Category Planner

DotActiv (Pty) Ltd.; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading category management consulting firm in South Africa seeks a Category Planner. The role involves creating strategic assortment plans, optimizing cluster plans, and conducting analytical reviews to boost customer-centric experiences in retail. Candidates should hold a degree in Consumer Science or Commerce, possess strong analytical and communication skills, and ideally have some experience in a retail setting. An attractive compensation package of R12,000 to R20,000 monthly is provided, alongside opportunities for professional growth.

Benefits

Laptop allowance

Training and support from management

Transparent job grading system

Career development path

Qualifications

• Must have a Consumer Science or Commerce degree.
• Good command of English for business level communication.
• 1-2 years of experience in retail is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Create strategic assortment plans.
• Develop optimized cluster plans using DotActiv software.
• Conduct analytical reviews of floor and space plans.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving

Education

Consumer Science or Commerce degree

Tools

MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Google G-Suite

Job description

Brackenfell, South Africa | Posted on 03/17/2025

Category planners play a pivotal role in the success of any business that has its roots in the retail industry. In the case of DotActiv, they help us to transform the in‑store experiences of our customers, drive sales and profit, analyse and profile clusters as well as use this information to recommend a customer‑centric assortment plan to our customers.

With a starting Cost to Company of between R12 000 and R20 000 per month, we’re searching for people who value strategic planning, problem‑solving, customer satisfaction, and working in an innovative environment. Is that you?

The idea behind category management is straightforward: it’s the process used to manage product categories to deliver value to shoppers in a bid to increase both the sales and profit for a retailer. In short, it is the science behind how retailers decide on which products to stock as well as how to organise these products in‑store so as to please their customers.

Our history dates back to 1991 when we launched as a Category Management consultancy. In 1997, we became the first company to establish a formalised and collaborative management process between a retailer and supplier when we signed Pick n Pay as a client. That wasn’t our only first. In 2001, when we relaunched under the name of DotActiv, we became the first company to create a data‑driven category management system. The fact that we have since expanded and evolved that system means today, we have more than 2000 retail professionals using our planogram software in over 110 countries.

Requirements

What You Can Expect From This Job

Now that you know what you can expect from us, it’s time to unpack what you can expect from this job.

As a Category Planner working at DotActiv, your responsibilities will include:

• Creating strategic assortment plans;
• Planning and building data‑driven shelf plans;
• Conducting floor and space plan analytical reviews;
• Developing optimised cluster plans per product category using the cluster optimizer and maintenance tools in the DotActiv software;
• Analysing the cluster plan and profiling each cluster to deliver strategic insights to clients;
• Maximising customer and category performance by considering category strategies and plans, product financial performance, shopper psychology and aesthetic appeal; and
• Supporting, advising and guiding retail customers where required.

You’ll have access to DotActiv’s all‑in‑one category management software to complete all of the above.

What We Expect From You

In our quest to find the right candidate to fill the important position of category planner, we need to ensure that they have the required skills to perform the job. We have broken the required skills into three parts: Education Skills, Knowledge and Computer Skills; and Soft Skills.

Skills And Requirements

• A Consumer Science or Commerce degree or similar degree at a recognised and accredited university;
• A good understanding of English (You must be able to speak, read and write at a business proficiency level); and
• While not required, 1 to 2 years of experience in a retail environment is advantageous.

A valid driver’s licence and vehicle are a requirement for this role as you may be required to travel on‑site to meet with clients.

A working laptop - It is important that your laptop has Windows as our software is not supported with Mac PCs. Here is an article about the requirements needed to run the DotActiv software. We do offer a laptop allowance, included in the CTC.

Knowledge and Computer Skills

• General retail business experience within a retail environment;
• Understand the principles of category management and more specifically
• clustering and assortment planning (beneficial);
• Understand the process of space planning and how this connects to clustering and assortment planning (beneficial);
• Understand merchandising principles and techniques (beneficial);
• Have the necessary product knowledge and understand product ranges;
• Computer literate with special attention to:
• Intermediate MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
• Google G‑Suite/Google Docs for business;
• Understand the computer packages and systems currently used by DotActiv and customers (training will be provided).

Soft Skills

• You must have excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Must have strong analytical skills and be able to use data analysis techniques and how to apply these to business situations;
• You must have excellent interpersonal skills;
• You must have a high capacity to represent the DotActiv brand as a specialist;
• You must have a high degree of internal client engagement;
• You must have the ability to multitask and work cross‑functionally;
• You must be able to remain attentive in an often busy environment;
• You must be naturally calm while still having a strong sense of urgency and be focused (Detail‑oriented);
• You must be a team player;
• You must be versatile enough if participation in other types of activities is required; and
• Must be adaptable to change as different product categories present different challenges and opportunities.

Commitment To Balance Out DotActiv's Investment

To balance out the investment of your three‑month training, we have attached a cost of training agreement.

This means that you undertake not to resign for a period of three years from the date of your successful deployment.

If this agreement is not upheld, you will be liable to repay the total actual value sponsored immediately on termination of service.

What You Can Expect From DotActiv

Too often, we’ve come across job offers that focus first on what they expect from their applicants without thinking about the person who intends to apply. That’s not what you’ll find with DotActiv. As our vision clearly states, we aim to exceed the expectations of our staff.

Here’s what you can expect from DotActiv when joining the team as a Category Planner:

• You’ll receive a Cost to Company of between R12k and R20k, depending on your qualifications and experience;
• You’ll receive guidance, support and training from your line manager to ensure that you succeed as a category planner and can grow in your career at DotActiv;
• We offer you a transparent job grading system; and
• We offer you a developmental path specific to your circumstances, allowing you to track your progress.