Assistant Planning Manager (Merchandising)

Overview of the Role

Business Planning

• Develop the annual business plan by market and business unit.
• Deliver weekly warehouse sales and stock intake plans for clothing and home, food, and total business.
• Execute markdown management aligned with business objectives.

Sales and Financial Planning

• Support seasonal and annual sales plans by market, store, category, and channel, including retail, e-commerce, and omnichannel.
• Build weekly, monthly, and seasonal sales forecasts using past performance, trends, and business drivers.
• Prepare financial projections for gross profit, gross margin, markdown, and inventory.
• Track performance against plan and highlight risks or opportunities.

Business Unit Sales Planning

• Support business unit sales planning by season, incorporating new product strategies and potential sales gaps from the previous year.
• Monitor performance against plan and identify risks, opportunities, and corrective actions to optimize seasonal results.

Markdown and Price Optimization

• Support markdown planning, price phasing, and promotional analysis.
• Track sell-through and aging stock to recommend timely markdown actions.
• Partner with Merchandising to protect margin while achieving sell-through targets.

Reporting and Analysis

• Prepare weekly and monthly business performance reports covering sales, margin, stock, and KPIs.
• Analyze product, category, and store performance to support strategic decisions.
• Identify business risks and provide insight-driven recommendations.

Collaboration and Systems

• Support Finance in validating forecasts and financial submissions.
• Work with Buying and Merchandising on weekly business unit and department-level planning.
• Maintain accurate planning data and product hierarchies in reporting systems.
• Develop templates, dashboards, and presentations for planning reviews.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Strong analytical and numerical skills with proficiency in Excel and reporting tools.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work collaboratively across functions.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Retail Management, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in merchandise planning, financial planning, or retail analysis, preferably in fashion or multi-category retail.
• Experience with planning systems such as JDA, Power BI, Tableau, SAP, or similar.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced retail environment.