Merchandise Planning Manager - Fashion Retail (Cape Town | Permanent)

Introduction

An exciting opportunity has become available with a leading international fashion retail brand for an experienced Merchandise Planning Manager to join their Cape Town team.

We are looking for a commercially minded planning professional with extensive apparel retail experience who understands the full merchandise planning cycle and can successfully balance sales, inventory, margin and customer demand .

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead merchandise planning and inventory management across the business.

• Drive sales, stock, margin and inventory performance against agreed targets.

• Develop accurate forecasts and merchandise plans to support seasonal and in-season trading.

• Partner with Buying/Merchandise teams to develop commercially relevant assortments.

• Manage stock levels, allocations and replenishment to maximise availability and store productivity.

• Monitor inventory KPIs including stock turn, ageing inventory and closing stock .

• Analyse weekly, monthly and seasonal performance and recommend corrective actions.

• Identify opportunities and risks relating to sales, stock, promotions and markdowns.

• Conduct hindsight analysis to improve future seasonal buys and forecasts.

• Work closely with Finance, Commercial, Retail and other cross-functional stakeholders.

• Lead, mentor and develop the planning team.

Desired Experience & Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification.

• Must have min 4-5 years’ experience as a Merchandise Planning Manager

• Minimum 8 years’ merchandise planning and inventory management experience.

• Strong apparel/fashion retail planning experience is essential.

• Demonstrated expertise in forecasting, merchandise planning and inventory management .

• Proven experience leading and developing a team .

• Strong commercial and analytical capability.

• Experience working across multiple functions within a fast-paced retail environment.

Key Competencies

• Strong commercial acumen and analytical thinking.

• Excellent planning and organisational ability.

• Confident communicator with strong influencing skills.

• Assertive and comfortable challenging where necessary.

• Strong decision-making and problem-solving ability.

• Collaborative approach with the ability to work across multiple stakeholders.

• Growth mindset and ability to adapt quickly.

• Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities.

This is an excellent opportunity for an accomplished fashion merchandise planning professional looking to join a well-established international brand and play an influential role in driving merchandise and inventory performance across the South African market.

Interested?

Please forward your CV to cv@myfuturecareer.co.za . Should you not be contacted within 2 weeks, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.