Retail Planner

JOB TITLE: SENIOR RETAIL PLANNER

REPORTS TO: RETAIL PLANNING MANAGER

LOCATION: DUBAI HAED OFFICE

ORGANISATION UNIT: HERMES MIDDLE EAST LLC

SCOPE OF JOB:

The Retail Planner is responsible for supply/demand planning, forecasting sales and landing stock, effectively monitoring and managing inventory levels together with the Merchandising team, replenishments from the Local Distribution Centre, and delivering business intelligence tools to support the business needs and decision-making process.

The Retail Planner reports to the Retail Planning Manager and works closely with the store, operations, and retail merchandising teams. He/she also liaises with the Europe HQ Retail Planning and Central Planning team and is a strategic partner to the Retail Supply Chain strategy of the region.

The store network is distributed as follows:

• 3 stores in United Arab Emirates: Dubai Mall, Mall of Emirates and Abu Dhabi
• 1 store in Kuwait
• 1 store in Doha
• 1 store in Bahrain
  
  

• DEMAND/SUPPLY FORECAST & REPLENISHMENT MANAGEMENT
• Monitor and manage inventory levels of Permanent Stock Items, Intemporals and central stock.
• Analyze historical data and current trends to identify inventory risks or opportunities.
• Oversee the definition and updating of the replenishment settings with the Retail Planning and Merchandising Managers, to ensure the optimal transfer levels from the Local Distribution Center to the Retail stores.
• Adjust the Min/Max replenishment parameters as needed to account for key periods, product trends and anticipated deliver delays.
• Monitor stockroom capacity to identify understock or overstock situations.
• Identify slow-moving and sleeping stock and align with the Merchandising team on action plans.
• Coordinate with Logistics team and IT team to ensure smooth automatic replenishment between Warehouse and Stores.
• REPORTING & FORECASTING
• Monitor all BI reports (sales, stock, value equation, etc).
• Prepare and share regular activity reports and ad hoc analysis on Métier performances by store, category and product level.
• Utilize historical sales data, market trends, and customer preferences to forecast demand and support stock replenishment and reorder plans.
• Be an alert tower for merchandising, by taking proactive measures to address potential inventory imbalances and identifying opportunities and risks.
• Prepare and suggest destocking by metier aligned with group policy.
• OTB AND BUYING MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
• Validate the OTB tool hypothesis with the Planning Manager: exchange rates, margins, destocking projections, PSI, reorders, delivery rates, etc.
• Support the Planning Manager on the OTB definition during Preview and Podium Group moments in line with the strategy of the subsidiary and with the stock objectives set for the current year.
• Collaborate with Retail Merchandisers to ensure that the OTB is in line with the métier ambitions and collection feedback.
• Consolidate buying vs OTB to flag risks or opportunities.
• CROSS FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Store, Operations and Retail Merchandising to develop and execute comprehensive plans that align with company goals and objectives.
• Develop strong partnerships with Stock Control teams & ensure regular updates on the stockroom capacity to identify understock or overstock situations.
• Build a strong link to the Europe Planning community to bring forward the best practices and adapt the Europe strategy within the subsidiary.
  
  

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Economics, or a related field/ experience.
• At least 3 years of experience in merchandise planning, allocation, or inventory management within a retail environment.
• Proficiency in Excel and PowerBI with advanced skills for data analysis and forecasting.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and trends to make informed decisions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and vendors.
• Attention to detail.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to anticipate market changes and adjust merchandise plans accordingly.
• Familiarity with retail math and key performance indicators (KPIs) related to inventory management and sales.
• Problem-solving orientation and ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.