Primary Purpose of Role
The Planner is responsible for:
- Setting and maintaining the merchandise and assortment plans for a gender/s and class/s within the team
- Budgeting, forecasting activities and providing financial analysis to ensure that financial goals and sales targets are met
- Category and product analysis to define buy quantities
- Order raising and stock allocation
- Providing instore merchandising and display guidelines
Key Result Areas and Responsibilities
A. Financial Performance
- Establish budgets and forecast future returns using all available information.
- Contribute to the achievement of the department’s sales and gross profit targets.
- Manage the costing and pricing process.
- Provide commercial analysis to inform and confirm buying decisions.
- Analysis and forecasting of sales, profits, purchases and stocks, by department and class.
B. Operational Excellence
- Analyse post season data and conduct post seasonal reviews including to develop action plans to address missed opportunities and future strategies.
- Investigate and provide analysis of business and financial challenges, trends and improvement opportunities.
- Forecast and quantify ‘the Buy’ in line with budget guidelines and range planning.
- Manage the buy-plan seasonally to ensure that correct flow of options is placed and quantified.
- Responsible for inventory control which includes monitoring and advising on stocks to maximise productivity.
- Provide in season product analysis, tracking & reporting of sales and inventory levels.
- Manage the delivery of robust and consistent reporting for store and brand performance and aged stock
- Supplier analysis as required.
- Additional ad hoc duties as required.
C. Brand Equity
- Manage the entire product lifecycle, advising on allocation methods to improve in-stock position and replenishment of product
- Discuss appropriate actions including markdowns, regroups, and reorders and propose strategies
- Analyse trends to ensure accurate forecasts to supplier
- Recommend and execute approved markdowns
- Review and report on markdowns and ensure these are managed to budget.
- Manage aged stock and flow of stock to clearance (timing and quantity).
- Manage tools and data which support analysis. i.e. product attributing and classification, gridding, size curves, and replenishment orders.
- Review and report on markdowns and ensure these are managed to budget.
- Assist with analysis and reporting to influence decisions and overall business performance.
D. Team Management
- Foster an environment of teamwork through facilitation of regular Team Meetings, 1:1s with direct reports, celebrating Team and individual wins and promoting other opportunities for collaboration.
- Provide ongoing professional development of Team Members including coaching, training and mentoring to ensure the Accounting Team have up to date knowledge and skills to achieve financial objectives.
- Conflict management/resolution and performance management as required.
Key Skills Qualifications & Experience
Prerequisite Skills
- Knowledge of fashion or apparel retailing, supply principles and retail store administration procedures
- Commercial awareness in Merchandising
- Ability to observe, interpret and act upon trends in customer behaviour.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite: Outlook, Word, Excel (Advanced knowledge of databases and spread sheets)
- Excellent attention to detail with an analytical mind
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to be flexible & adaptable
- Great interpersonal skills and a team-focused attitude for getting the job done
- Excellent communication skills
Education/Qualifications/Memberships
- Fashion Degree or similar an advantage
Preferred Experience
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience as a planner or inventory management role
- Previous experience in the retail environment, fashion or apparel is an advantage
- Analytical mindset and data-driven; taking initiative to analyse how products are performing as well as conducting consumer research
- Understanding of inventory management within a retail environment