JOB TITLE                       :    Planning Manager

Department                    :    Ares Holdings, Brands (x) 

Reporting to                   :    Senior Manager: Group Planning and Inventory

Direct reports                :    Planners and Inventory Controllers

Key customers              :    Suppliers, Logistics, Brand Teams

Main purpose                 :    The Planning & Inventory Manager is responsible for leading merchandise planning, demand forecasting, and inventory optimisation across the specific brands in their portfolio. The role ensures the right product is available in the right quantity, at the right time, and in the right location to maximise sales, margin, and stock efficiency.

• Develop and implement the Brand’s Merchandise planning strategy
• Drive sales, margin, and inventory targets aligned with financial budgets.
• Lead GTM & seasonal planning processes including OTB (Open-to-Buy) management.
• Ensure planning frameworks are consistent across all categories and channels.

• Lead and execute the Demand forecasting process across all categories and channels.
• Analyse historical sales, market trends, and promotional plans to ensure team execute accurate forecasts.
• Work closely with Channel and Brand leads to align range plans with demand projections.
• Monitor forecast accuracy and continuously refine planning models.
• Ensure purchase orders are placed by brand with company suppliers and are in line with companies OTB budgets.
• Ensure stock turn objectives and profit targets are met.
• Ensuring that Retail buy-plans are well detailed and clearly understood by team members and relevant stakeholders.
• Management of the Retail range assortments and replenishment.
• Analysis of Retail sell through with necessary systems to optimize seasonal orders and replenishment to stores.
• Monitoring in season trade and react accordingly.
• Ensuring product plan meets location plan targets and correct stock allocations meet sales targets.
• Ensuring sufficient inflows of product to meet acceptable in stock percentages to maintaining agreed replenishment service levels.
• Ensure space optimization per store in accordance with sell through information (Gender, Silhouette, colour etc.)
• Providing accurate and timeous reporting to ensure the business can react to situations and management has the necessary information to minimise risk and optimise business opportunities.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 3:  INVENTORY OPTIMISATION & INTEGRITY

• Ensure that the Brand inventory levels across all locations (stores, ecommerce, and distribution centres) are accurate and managed.
• Maintain optimal stock turn, sell-through, and weeks of cover.
• Reduce markdown risk, excess stock, and stock-outs.
• Implement inventory health reporting and corrective action plans.
• Oversee stock allocation and replenishment strategies across the DTC channels.
• Ensure stock distribution aligns with store grading, regional performance, and demand patterns.
• Manage inter-store transfers and stock balancing.
• Ensure any missing transactions in SAP have errors resolved and are posted within 30 days of transaction date
• Ensure Warehouse Inventory Levels are balanced on a weekly basis with 3P Warehouse.
• Work with Retail Lead to ensure Stores action regular cycle counts and execute full stock takes twice annually and that the results and findings are shared with Commercial and Finance leads.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 4: DATA AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

• Provide a Brand-level view of inventory exposure, risk, and opportunity.
• To assist the GP&IM with Business Solutions to develop and continually evaluate all reports, dashboards and tools used in planning.
• Refresh and distribute the Brand standard dashboards and reporting for Sales and Stock Performance, Sell-Through, Stock Cover, GP and Aging
• Present insights and recommendations to Commercial Leads, Finance and GP&IM
  

KEY ACCOUNTABILITY 5: PEOPLE MANAGEMENT

• Ensure role clarity and effective goal setting.
• Mentor and coach Planners, Junior Planner and Inventory Controllers to ensure to ensure an optimal team strategy is achieved.
• Work closely with fellow Planning Managers to ensure consistency across brands.
• Handle IR issues and performance management and discuss disciplinary requirements with HCM.
• Manage the GOLP process of for all direct reports.
• Monitor the application of the HR Value Chain and adherence to people-related SOP’s.

COMPETENCY PROFILE

(Skills, knowledge, abilities, attributes, and behaviours that are required to do this specific job well)

KEY LEADERSHIP & INTERPERSONAL COMPETENCIES

• VALUES:
• We believe in the power of brands and growing brands responsibly.
• We believe in developing and building our teams for the benefit of all stakeholders.
• We believe in continuous investment into our people and our business platforms.
• We care deeply about our environment and our people.
• LEADERSHIP & RELATIONSHIP BEHAVIOURS
• Strategic Communication: Clearly communicates goals, strategies, and updates to the team and stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with cross-functional teams (e.g., buying, marketing, supply chain) to ensure alignment on plans.
• Decision-Making: Makes informed, timely decisions based on data and strategic objectives.
• Conflict Resolution: Addresses conflicts or disagreements constructively and promptly within the team or with stakeholders.
• Mentorship & Development: Provides coaching and development opportunities to team members to enhance their skills and career growth.
• Stakeholder Management: Builds and maintains strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., suppliers, buyers, and senior management).
• Accountability: Takes responsibility for team performance, ensuring that goals and objectives are met.
• Adaptability: Adjusts to changing business conditions, market trends, and team dynamics.
• Empathy: Demonstrates understanding of team needs and challenges, fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment.
• Influence & Negotiation: Effectively influences others and negotiates to achieve the best outcomes for the business.

TECHNICAL AND FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES

• Merchandise Planning: Expertise in creating, managing, and optimizing merchandise plans that align with business goals and customer demand.
• Sales Forecasting: Ability to accurately forecast sales trends and demand patterns using data and market analysis
• Inventory Management: Proficiency in managing inventory levels, optimizing stock turnover, and reducing overstock or stockouts.
• Financial Acumen: Knowledge of budgeting, margin analysis, and financial performance tracking for merchandising activities.
• Data Analysis & Reporting: Strong analytical skills to interpret sales data, track KPIs, and generate actionable insights for decision-making.
• Supply Chain Coordination: Understanding of supply chain processes to ensure timely product delivery and alignment with sales forecasts.
• Product Assortment Strategy: Ability to select and manage product assortments that meet customer needs while optimizing profitability.
• Retail & E-commerce Integration: Experience in integrating retail and e-commerce strategies to drive unified merchandising outcomes across channels.
• Pricing & Promotion Strategy: Competence in setting pricing strategies, managing markdowns, and planning promotional activities to maximize sales.
• Software Proficiency: Expertise in merchandise planning software, spreadsheets (Excel), and ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle).
• Vendor Management: Knowledge of managing supplier relationships, negotiating terms, and ensuring product availability.
• Trend Analysis: Ability to identify market trends and consumer behaviour insights to inform planning decisions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Tertiary qualification in Planning, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Commerce, Business, or a related field.

• 5+ years’ experience in a retail trading environment within planning or inventory-related roles.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience leading or managing a planning team.
• Proven hands-on experience in:
  

• Demand forecasting, sales planning, and Open-to-Buy (OTB)
  
• In-season trading, replenishment, and stock optimisation
• Budgeting, reporting, and KPI management
• Advanced Microsoft Office ability

• Strong working knowledge of retail planning environments, including retail and e‑commerce trading cycles and merchandise seasonality.
• Solid understanding of inventory performance drivers, such as stock turn, sell-through, weeks of cover, and ageing stock.
• Practical knowledge of how planning and inventory decisions impact sales, margin, and availability.
• Working understanding of retail, wholesale, and e‑commerce planning models.
• Ability to interpret sales, stock, and margin data and translate insights into planning actions.
• Familiarity with ERP and planning systems (e.g. SAP or similar) and advanced Excel.
• General awareness of lifestyle or consumer brands and the markets they operate in