Merchandise jobs in South Africa

A leading fashion retail company is looking for an experienced Commercial Manager (Planning) with strong experience in merchandise and financial planning within a fast-paced, trend-driven environment to join their team in Cape Town. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading end-to-end category planning, managing high SKU volumes, mitigating seasonal fashion risk, and driving profitability through effective forecasting and in-season trade management. This is a senior-level opportunity suited to a commercially astute planner who thrives in a dynamic retail environment and can influence cross-functional stakeholders.

• Lead merchandise and financial planning across assigned categories.
• Drive forecasting, Open-to-Buy (OTB) management, and full product lifecycle planning (newness, re-buys, chase, and exit strategies).
• Deliver on sales, gross profit, margin, and inventory targets.
• Improve sell-through and stock turn while reducing markdowns and excess stock.
• Conduct detailed data analysis to inform strategic and in-season trading decisions.
• Plan at store and cluster level to optimise range efficiency and reduce non-performing lines.
• Collaborate closely with Buying, Design, Supply Chain, and senior leadership.
• Own categories end-to-end and provide mentorship to junior planners.

• 5–10+ years’ experience in merchandise or financial planning within fashion retail (fashion accessories advantageous).
• Proven track record of managing high SKU volumes and seasonal risk.
• Strong expertise in forecasting, OTB management, and lifecycle planning.
• Advanced analytical skills with Advanced Excel proficiency.
• Experience working with merchandise planning systems.
• Strong commercial acumen and in-season trading capability.
• Demonstrated stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Tertiary qualification in Business, Commerce, Finance, Fashion Management, or related field.

• Salary: negotiable.