Manager, Retail Product Planning, Retail

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organisation:

Execute effective and accurate products investment to achieve the assigned brand or channel financial target (NS, profitability, ST% and inventory)

• Develop category strategy and execute quarterly/seasonal buying accordingly
• Right product, right time, right place (trend research, market survey, store assortment, size optimization)
• Play a key role to share product information and knowledge within retail teams (buying, in-season management, retail sales and store managers)

Key Responsibilities:

Pre-Season Merchandise Planning

• Manage the Open-To-Buy by category according to buying strategy, financial target, and historical analysis
• Conduct historical analysis and prepare pre-season buying guideline
• Work closely with Brand functions to understand marketing concept (reason to buy) and product knowledge on seasonal or quarterly basis
• Width planning: Collaborate with GTM Planning functions when building assortment plan (in width) by channel, store format as well as store grading, consider SKU plan with option turn analysis
• Depth planning: Lead development of the right assortment by channel or store format and determine appropriate order depth
• Plan and execute Retail forecast as considering demand and inventory
• Follow GTM process and quarterly/seasonal trade meeting for entire Retail channels
• Gather sales trends, market insight or requirements to provide them to retail and brand teams

Process and In-Season merchandising management

• Manage handover process to In-season team for trading (initial dispatch to replenishment)
• Analyse in season performance tracking reports
• Perform analysis to develop mark down strategy and support mark-down & clearance process
• Track repeat or Spot plan on Speed articles (NOOS, PR)

Post-Season Review

• Prepare and conduct analysis and documentation for post-season review
• Perform seasonal deep dive analysis to develop action steps for next season

Key Relationships:

• All Retail functions
• All BU functions
• Demand planning
• Supply Chain (Purchasing / Order Book and Inventory Management & DC)
• MOPS

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced skills in MS Office
• Fluent in English
• Advanced understanding of Retail Management systems
• Strong analytical skills
• Structured, organised and process orientated
• Attention to detail as error in analysis will have crucial impact to business
• Ability to work effectively within a team environment and under pressure
• Strong sense of Sports & fashion trends

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• University degree and/or commercial training in the area of Finance, Accounting, Economics, Marketing or Sales are preferred.
• Merchandising experience: 5-6 years
• Management Experience preferred