Retail Planner

The Legends Agency; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail brand in Cape Town is seeking an experienced Retail Planner to manage strategic merchandise planning and inventory allocation across stores and eCommerce. The role requires a Bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of retail planning experience, with strong Excel proficiency and an analytical mindset. You'll develop financial plans, monitor stock levels, and deliver actionable insights to enhance profitability. Competitive salary and staff discounts offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Staff discounts

Employee development initiatives

Qualifications

• 3-5 years experience in retail planning.
• Experience in fast-paced, design-driven or luxury retail environment.
• Ability to translate data into actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain seasonal merchandise financial plans.
• Monitor and manage stock levels across various platforms.
• Provide planning support for merchandising strategies.

Skills

Strong proficiency in Excel

Analytical mindset

Problem-solving skills

Organisational abilities

Education

Bachelors Degree in Commerce, Retail Management, Business

Tools

Planning software (e.g. JustEnough, SAP, Retail Pro)

Job description

Job Title: Retail Planner
Location: Cape Town, Western Cape

Role Overview

An established design-led retail brand with a global footprint is seeking an experienced Retail Planner to manage strategic merchandise planning, stock forecasting, and inventory allocation across physical stores and eCommerce. This role plays a pivotal part in driving profitability through data-led planning and cross-functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain seasonal merchandise financial plans that align with business sales and margin targets.
• Prepare detailed sales forecasts based on historical data, trends, and promotional strategies.
• Manage Open-to-Buy (OTB) budgets and ensure alignment with buying cycles.

Inventory Management & Stock Control

• Monitor and manage stock levels across stores, warehouse, and online platforms.
• Drive replenishment, markdowns, and stock balancing actions to maximise profitability.
• Analyse product performance to inform purchasing, markdown, and clearance strategies.

Reporting & Analysis

• Deliver regular sales, stock, and margin reports with actionable recommendations.
• Track sell-through, stock turn, and inventory health KPIs by channel, category, and region.
• Forecast and manage product lifecycle from launch to end-of-life.

Allocation & Distribution

• Execute stock allocations to stores and online channels based on forecasted demand and store capacity.
• Ensure optimal product availability and assortment tailored to customer profiles and regional sales trends.
• Manage seasonal product launches and new store openings with appropriate stock planning.
• Collaborate with Buying, eCommerce, Product Development, and Retail Operations teams to align on sales objectives and promotional calendars.
• Work with the Marketing and Visual Merchandising teams to support campaign-driven planning.
• Provide planning support for merchandising strategies and store layout decisions.

Requirements

• Bachelors Degree in Commerce, Retail Management, Business, or related field.
• 3-5 years experience in retail planning, preferably in a fast-paced, design-driven or luxury retail environment.
• Strong proficiency in Excel (formulas, pivot tables, data modelling) and exposure to planning software (e.g. JustEnough, SAP, Retail Pro).
• Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving skills and commercial awareness.
• Ability to translate data into actionable insights and communicate clearly across departments.
• Self-starter with strong organisational and multitasking abilities.

Preferred Qualities

• Experience in premium or luxury homeware, fashion, or lifestyle brands.
• Passion for aesthetics, design, and product-led retail environments.
• Agile thinker with a strong eye for detail and customer behavior trends.

What's on Offer

• Competitive salary with potential for growth.
• Creative and collaborative working environment in the heart of Cape Town.
• Opportunity to contribute to the success of an iconic South African brand with global reach.
• Staff discounts and employee development initiatives.