Merchandise Planner

Role Overview

Merchandise Planner at Apparel Group. The role develops and executes merchandise plans that optimize sales, inventory levels, stock availability, and profitability across stores and channels.

Role Purpose

The Merchandise Planner is responsible for developing and executing merchandise plans that optimize sales, inventory levels, stock availability, and profitability across Nysaa stores and channels. The role works closely with Merchandising, Buying, Retail Operations, Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to ensure the right products are available in the right quantities, at the right time, and in the right locations.

Key Responsibilities

Merchandise & Sales Planning

• Develop seasonal, monthly, and weekly merchandise plans in line with sales and commercial objectives.
• Prepare sales, stock, intake, and inventory forecasts by category, brand, store, and channel.
• Analyze historical sales trends, market trends, seasonality, and promotional activity to support merchandise planning.
• Monitor performance against budget, forecast, and business targets and recommend corrective actions.
• Support the development of assortment and range plans based on customer demand and commercial performance.

Inventory & Stock Management

• Maintain optimal inventory levels and ensure effective stock availability across stores.
• Monitor stock cover, sell-through, stock turn, ageing, and availability.
• Identify overstock, understock, slow-moving, and non-performing products and recommend appropriate actions.
• Work closely with Supply Chain and Operations on replenishment and stock allocation.
• Develop and maintain store-level allocation and replenishment plans.
• Support new store openings by preparing initial stock and assortment requirements.

Open-to-Buy & Financial Planning

• Manage and monitor the Open-to-Buy (OTB) plan in coordination with the Merchandising and Finance teams.
• Track planned versus actual sales, purchases, stock levels, and inventory commitments.
• Provide recommendations on future purchases based on sales performance and available inventory budget.
• Support markdown and clearance planning to optimize inventory and minimize aged stock.

Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare regular trading and merchandise performance reports.
• Analyze key KPIs including sales and sales growth, sell-through percentage, stock turn, stock cover, gross margin, average selling price, inventory ageing, availability and out-of-stock percentage, and markdown performance.
• Highlight key business risks and opportunities and provide actionable recommendations to management.
• Maintain accurate merchandise planning and reporting data.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Buyers to translate category and brand strategies into commercially viable merchandise plans.
• Work closely with Retail Operations to understand store-level performance and stock requirements.
• Coordinate with Marketing on promotions, launches, campaigns, and seasonal activities.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain to ensure timely stock availability and replenishment.
• Work with Finance to align merchandise plans with budgets and financial targets.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Retail Management, Supply Chain, Merchandising, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in merchandise planning, retail planning, commercial planning, or a similar role.
• Strong experience in sales forecasting, inventory planning, replenishment, and commercial analysis.
• Experience within beauty, cosmetics, fashion, or specialty retail is preferred.
• Experience working with multiple brands, categories, and retail locations is an advantage.

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and data analysis.
• Strong understanding of retail planning and merchandise KPIs.
• Experience with ERP, merchandising, BI, or planning systems.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Ability to interpret large datasets and convert insights into commercial actions.
• Analytical thinking.
• Commercial acumen.
• Planning and organization.
• Attention to detail.
• Problem-solving.
• Stakeholder management.
• Communication and collaboration.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Proactive and results-oriented approach.
• Strong understanding of customer and market trends.

Additional Information

Key Performance Indicators

• Sales achievement vs. budget.
• Forecast accuracy.
• Inventory turnover.
• Sell-through percentage.
• Stock availability.
• Stock cover.
• Gross margin achievement.
• Reduction of aged and slow-moving inventory.
• OTB accuracy and control.
• Replenishment effectiveness.