Assortment Planner

Who we are:

GMG is a global well-being company retailing, distributing and manufacturing a portfolio of leading international and home-grown brands across sport, everyday goods, health and beauty, properties and logistics sectors. Under the ownership and management of the Baker family for over 45 years, GMG is a valued partner of choice for the worlds most successful and respected brands in the well-being sector. Working across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, GMG has introduced more than 120 brands across 12 countries. These include notable home-grown brands such as Sun & Sand Sports, Dropkick, Supercare Pharmacy, Farm Fresh, Klassic, and international brands like Nike, Columbia, Converse, Timberland, Vans, Mama Sitas, and McCain.

Role Summary:

The Assortment Planner will be responsible for managing seasonal assortments and driving category performance through strategic planning and execution in B&M team. This role supports category management by aligning assortment strategies with market

needs, business objectives and sales targets. A key focus will be on efficient stock management to optimize inventory levels, reduce markdowns, and maximize sell-through. The planner will support the Category Manager in the buying process & develop targeted merchandising strategies aimed at achieving category sales and margin targets, while collaborating cross-functionally to ensure successful implementation across regions.

Responsibilities

• Assortment Strategy Development
• Create and quantify channel specific assortment plans
• Use historical data, trend insights and market analytics to inform product selection.
• Review product lifecycle performance and recommend additions, deletions, or substitutions.
• Conduct post-season reviews and share learnings with key stakeholders.
• Data analysis & Forecasting
• Monitor and manage inventory levels to maintain healthy stock positions and reduce excess inventory.
• Support Open-to-Buy (OTB) planning and execution in partnership with the buying team.
• Forecast demand and adjust assortments to maximize on revenue and minimize markdowns.
• Create distribution plans for new seasons; analyze and adjust store-wise and region-wise size allocations.
• Collaborate with Merchandiser and Allocator to effectively deliver category targets.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with Category manager, buyers and planners to align seasonal buys with assortment needs.
• Collaborate with allocation and distribution teams to ensure correct product flow to stores or regions.
• Technology & tools
• Leverage planning software (e.g., SAP, JDA, Oracle Retail, or similar tools).
• Use BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, Excel) to create dashboards and reports.
  
  

People Management

The Assortment planner is responsible for setting clear objectives and performance targets of the category with the category manager. This

role involves actively guiding and providing direction to the Merchandiser and Allocator to effectively execute brand strategies.

Functional / Technical Competencies

The Assortment planner must demonstrate advanced competency in product planning, analysis, and forecasting. Proficiency in inventory management principles and executing inventory plans is essential. The incumbent should possess strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex product data sets. Expertise in business intelligence tools, Microsoft Office, and statistical analysis is required. The incumbent must exhibit excellent written and verbal communication skills to articulate quantitative product analysis concepts clearly to diverse audiences. A strong understanding of retail operations, particularly within the sports retail sector, is highly advantageous.

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