Merchandise Planner
Western International LLC
Total des années d'expérience :12 years, 7 Mois
Merchandise Financial, Strategic and Assortment Planning
• Maximise Sales and profitability for the department/category
• Support in determining high-level financial goals including pre-season financial plans, in-season projections, open-to-buy management and new store budgets
• Prepare and maintain department/category merchandise MIS analytics based on actual sales, sales forecasts, company order parameters, inventory checks, forth coming events, replenishment needs etc
• Assist in the creation of merchandise plans for the category based on insights gained from merchandise analytics, customer preference, historical trends and future outlook projected by the buyer
• Assist in discussing, deciding and freezing the department/category merchandise strategic plans around the following factors
o Financials
Sales, Stock, OTB, Margins, Forward Cover etc
o Store
Subgroub level Sales, Order Quantity, Allocation, Replenishment etc
o Assortment
Style, Price, Brand, Supplier etc
• Communicate the merchandise strategic plan to buying team for necessary execution
• Ensure effective in season management across territories (stock balancing, markdown management, stock analysis, stock vs sales performance)
• Help review the merchandise plans on a periodic basis to ensure profit is maximized and maintained to reach target levels
• Ensure that the standards of Merchandise procedures and Methodologies are maintained and kept Uniform
Inventory Stock Optimization
• Ensure optimum category inventory levels are maintained at Concept/Territory keeping in mind store requirements as well as working capital constraints
• Ensure that no instances of category stock outs occur on account of any discrepancy on part of merchandise planning
• Ensure excess category inventory is not maintained at the warehouses or the stores and there is proper adherence to the concept/territory ageing policy
Category Promotions
• Provide inputs on the expected margins, possible price points and other parameters for promotions within the product category
• Help analyse the effectiveness of the promotions in achieving the targeted levels of sales and margins
• Help analyse the existing stock levels and liaise with the Buying/VM/Marketing team for timely roll out of promotional campaigns to maintain the territory / warehouse inventory holding norms as well to achieve targeted sales
In season Management
• Ensure performance is monitored against plan for the assigned category/department, regularly supported by exception reporting
• Ensure effective in season management of the assigned category/department through regular analysis and action planning across concept and territory, based on the performance around the following anchors
o Sales vs. Stock
o Inflows/OTB
o Stock analysis
o Stock balancing
o Margin analysis
Any other project / assignment given by Seniors on need basis
Develop the company’s inventory management process with the aim of controlling costs within budgetary limits, generating savings, rationalising inventory on sku level
Manage and maintain the product inventory including stock profiles
Set and manage watermark levels to ensure online product availability while keeping the segregated stock levels to a minimum to achieve sales targets
Minimise overstocks to maximise availability in the right stock on category size level
Manage the inventory of fast moving Emax products that will be maintained in the warehouse to ensure in stock and keep inventory levels to a minimum
Review items on a timely basis and return/release poor performers back to the concepts as early as possible to enable to most profitable sell through
Work closely with concepts to understand when products will be available for sale
Provide routine information on inventory performance
Monitor and evaluate product depth on sku level
Implement improvement processes and systems to reduce inventory, minimise costs
Write and maintain accurate written procedures for all main inventory control processes and functions
Work with content team to ensure content and product availability are in alignment
Ensure integrity and accuracy of the stock management system
Produce daily reports to ensure key critical areas of the stock system are controlled and any discrepancies addressed and resolved
Manage control measures to ensure mistakes, inaccuracies and discrepancies are highlighted, addressed and resolved Requirements:
Have a detailed understanding of MRP and inventory control/management systems and ERP
Strong analytical and problem solving skills
Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills for a demanding and customer focused working environment
Possess excellent personal organisation and business administration skills in accordance with modern best practice methods
Possess the ability to work productively, efficiently and effectively with initiative and drive under tight timescales and pressure whilst maintaining attention to detail and quality
Posses the willingness to learn, improve and adapt
Possess relevant IT skills in basic MIS Office applications - outlook, excel & word in particular and a working knowledge of business ERP systems
Completed Commerce degree From Govt College Kodencherry on March-2004 with the Specialization of Business Data Processing