An innovative South African retailer with a strong presence in the market is seeking a senior Retail Planning leader to shape and execute their strategic inventory management at a national level. This is a career-defining opportunity for an experienced professional ready to take on significant responsibility within a dynamic and growth-oriented environment, driving operational excellence and cross-functional collaboration.

Duties:

• Build, manage, and govern Open-to-Buy (OTB) for all categories across retail branches

• Own weekly WSSI (Weekly Sales and Stock Intake) reviews to monitor stock flow and sales performance

• Drive forecast accuracy and set cover targets and inventory guardrails to optimize stock levels

• Lead weekly trade meetings with Retail Merchandisers to align on stock deployment and category performance

• Own the Sales and Operations Planning process, integrating demand, supply, inventory, financial targets, and operational capacity into a unified plan

• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Merchandising functions to align cross-functional priorities and resolve conflicts

• Define forecasting hierarchies, clustering rules, and allocation/replenishment policies for optimal stock distribution

• Approve major in-season pivots to respond to demand shifts or market changes

• Develop and implement pricing architecture in collaboration with Head of Retail Merchandising

• Deliver margin targets through strategic pricing decisions and price optimization

• Build promotional and markdown plans that maximize sell-through while protecting margins

• Monitor and manage aged stock, build exit strategies, and reduce write-offs to free up working capital

• Partner with Retail Merchandising on SKU rationalization to streamline assortments

• Sign off on planogram capacity assumptions to ensure space-to-range alignment

• Build and develop a high-performing planning team, enhancing internal capabilities in space planning, analytics, and retail methodologies

• Establish planning rhythms, tools, and processes that support the retail operations and drive actionable decision-making

• Collaborate with various departments including Marketing, Property, Finance, and Sourcing to ensure alignment on promotional campaigns, store openings, and financial targets

• Lead the transition of existing headcount into a consolidated national structure, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement

Requirements:

• 5 to 8 years of Senior Retail Planning experience

• Proven technical expertise in Retail Planning and demand forecasting within a large portfolio both in terms of Rand value and volume

• Strong leadership experience managing planning teams

• Demonstrated ability to allocate work effectively across planners

• Knowledge of inventory management, stock optimization, and supply chain collaboration

• Experience with capacity planning tools and space-to-range modeling

• Excellent stakeholder management skills across multiple departments

• Strategic mindset with a focus on operational efficiency and margin protection

• Ability to develop and lead high-performance teams

Nice to Have:

• Experience working with retail analytics tools such as DotActiv or similar platforms

• Familiarity with price architecture and promotional planning

• Experience in SKU rationalization and space planning

The opportunity:

• A competitive salary package negotiable based on experience

• An engaging work environment with a focus on professional development and growth

• Opportunity to lead and influence a key aspect of a leading retailer’s operations

• The chance to be part of a forward-thinking organization committed to operational excellence and innovation

Apply your expertise to deliver impactful results across national operations and be a pivotal part of a team that values strategic thinking, leadership, and operational mastery setting new standards in retail excellence.