Manager – Merchandise Planning

20 نوفمبر، 2022

0 4 4 دقائق

Job Description

MANAGER – MERCHANDISE PLANNING
Position Objective
To maximize Sales and Profitability in the Business by providing effective Merchandise Strategies. Planning and In Season management of Assortments and Inventory by Department /Concept/Territory/Class/Sub-Class and Item levels to achieve or exceed strategic targets set by the Business.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Role

. Formulate and agree on the Concept/Territory strategic guidelines in conjunction with senior buyer/buying managers and with guidance from the CEO, Finance Manager, Planning Head and Buying Head
. High-level Concept Strategic Plan Targets include the following areas to be signed off with CEO, Finance Manager, Planning Head and Buying Head:
– Sales
– Sales Margin
– Stock Holdings
– Stock Turn
– Promotional events
– Price Inflation.
– New Stores Planned
– Merchandise Strategy
– Product mix
– Life of Line
. Manage and provide strategic guidelines to the concept Planning Team to prepare Financial and Strategic Plans with the Buyers.
. Maintain a business Calendar and ensure discipline and implementation of critical patch deadlines.

Planning (Seasonally)

Manage, Guide and approve each of the Planning activities below.
. Prepare a Post Seasonal Analysis of past performance at Concept/Territory and Department levels down to Class/Sub-Class and Item levels.
. Discuss and prepare a SWOT analysis of the above and document action plans in preparation for the Strategic Planning Process
. Propose Seasonal Strategies on Sales, Price point, Supplier, Brands, Size, Color and Assortment Dimensions (Where applicable) at Concept/Territory levels down to Class/Sub-Class levels together with the Buyers taking into account past performance and future trends .
. Presentation of the Group/Departmental Strategies to the Management for approval
. Prepare and Propose Seasonal Budgets derived and validated on MFP at Concept/Territory levels down to Class/Sub-Class levels based on the approved Strategy to match the Financial targets set for Sales , Opening /Closing Stocks, Inflows , Forward covers and Sales Margins.
. Prepare Store Grading at Class/SubClass levels to determine the Width and Depth of Ranges for Large, Medium and Small stores with Order quantities ( where applicable) .
. Prepare a Theoretical Range Plan and present to the Planning Manager for approval.
. Share the above with the Buyers and together finalize into a Buy Plan (Range Plan) by month at Class/Subclass levels to match the Strategy Plans for (Quantities, Options, Prices and Suppliers) and Financial parameters (OTB/Inflows) set by Month.
. Prepare reports to measure actuals against the plan for In Season management of all of the above.(where applicable)
. Ensure that the standards of Merchandise procedures and Methodologies are maintained and kept uniform.

In Season Management (Daily / Weekly)

Manage, Guide and approve each of the Planning activities below.

. Monitor Orders being placed against Open to Buy targets by the month on the Buy Plan ensuring that the Orders are placed timeously and according to assortment plans. (Daily/Weekly)
. Weekly forecasting on MFP down to Territory / subclass level in order to identify exceptions to be addressed i.e performance/ underperformance in sales pattern. Stockholdings, Forward Covers, and Inflows and propose actions on out of line situations to the Buyers in a weekly Department meeting with action to be taken by the Planner (where Applicable)
. Monitor Good and Bad selling Items to agreed parameters and propose actions to be taken on Reorders or Price Adjustments for Slow sellers.(Weekly) .
. Ensure the availability of all replenishment items and that a scheduled review of Replenishment Orders take place to ensure availability and that there are no stockouts. (Weekly)
. Check that all stock received in Territories is allocated to Stores and is selling, discuss out of line situations with the Buyers and inform Territories of out of line situations for action to be taken .(Weekly)

In Season Management (Monthly)

Manage, guide and approve each of the Planning activities below.
. Monitor Seasonal Budget performance against Plan and forecast taking into account past performance and trends for Sales, Opening and Closing Stocks and monthly Inflows/Open to Buy ( monthly) (Where Applicable).
. Monitor Sales Margins to ensure that Margins are being achieved across Territories by the department
. Agree with the buying department on any adjustments to be made or actions to be taken in order to maintain a profitable operation. These workings are to be presented to Management at the monthly trading meetings.
. To Analyze Territory Ageing Stocks and identify out of line situations to agreed Concept Targets and propose actions to management for approval and communicate to the Concept Retail Manager and Territories on actions to be taken.(Monthly)
. Analyze Promotions and Events and communicate the performance results and out-of-line situations to the Buyer and Management Team with lessons learned. (Monthly).
. Prepare and attend a Monthly Management Trading Meeting to give feedback on Department performance and actions to be taken on out-of-line situations together with the buyer to management.

Store/Competitor Visits.

Manage, guide, and approve each of the Planning activities below.
. Visit Terr/Stores on an agreed frequency to be abreast with Product performance and trends.
. Be in tune with Territory /Store-specific requirements with regard to Quantity, Range, Price, and Customer base
. Visit Competitors to identify their Range Composition, Options, and Prices.
. Report findings and out-of-line situations to the buyer and as a team put together an action plan to resolve the situation
This is to be communicated to territories and management.

Systems Maintenance and Enhancement.

Manage and ensure that the activities below are maintained
. Ensure that there are adequate reports to measure performance to plan for all of the above
. Ensure that planning applications are used and data integrity is sound.
. Ensure that any additional System requirements are communicated to the Central Planning Dept Manager
. All planning applications to be utilized effectively