Cape Town City Centre: Retail Planner

Purpose of the Role To drive sales, profitability, and stock efficiency by planning and managing inventory levels, allocations, and replenishment across stores and online. The Retail Planner works closely with the merchandising, buying, operations, and supply chain teams to ensure the right product is available in the right place, at the right time. Key Responsibilities Sales & Inventory Planning Develop and manage seasonal merchandise plans , sales forecasts, and open-to-buy budgets by category and channel. Monitor sales trends, stock turn, and margin performance to support business growth and reduce over/understocking. Conduct weekly and monthly sales and stock analysis to identify risks and opportunities. Propose and implement stock rebalancing or markdown strategies where needed. Allocation & Replenishment Oversee initial allocations and manage in-season replenishment to ensure optimal store stock levels. Coordinate store grading and ensure distribution aligns with regional performance. Support new product launches with accurate stock planning and distribution across locations. E-commerce & Omnichannel Support Support e-commerce planning by forecasting online demand and managing digital stock availability. Collaborate with digital and marketing teams to prepare for campaigns, promotions, and seasonal events . Reporting & Systems Produce clear, actionable reports and dashboards for senior management using Excel and planning tools. Maintain planning accuracy through data integrity , pricing audits, and system checks. Support the implementation and enhancement of planning tools and systems. Qualifications & Experience Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Retail Planning, Commerce, Business, Supply Chain, or related field. Minimum 3 years’ experience in a retail planning or merchandise planning role. Strong understanding of retail metrics (e.g. GP%, sell-through, OTB, stock turn). Proficient in advanced Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP, formulas) and planning software (e.g., Retail Pro, JustEnough, or similar). Experience in both store and e-commerce environments is highly advantageous. Exposure to a design-led or premium retail brand will be a plus. Key Competencies Highly analytical with a passion for numbers and problem-solving Commercially minded and customer-focused Strong organisational and time management skills Collaborative, with the ability to work across multiple departments Strong communication and reporting skills Attention to detail and ability to work under pressure