Associate Planner - 1year contract

Role Overview

Associate Planner - 1 year contract with Al Tayer Group.

Role Purpose

Deliver the division and brand merchandise strategy through development of seasonal and yearly product and location sales plans, including forecasting and allocation of product, with a view to maximizing sales and gross margin.

Key Responsibilities

Planning & Forecasting

• Participate in the development of annual sales budgets and forecasts for specific brands by analyzing data on seasonal and yearly trends.
• Evaluate market and customer information together with historical data and forward trends to develop the merchandise plans.
• Responsibility for accurate and timely completion of Open-to-Buy at the relevant product level.
• Maintain Open-to-Buy to manage forward buys in-line with department inventory targets.

Sales & Margin Performance

• Deliver category sales, gross margin and sell-through performance to plan.
• Monitor performance against plan, taking appropriate action to maximize sales and margins.
• Identify and evaluate sales and gross margin opportunities at department level.
• Identify slow and best sellers, responding quickly to maximize sales and minimize risks.

Markdown Management

• Review, propose and implement mark-down activity to reduce terminal stock, whilst analyzing action taken on mark-downs to maximize profit.
• Implement the agreed markdown strategy and communicate to stakeholders.

Inventory Management

• Work with relevant stakeholders to monitor overall inventory levels to plan and forecast.
• Manage and review replenishment orders for the relevant products based on model stock and trends to achieve optimal sales, profit and inventory performance.
• Ensure all inventory targets are met, including stock turnover, terminal stock and movements to sale outlets.
• Identify inter-store transfer of stock and direct the distribution of goods to ensure store targets are met.

Supply Chain & Logistics

• Manage all aspects relating to shipments, logistical processing and allocation function.
• Analyze Suppliers' delivery performance and, in conjunction with the Buying team, take appropriate actions.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with suppliers.
• Measure products' performance against agreed quality standards and take necessary action with suppliers.
• Contribute to future supplier strategies.

Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Communicate trading issues and forecasts with proposed actions to senior management and Buying team.
• Provide ongoing feedback and information to team members on sales results, competitive practices, and delivery issues with vendors and other specific information which could impact the performance of the business.
• Develop and maintain effective working partnership with divisions particularly Retail Managers, Store Managers, Logistics and Operations.
• Manage communication and coordination with stores regarding price changes, product discontinuation, and brand and item focus.
• Deliver messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner.
• Articulate messages in a way that is broadly understandable.
• Adjust communication content and style to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.

Strategy & Operations

• Implement the agreed departmental strategy, in conjunction with the Buying team.
• Drive decision-making and problem solving relating to merchandise issues at division and location level.
• Ensure efficiency and effectiveness of merchandising business processes.
• Assist in the decision-making and problem solving on supplier, brand and partner issues.
• Ensure team results, relationships and processes are aligned with the Company's mission, values and policies.
• Readily distinguish between what's relevant and what's unimportant to make sense of complex situations.
• Look beyond the obvious and do not stop at the first answers.
• Analyze multiple and diverse sources of information to define problems accurately before moving to solutions.

People Management & Leadership

• Assume responsibility for the outcomes of others.
• Promote a sense of urgency and establish and enforce individual accountability in the team.
• Work with people to establish explicit performance standards.
• Maintain complete visibility of what is going on and know where things stand.
• Provide balanced feedback at the most critical times.
• Proactively develop relationships with a wide variety of people.
• Build immediate rapport, even when facing difficult or tense situations.
• Understand interpersonal and group dynamics and react in an effective manner.
• Engage input from others constantly and listen with empathy and concern.
• Take consistent action to develop new skills.
• Find ways to apply strengths to new issues.
• Be aware of the skills needed to be successful in different situations and levels.
• Seek assignments that stretch beyond comfort zone.

Decision Making & Judgment

• Decisively make high-quality decisions, even when based on incomplete information or in the face of uncertainty.
• Actively seek input from pertinent sources to make timely and well-informed decisions.
• Skillfully separate opinions from facts.
• Be respected by others for displaying superior judgment.

Qualifications & Experience

• University degree in any discipline.
• 3–5 years of experience successfully implementing planning function in large-scale retail operations.
• Computer literacy.

Skills & Competencies

• Analytical skills and in-depth knowledge of the industry.
• Ability to communicate effectively at management level.

Additional Information

• Contract type: 1 year fixed-term contract.