Senior Merchandising Planner: Data-Driven Allocation & Growth

Placements24; Polokwane; On-site; ZAR 750,000 - 950,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and bonus

Medical and retirement benefits

Staff discounts

Professional growth

Work-life balance

Job summary

Placements24 in Polokwane is seeking a Senior Merchandising Planner to forecast, plan, and allocate merchandise across product categories, optimizing sales and profitability.

You will collaborate with buying, marketing, and operations to ensure the right products are in the right places at the right times, using data-driven insights to drive inventory efficiency and strategic assortment decisions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in merchandise planning, allocation, or related retail role.
• Strong analytical and quantitative data interpretation.
• Proficient in merchandise planning software and advanced Excel.
• Understanding of retail math, inventory, and forecasting.
• Bachelor's degree in business-related field.
• Ability to collaborate across departments.

Responsibilities

• Develop seasonal and annual merchandise plans based on forecasts, market trends, and inventory goals.
• Plan and manage merchandise allocation to stores to meet sales and inventory targets.
• Analyze sales performance, inventory levels, and market data to identify opportunities and risks.
• Collaborate with the buying team to establish optimal product assortments and quantities.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with store operations and visual merchandising teams.
• Create and present comprehensive merchandise plans and performance reports to senior management.
• Monitor and manage inventory flow, including transfers, markdowns, and clearance activities.
• Identify opportunities to improve planning processes, tools, and methodologies.
• Ensure adherence to budget guidelines and financial targets for merchandise planning.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, competitor activities, and customer preferences.

Skills

Analytical skills

Quantitative skills

Excel

Merchandise planning software

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Marketing/Statistics

Tools

Forecasting software

Inventory management systems

Job description

Placements24 in Polokwane is seeking a Senior Merchandising Planner to forecast, plan, and allocate merchandise across product categories, optimizing sales and profitability.

You will collaborate with buying, marketing, and operations to ensure the right products are in the right places at the right times, using data-driven insights to drive inventory efficiency and strategic assortment decisions.