Listing reference: woolw_001226
Listing status: Online
Apply by: 16 June 2025
Position summary
Industry: FMCG & Supply Management
Job category: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain
Location: Cape Town
Contract: Permanent
EE position: No
Introduction
Develop and deliver integrated department merchandise planning strategies to meet KPI’s and manage inventory efficiently. Deliver impact and value, balance quality with speed, shape the future with technology and insight driven decision making and action.
Job description
Develop and Execute Merchandise Financial Plan
- Collaborate with cross functional teams to compile and develop a departmental strategy in line with Group strategy.
- Develop merchandise plan to anticipate seasonal differences in demand and minimise various risks.
- Develop and present seasonal department budget and merchandise financial plans, including OTB strategy, channel strategy, range and price architecture, promotional and clearance plan, and assortment plans to leadership for sign off.
- Consider all group inputs, including strategic initiatives, key operational metrics, and post seasonal analysis.
- Analyse historical sales data, market trends, and customer demand to inform MFP.
- Manage the release of OTB (Open-to-Buy) to ensure alignment of sales and stock KPI’s.
- Review & revise department financial plan monthly in line with trading ensuring delivery of all KPI’s.
- Develop with buying a promotional strategy to stimulate sales
Develop and execute Assortment Plan
- Partner with Buying to provide a balanced assortment and option plan based on thorough post-seasonal analysis, strategy, space and application of trends.
- Partner with Buying to develop and present the price architecture and provide guidance on the appropriate number of price points per category.
- Conduct product review and present final volumes and established flow of newness over time.
- Review and ensure grade assortment can be executed given available space, OTB & customer insights reports.
- Ensure a disciplined application of the attribute framework in the assortment plan
- Review and ensure grade assortment can be executed given available space & customer insights reports
- Maintain the minimal credible offer in stores of RPL lines through pres min and facing management
Develop and Execute Optimised Inventory Management
- Manage stock commitments, reporting and targets at all levels and ensure effective management of intake and flow of stock, warehouse utilisation & processes.
- Proactively identify opportunities to review inventory against plan and propose amendments in line with KPI delivery.
- Share planning forecast and range plan with Sourcing Specialists to inform high-level and detailed capacity planacross Groups.
- Reforecast RPL lines and share with Sourcing Specialists the changes in the demand of RPL lines
- Work together with Sourcing Specialist to maintain supply and availability on RPL lines as well as manage liabilities and expiries of stock
Leveraging insights
- Pre-season engagement with Central Planning Analysts to review and refine analytics (APS, Profiles & Sales Profiler)
- Analyse customer feedback, sales data, and market trends to make data-driven decisions and better inform future product demand.
- Manage planning admin in all applicable systems in line with the requirements of the
Woolworths merchandise cycle.
- Oversee accurate allocations by planner I to maintain availability of RPL lines
- As a team, conduct competitive shopping and store visits and share findings to Leadership and broader team.
- Participate in weekly trade meetings to discuss business performance with appropriate action focus.
- Participate in company initiatives as appropriate.
Minimum requirements
- Preferably a relevant business diploma / degree (Retail business
management/BCom/Clothing management/BScience) or relevant work experience. - 2 to 5 years experience in retail industry, including time as a Planner.
- Beauty experience advantageous
-
Intermediate Excel to analyse and manipulate large datasets to present complex information
in clear and concise manner. - Extensive Retail knowledge.
- Retail, Supply Chain and Logistics processes.
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Retail Systems : Familiar with retail planning and merchandising software, like Assort, PLM,
JDA. - Retail Math, proficiency in retail calculations.
- Numerical.