Head of Retail Planning

An innovative South African retailer with a strong presence in the market is seeking a senior Retail Planning leader to shape and execute their strategic inventory management at a national level. This is a career-defining opportunity for an experienced professional ready to take on significant responsibility within a dynamic and growth-oriented environment, driving operational excellence and cross-functional collaboration.

Duties

Build, manage, and govern Open-to-Buy (OTB) for all categories across retail branches

Own weekly WSSI (Weekly Sales and Stock Intake) reviews to monitor stock flow and sales performance

Drive forecast accuracy and set cover targets and inventory guardrails to optimize stock levels

Lead weekly trade meetings with Retail Merchandisers to align on stock deployment and category performance

Own the Sales and Operations Planning process, integrating demand, supply, inventory, financial targets, and operational capacity into a unified plan

Collaborate with Supply Chain and Merchandising functions to align cross-functional priorities and resolve conflicts

Define forecasting hierarchies, clustering rules, and allocation/replenishment policies for optimal stock distribution

Approve major in-season pivots to respond to demand shifts or market changes

Develop and implement pricing architecture in collaboration with Head of Retail Merchandising

Deliver margin targets through strategic pricing decisions and price optimization

Build promotional and markdown plans that maximize sell-through while protecting margins

Monitor and manage aged stock, build exit strategies, and reduce write-offs to free up working capital

Partner with Retail Merchandising on SKU rationalization to streamline assortments

Sign off on planogram capacity assumptions to ensure space-to-range alignment

Build and develop a high-performing planning team, enhancing internal capabilities in space planning, analytics, and retail methodologies

Establish planning rhythms, tools, and processes that support the retail operations and drive actionable decision-making

Collaborate with various departments including Marketing, Property, Finance, and Sourcing to ensure alignment on promotional campaigns, store openings, and financial targets

Lead the transition of existing headcount into a consolidated national structure, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement

Requirements

5 to 8 years of Senior Retail Planning experience

Proven technical expertise in Retail Planning and demand forecasting within a large portfolio both in terms of Rand value and volume

Strong leadership experience managing planning teams

Demonstrated ability to allocate work effectively across planners

Knowledge of inventory management, stock optimization, and supply chain collaboration

Experience with capacity planning tools and space-to-range modeling

Excellent stakeholder management skills across multiple departments

Strategic mindset with a focus on operational efficiency and margin protection

Ability to develop and lead high-performance teams

Nice to Have

Experience working with retail analytics tools such as DotActiv or similar platforms

Familiarity with price architecture and promotional planning

Experience in SKU rationalization and space planning

The opportunity

A competitive salary package negotiable based on experience

An engaging work environment with a focus on professional development and growth

Opportunity to lead and influence a key aspect of a leading retailer’s operations

The chance to be part of a forward-thinking organization committed to operational excellence and innovation

Apply your expertise to deliver impactful results across national operations and be a pivotal part of a team that values strategic thinking, leadership, and operational mastery setting new standards in retail excellence.