PRODUCT PLANNER- MIDDLE EAST

Opening with a billion dollar Middle east co into apparels 

should have worked with top indian apparels brands/stores

send cv on info@busybig.com; call samir on 08080704539

Job Purpose

To drive the profitability and growth of the retail stores by creating and managing merchandise sales and inventory plans at the department/category/product level, which result in the achievement of divisions (fashion/ home ) financial plans

Key Accountabilities :

·         Partner with Buying team to develop & communicate financial merchandising plans and merchandise plan to support the financial objectives of the department

• Create of Financial Plans by month at Department / Category levels for Fiscal season & year, monthly/ seasonally reforecast by month
• Plan & Generate open-to-buy after adjusting sales and Inventory  in consultation with Head planner & Buyer for assigned area      
• Partner with buying team on key financial planning & merchandise strategy decisions; works on seasonal plans goals (sales, gross margin, inventory turn etc) and design product flow for the department.
• Partner with Buyers to create pre-season department/category plans and recommend investment quantities, leveraging historical data and incorporating merchandise strategies and trend for the department
• Responsible for forecasting in-season sales and inventory and developing plans with buying  to maximize opportunities and mitigate risk for the department
• Support buying in the category planning process by analyzing opportunities prior to setting seasonal strategies
• Manage monthly department level open-to-buys and present forecast and action recommendations to Head of  Planning
• Develop monthly forecasts of sales and inventory based on current trend
• Analyze historic department /category performance and recommend and present opportunities for future seasons
• Initiate and maintain ownership of the open-to-buy process; for the department
• Support buying in the Department / Category Planning process by analyzing opportunities prior to setting seasonal strategies
• Review geographic, demographic/lifestyle store opportunities; partners with Buying and stores on potential adjustments
• Partner with Buying to develop assortment plans and strategies at store level that optimize inventory levels and allocation to achieve financial goals
• Partner with store allocator & Retail to create pre season store plans by department; analyze opportunities in store performance and recommends changes to achieve stores sales/turn/gross margin goals across assigned areas
• Identify and communicate potential inventory liabilities at region & category level and drive appropriate action to resolution. 
• Analyze in-season style selling, financial and inventory performance, managing gross margin target for areas of responsibility partners with Buying to initiate actions based on changes in demand
• Review & Monitor merchandise strategy decisions/ plan for assigned area made pre season to optimize sale & profit
• Recommend sales promotion & markdown strategy to enhance sales & profit of assigned area
• Identifies growth opportunities and down-trending situations, and makes recommendations on action plans for the department
• Ensure proper receipt flow and inventory position on key items and basics, reacting to changes in demand
• Carry out in-depth post season analysis. Review product performance by category; sell through achieved, margins & markdown incurred. Best, average & poor sellers. Read performance by key product attributes. (Post Season) 
• Responsible for execution of assortment plans with sales and inventory financials at Option level        
• Create of assortment plan diagnostics used to assess opportunities and risks in the buy                
• Responsible for weekly recaps of department / category performance against budget and last year (LY), including Action Items with recommendations
• Co-ordinate with Country Head & Inventory controller, marketing (Retail) & VM team regarding the season merchandise promotion & highlighting seasonal Merchandise.(In Season)
• Recommend process & developing MIS reports relating to analyzing & planning to Head buying and merchandising
• Ensure that personal behavior reflects the vision and values of the business
• Meet and agree performance targets and ways of working
• Coach junior planners  
•  Any other works assigned for business

Qualifications  & Experience

• Degree in business, merchandising, or comparable field required.
• 5+plus or 2+ years’ experience in merchandise planning or finance/accounting required.
• Must understand merchandising, and operations processes and roles.
  Strong analytical and planning ability and attention to detail.
• Advanced Excel required
• Must have initiative and ability to identify, devise and implement appropriate processes required for category planning, execution and control
• Prior experience in working for Fashion/Home retail a must

What you are responsible to achieve

What you are responsible to achieve

• Implementing the department product and assortment plans
• Planning of sales margin and stock loads per product as per agreed financial plan
• Maximizing stock availability to minimize stock cuts ( shortages)
• Maintain stock count as per agreed cover ensuring OTB budgets are managed and controlled
• Manage product life cycle