, and Technology. You'll own the roadmap of our Merchandise Financial Planning platform (Centric Planning), ensuring it delivers tangible business value and supports critical planning and inventory management processes across our international retail business. If you're passionate about retail planning, product ownership, and turning complex business challenges into scalable solutions, we'd love to hear from you.

What You'll Do

• Own and Optimize Merchandise Planning Processes
  • Act as the business owner for Merchandise Planning, Assortment Planning, Assortment Strategy, and Allocation & Replenishment capabilities.
  • Drive standardization and continuous improvement across countries, channels, and departments.
  • Ensure processes support business objectives and future growth.
• Drive Planning & Forecasting Excellence
  • Partner with planning teams to improve forecasting accuracy and inventory decisions.
  • Support strategic and operational merchandise planning activities.
  • Optimize stock allocation, replenishment, inventory productivity, and product availability.
  • Define and monitor KPIs around sales, margin, stock levels, service levels, and inventory performance.
• Own and Prioritize the Product Backlog
  • Manage and prioritize the roadmap and backlog based on business value, customer impact, operational needs, and technical dependencies.
  • Translate business requirements into epics, features, and user stories.
  • Define acceptance criteria and support development teams throughout delivery.
  • Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders, development teams, and external suppliers.
• Deliver Business Value
  • Measure product success through KPIs, analytics, and user feedback.
  • Drive continuous improvement through experimentation, insights, and data-driven decision-making.
  • Ensure solutions create measurable value and increase adoption across the business.
• Lead Agile Product Delivery
  • Participate in Sprint Planning, Reviews, Demos, and Retrospectives.
  • Clarify requirements and make decisions during development.
  • Validate completed work against business expectations and acceptance criteria.
• Ensure Operational Excellence
  • Safeguard the stability, availability, and performance of planning applications.
  • Support incident management, root cause analysis, and continuous service improvements.
  • Work closely with internal teams and external vendors to maintain platform health.
• Build Strong Stakeholder Relationships
  • Act as the primary point of contact for business stakeholders within your product domain.
  • Create strong partnerships across Merchandising, Buying, Supply Chain, Retail Operations, and Technology teams.
  • Align priorities and drive successful project delivery across the organization.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a Product Owner, Product Manager, Merchandise Planner, Planning Manager, or a similar role.
• Strong understanding of retail merchandise planning, assortment planning, allocation, replenishment, and buying processes.
• Experience working with Merchandise Financial Planning (MFP) solutions such as Centric Planning or similar platforms.
• Proven experience managing product backlogs and working in Agile environments.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable business decisions.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience within retail, fashion, omnichannel, or consumer-focused environments.
• Experience with SAP S/4HANA is a plus.

Success in This Role

You’ll be successful when you deliver measurable improvements in:

• Inventory productivity
• Stock availability and service levels
• Forecasting accuracy
• Reduction of markdowns
• User adoption and engagement
• Reduction of manual planning activities
• Overall business value delivered through the planning platform

Benefits

• 25 days of annual leave, with the option to buy or sell up to 4 additional days
• Hybrid work model, combining office and remote working
• Possibility to work from abroad for up to 2 weeks per year
• An international work environment, working with teams across different countries
• Travel allowance to support commuting costs
• Access to the Hunkemöller Academy for professional development
• 25% employee discount on all Hunkemöller products