Cape Town: Retail Planner posted by Southey Contracting Offshore Division

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

• Bachelors 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