Merchandise Planner

Apparel · United Arab Emirates

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Key Responsibilities

Merchandise & Sales Planning

Develop seasonal, monthly, and weekly merchandise plans in line with Nysaa's sales and commercial objectives.
Prepare sales, stock, intake, and inventory forecasts by category, brand, store, and channel.
Analyze historical sales trends, market trends, seasonality, and promotional activity to support merchandise planning.
Monitor performance against budget, forecast, and business targets and recommend corrective actions.
Support the development of assortment and range plans based on customer demand and commercial performance.

Inventory & Stock Management

Maintain optimal inventory levels and ensure effective stock availability across stores.
Monitor stock cover, sell-through, stock turn, ageing, and availability.
Identify overstock, understock, slow-moving, and non-performing products and recommend appropriate actions.
Work closely with Supply Chain and Operations on replenishment and stock allocation.
Develop and maintain store-level allocation and replenishment plans.
Support new store openings by preparing initial stock and assortment requirements.

Open-to-Buy (OTB) & Financial Planning

Manage and monitor the Open-to-Buy (OTB) plan in coordination with the Merchandising and Finance teams.
Track planned versus actual sales, purchases, stock levels, and inventory commitments.
Provide recommendations on future purchases based on sales performance and available inventory budget.
Support markdown and clearance planning to optimize inventory and minimize aged stock.

Reporting & Analysis

Prepare regular trading and merchandise performance reports.
Analyze key KPIs including:
- Sales and sales growth
- Sell-through %
- Stock turn
- Stock cover
- Gross margin
- Average selling price
- Inventory ageing
- Availability / out-of-stock %
- Markdown performance
Highlight key business risks and opportunities and provide actionable recommendations to management.
Maintain accurate merchandise planning and reporting data.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Buyers to translate category and brand strategies into commercially viable merchandise plans.
Work closely with Retail Operations to understand store-level performance and stock requirements.
Coordinate with Marketing on promotions, launches, campaigns, and seasonal activities.
Collaborate with Supply Chain to ensure timely stock availability and replenishment.
Work with Finance to align merchandise plans with budgets and financial targets.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Sales achievement vs. budget
Forecast accuracy
Inventory turnover
Sell-through %
Stock availability
Stock cover
Gross margin achievement
Reduction of aged and slow-moving inventory
OTB accuracy and control
Replenishment effectiveness

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Retail Management, Supply Chain, Merchandising, or a related field.
3–5 years of experience in merchandise planning, retail planning, commercial planning, or a similar role.
Experience within beauty, cosmetics, fashion, or specialty retail is preferred.
Strong experience in sales forecasting, inventory planning, replenishment, and commercial analysis.
Experience working with multiple brands, categories, and retail locations is an advantage.

Technical Skills

Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, and data analysis.
Strong understanding of retail planning and merchandise KPIs.
Experience with ERP, merchandising, BI, or planning systems.
Strong analytical and numerical skills.
Ability to interpret large datasets and convert insights into commercial actions.

Competencies

Analytical thinking
Commercial acumen
Planning and organization
Attention to detail
Problem-solving
Stakeholder management
Communication and collaboration
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
Proactive and results-oriented approach
Strong understanding of customer and market trends

The Merchandise Planner will be responsible for developing and executing merchandise plans that optimize sales, inventory levels, stock availability, and profitability across Nysaa stores and channels. The role will work closely with Merchandising, Buying, Retail Operations, Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to ensure the right products are available in the right quantities, at the right time, and in the right locations.

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