The Retail Planner is responsible for driving sales, inventory productivity, and profitability through effective merchandise planning, forecasting, inventory management, and replenishment strategies. The role works closely with Buying, Merchandising, Supply Chain, and Retail Operations teams to ensure the right product is available at the right store, at the right time, and in the right quantity.
Key Responsibilities
1. Merchandise & Financial Planning
Prepare annual, seasonal, and monthly merchandise plans aligned with business objectives. Develop category-wise sales, margin, intake, and inventory budgets. Drive Open-to-Buy (OTB) planning and manage inventory investments. Prepare sales and inventory forecasts based on historical trends and market insights. Monitor achievement against plan and recommend corrective actions. 2. Inventory Management
Optimize inventory levels across categories and stores. Monitor stock cover, weeks of supply, and inventory ageing. Drive actions to improve inventory productivity and minimize markdowns.
Ensure healthy stock turns and reduce slow-moving inventory. Manage end-of-season inventory and liquidation strategies. 3. Allocation & Replenishment
Develop store-wise allocation and replenishment strategies. Ensure optimum stock availability across all channels and locations. Partner with Supply Chain to ensure timely replenishment. Monitor stock availability and fill rates across stores and warehouses. Drive size and assortment optimization at store level. 4. Business Performance Management
Analyze category and store performance through key metrics and dashboards. Track and review KPIs such as sales, sell-through, gross margin, stock turns, and markdowns. Identify business opportunities and recommend interventions to improve performance. Conduct weekly and monthly business reviews with cross-functional teams. 5. Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner closely with Buying teams on assortment planning and intake decisions.