Senior Retail Merch Planning Lead

TFG; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 450,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

TFG is seeking a Merchandise Planner to drive sales, profit and inventory performance through robust planning, forecasting and stock management. You will partner with Buying, Supply Chain and Finance to ensure products are available at the right time and in the right quantities, while optimizing working capital and profitability.

Key duties include developing seasonal plans, forecasting sales and margins, managing Open-to-Buy budgets, and analysing trends to identify risks and opportunities.

Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in Business, Retail, Supply Chain, Finance, Mathematics, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years' retail merchandise planning experience.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience with retail planning systems.
• Strong understanding of inventory management, forecasting, OTB, and retail financial planning.

Responsibilities

• Develop seasonal and annual merchandise plans aligned to company financial targets.
• Forecast sales, margin, inventory, and profit at department and category level.
• Manage Open-to-Buy (OTB) budgets and adjust stock investments based on trading performance.
• Partner with Buyers to create balanced and commercially effective assortments.
• Analyse sales trends, stock productivity, and customer demand to identify risks and opportunities.
• Drive markdown and clearance strategies to maximise sell-through and profitability.
• Monitor key retail metrics including GMROI, sell-through, inventory turn, weeks of supply, and margin performance.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Logistics, Stores, and Finance to ensure effective stock flow and availability.
• Lead a small team consisting of a planner and allocator

Skills

Analytical

Commercial acumen

Planning & organising

Forecasting

Education

Degree or Diploma in Business/Retail/Supply Chain/Finance

Tools

Excel

Retail planning systems

Job description

TFG is seeking a Merchandise Planner to drive sales, profit and inventory performance through robust planning, forecasting and stock management. You will partner with Buying, Supply Chain and Finance to ensure products are available at the right time and in the right quantities, while optimizing working capital and profitability.

Key duties include developing seasonal plans, forecasting sales and margins, managing Open-to-Buy budgets, and analysing trends to identify risks and opportunities.