Cape Town Region: Planning Manager posted by Ares Holdings

About the Role

The Planning Manager role at Ares Holdings is a critical position responsible for leading merchandise planning, demand forecasting, and inventory optimization across our specific brands in their portfolio. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the right product is available in the right quantity, at the right time, and in the right location to maximize sales, margin, and stock efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the Brands Merchandise planning strategy
• Drive sales, margin, and inventory targets aligned with financial budgets
• Lead GTM & seasonal planning processes including OTB (Open-to-Buy) management
• Ensure planning frameworks are consistent across all categories and channels
• Lead and execute the Demand forecasting process across all categories and channels
• Analyse historical sales, market trends, and promotional plans to ensure team execute accurate forecasts
• Work closely with Channel and Brand leads to align range plans with demand projections
• Monitor forecast accuracy and continuously refine planning models
• Ensure purchase orders are placed by brand with company suppliers and are in line with companies OTB budgets
• Ensure stock turn objectives and profit targets are met
• Manage the Retail range assortments and replenishment
• Analysis of Retail sell through with necessary systems to optimize seasonal orders and replenishment to stores
• Monitoring in season trade and react accordingly
• Ensuring product plan meets location plan targets and correct stock allocations meet sales targets
• Ensuring sufficient inflows of product to meet acceptable in stock percentages to maintaining agreed replenishment service levels
• Ensure space optimization per store in accordance with sell through information (Gender, Silhouette, colour etc.)
• Providing accurate and timeous reporting to ensure the business can react to situations and management has the necessary information to minimize risk and optimise business opportunities

Requirements

• Tertiary qualification in Planning, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Commerce, Business, or a related field
• 5 years experience in a retail trading environment within planning or inventory-related roles
• Minimum 2 years experience leading or managing a planning team
• Proven hands-on experience in Demand forecasting, sales planning, and Open-to-Buy (OTB) In-season trading, replenishment, and stock optimisation
• Budgeting, reporting, and KPI management Advanced Microsoft Office ability

Qualifications

• Formal education/certifications not specified