Senior Planner Power Fashion

Mr Price Group; Durban; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in Durban is seeking a Senior Planner to lead the planning function for their merchandise team. The successful candidate will develop seasonal strategies, create assortment plans, and ensure optimal stock levels across stores. With 5-7 years of merchandise planning experience in retail and strong leadership skills, you will work collaboratively with teams to enhance product performance. This role offers a chance to make impactful decisions aligned with business objectives.

Qualifications

• 5 - 7 years merchandise planning experience in retail with a proven track record.
• 2+ years experience as a team leader.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning function for a merchandise team to ensure optimal stock levels.
• Collaborate with the Senior Buyer and location planning team.
• Develop seasonal strategies and build assortment plans.
• Create and manage order lines accurately.
• Mentor and develop junior planners.

Skills

Current Trade

Post Mortem

Build a Seasonal Strategy

Computer Literacy

Planning System

Business Understanding of Retail

Education

Degree or diploma in Economics, Finance, Supply Chain & Logistics, Retail Business Management or Statistics

Job description

The role of the Senior Planner is to lead and roll-up the planning function of a specific merchandise team, including the categories within, in order to maintain planning disciplines and to ensure that the right levels of stock get to the right stores at the right time, whilst remaining aligned with the overall business key strategic objectives.

In this role partnership is imperative for success as you and your counterpart Senior Buyer and/or Buyer will be required to work collaboratively and cohesively.

Responsibilities

Current Trade & Post Mortem

• Extract & analyse financial KPI's & product performance against set plan by sub department season, category & sub category.
• Compile a draft report highlighting all issues that have impacted performance.
• Lead a discussion to develop an action plan that will maximize sales & profit.
• Conclude the action plan out of this discussion that will include re-forecasting financial plan in respect of sales, orders, stock, markdown planning going forward as well as inform key strategic input for forthcoming seasons.
• Collaborate with location planning team to identify missed store opportunities & agree an action plan to correct missed opportunities.
• Complete the current trade report for relevant management.

Post Mortem

• Collaborating with the location planner to review the previous season's zero-based plan (ZBP) in order to conclude the previous seasons missed opportunities.
• Summarize in a post-mortem the previous seasons performance (sub dept. season KPI's) based off current trade reports & compile key lessons learnt.

Seasonal Strategy

• Develop a seasonal strategy for the sub department which will include strategic objectives, a top line financial plan which is aligned to the previous seasons post mortem, growth opportunities & trend direction.
• Reconcile the seasonal strategy with the location planning strategy & the marketing strategy.
• Lead the strategy discussion & agree the seasonal strategy to be presented to the management team ensuring it is aligned to key company growth initiatives.

Building an Assortment

• Build the initial assortment plan in collaboration with the buying & location planning team ensuring that post mortem, agreed strategy, current trade, trend & external factors are considered.
• Reconcile the assortment plan back to the merchant & location financial plan by checking that the key strategic ratios are consistently flowed through the season & across store profile.
• As a team review, agree the assortment plan & assist with preparing the required presentation documents.

Order Placement & Product Allocation

• Create all order lines for the season with your greater team ensuring accuracy in all detail inclusive of category & sub category detail, product attributes, size curve, cost prices, selling prices, and PMO (Project Management Office).
• Check all order placing activities & order authorizations are completed timeously according to calendar deadline requirements.
• Collaborate with location planning team to ensure order allocations are completed timeously according to calendar deadline requirements.

Coaching & Development

• Provide direction & mentorship to trainee planner & junior planner within your greater team.

Education

Relevant degree or diploma (BSc or BCom majoring in Economics, Finance, Supply Chain & Logistics, Retail Business Management or Statistics).

Experience

5 - 7 years merchandise planning experience in retail with a proven track record.

Knowledge/ Skills

• Professional skills include: Current Trade, Post Mortem, Build a Seasonal Strategy & Assortment.
• Technical Skills include: Computer Literacy & Planning System.
• Business understanding of retail, brand and product understanding, customer & retail market.
• 2 + years experience as a team leader

Attributes

• Responsibility and accountability
• Work autonomously
• Deadline driven
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Problem solve to identify opportunities
• Lead and implement change

Mr Price Group Limited is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to Employment Equity.