Planning Executive

AVI Limited; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Spitz in Bryanston, Johannesburg seeks a Planning Executive to lead commercial planning, forecasting and inventory strategies across categories and channels. You will translate business strategy into integrated financial and merchandise planning frameworks and drive data-informed decision making at a senior level.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in retail analytics or planning and 5+ years in merchandise planning and forecasting, with a proven ability to improve stock productivity, reporting

Qualifications

• 10+ years in retail, commercial analytics, planning or related functions.
• 5+ years in merchandise planning and forecasting.
• Bachelor’s degree in commerce or related field; postgraduate preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial planning across categories and channels.
• Translate strategy into integrated financial and merchandise planning frameworks.
• Analyse trading performance and product trends to identify opportunities and risks.
• Improve forecasting capability, inventory productivity, reporting frameworks and commercial responsiveness.
• Oversee data interpretation and BI reporting to support decisions.

Skills

Merchandise planning

Forecasting

Data analytics

Commercial analytics

Advanced Excel

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Power BI

Reporting

AI-enabled reporting

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, Business Science, Finance, Statistics, Economics, Supply Chain, Data Analytics or related field

Postgraduate qualification advantageous

Tools

Power BI

Planning systems

Forecasting systems

Job description

At Spitz, we are a leading force in premium footwear and apparel, offering world-class brands such as Carvela, Gianni Chiarini, Lacoste, Nina Roche, and Tosoni. With the addition of Carvela Donna & Bello body sprays and Verve by Kurt Geiger, we continue to elevate South African style, offering both luxury fashion and iconic fragrances.

Our culture of craftsmanship, innovation, and teamwork fosters an environment where individual contributions are valued, and excellence is celebrated. If you’re passionate about fashion, thrive in a dynamic environment, and want to make a lasting impact, Spitz offers the ideal opportunity to grow your career.

A rewarding opportunity awaits a skilled Planning Executive at Spitz in Bryanston, Johannesburg. This role is designed for a commercially astute, analytically strong and strategically minded individual who can help evolve the Planning function into a more insight-led, commercially responsive and technology-enabled capability.

The position extends beyond traditional merchandise planning and requires an individual who can interpret complex trading data, identify behavioural and commercial patterns, challenge assumptions and translate insight into commercially actionable decisions across the business.

Operating at the intersection of Planning, Commercial Strategy, Retail Intelligence, Data Analytics and Operational Decision Support, this role will play a key part in improving forecasting capability, inventory productivity, reporting frameworks and overall commercial responsiveness within the business. The successful individual will combine intellectual curiosity, analytical capability and commercial thinking with the ability to simplify complexity and influence decision-making at a senior level.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Chief Creative Officer
• Direct Reports: Planning Team

Key Areas Of Impact

• Commercial Planning & Strategic Analysis
• Lead the commercial planning function across categories and channels
• Translate business strategy and creative direction into integrated financial and merchandise planning frameworks
• Analyse trading performance, customer behaviour and product trends to identify opportunities, risks and emerging patterns
• Interrogate business assumptions and provide commercially grounded recommendations Identify regional, category and behavioural trading trends to support proactive decision-making
• Drive strategic thinking around inventory productivity, assortment effectiveness and commercial responsiveness
• Accountable for delivering key commercial metrics, including sales, margin, stock turn and inventory productivity
• Ensure product direction is supported by commercially viable and scalable planning decisions
• Contribute to broader business planning, budgeting and commercial strategy discussions at the executive level
• Data Interpretation & Business Intelligence
• Interpret large volumes of commercial, inventory and trading data to generate meaningful business insight
• Develop structured analytical frameworks to improve visibility and decision-making quality
• Lead in-season and post-season analysis to improve forecasting and commercial performance
• Build actionable reporting methodologies that simplify complex information into commercially usable insight
• Identify underlying causes of trading shifts, stock performance variances and customer behaviour changes
• Partner with leadership teams to support evidence-based commercial decisions
• Provide clear, structured and data-driven input into senior decision-making forums
• Forecasting, Inventory & Commercial Performance
• Lead end-to-end planning across categories and channels
• Oversee demand forecasting, assortment planning and inventory optimisation strategies
• Improve forecasting responsiveness, planning agility and commercial decision-making speed
• Ensure alignment between range plans, inventory investment, financial targets and trading performance
• Drive stock productivity and working capital optimisation
• Reduce aged stock exposure and markdown risk
• Ensure effective allocation and replenishment strategies
• Align planning outputs with supply chain execution capability and commercial objectives
• Support pricing, replenishment and allocation decisions through analytical insight
• Planning Capability & Systems Evolution
• Drive the ongoing evolution of the Planning function toward a more insight-led and technology-enabled operating model
• Lead the implementation, optimisation and enhancement of planning systems, tools and reporting capability
• Partner closely with IT and relevant stakeholders to improve analytical tools, reporting visibility and planning efficiency
• Support the evolution toward more automated and AI-enabled planning and reporting capability over time
• Ensure integrity, accuracy and effective commercial use of planning and product data
• Translate business requirements into practical process, system and operating model improvements
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, visibility and commercial responsiveness through better use of data and technology
• Reduce manual intervention through improved reporting structures and smarter analytical processes

Leadership & Cross-Functional Influence

• Lead and develop a commercially focused and analytically capable Planning function
• Build stronger commercial thinking, analytical capability and systems utilisation within the team
• Influence and align stakeholders across Creative, Retail, Buying, Supply Chain, Finance and IT
• Operate as a key commercial thought partner to leadership
• Drive accountability, structured thinking and continuous improvement across the function
• Foster a culture of curiosity, commercial ownership and data-informed decision-making
• Contribute to a high-performance environment focused on agility, collaboration and commercial excellence

What It Takes To Succeed

Experience that sets you up for success:

• At least 10+ years’ experience within retail, commercial analytics, planning, business intelligence or related commercial functions
• 5+ years’ experience in merchandise planning and forecasting
• Proven experience operating in commercially complex retail or consumer-driven environments
• Demonstrated track record of delivering sales, margin, inventory and commercial performance outcomes
• Experience working cross-functionally with Planning, Finance, Retail, IT and Leadership teams
• Exposure to reporting evolution, systems enhancement or data-driven transformation initiatives advantageous
• Experience within premium retail, fashion, lifestyle or consumer-focused environments

Qualifications & Certifications That Will Contribute To Your Success

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, Business Science, Finance, Statistics, Economics, Supply Chain, Data Analytics or related field is required
• Postgraduate qualification advantageous
• Exposure to BI, Power-BI, forecasting or planning systems advantageous
• Exposure to evolving AI-enabled reporting or planning environments advantageous

Additional Requirements That Will Enhance Your Impact For Success

• Strong commercial and financial acumen with advanced analytical capability
• Ability to interpret data, identify patterns and convert insight into commercially actionable recommendations
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, evolving and commercially demanding environments
• Ability to challenge assumptions constructively while balancing strategic thinking with operational execution
• Advanced Excel and reporting capability
• Strong analytical reasoning and structured problem-solving capability
• Advanced data interpretation and commercial insight capability
• High levels of intellectual curiosity, commercial judgement and accountability
• Ability to simplify complexity and operate with both strategic and analytical focus
• Strong adaptability, resilience and continuous improvement mindset
• Ability to operate confidently within cross-functional and fast-moving commercial environments

Take the Next Step with Spitz

Join a dynamic team driven by excellence and innovation, where your passion for commercial thinking, retail intelligence and strategic decision-making can thrive alongside world-renowned brands. Together, we’ll shape the future of premium footwear and apparel through smarter insight, stronger planning capability and commercially intelligent growth.