Junior Merchandise Planner | Retail | Cape Town
Humankind Group · Paarden Eiland, Cape Town, Western Cape
Overview
Join a growing Cape Town retail business as a Junior Merchandise Planner in Paarden Eiland. This full time role is perfect for a commercially minded, analytical thinker who loves turning data into smart stock decisions. Work closely with buying, operations and finance to keep the right products on the shelves at the right time. If you have a commerce or retail degree and some planning experience, this is a strong next step in your retail career.
About the role
Humankind Group is looking for a Junior Merchandise Planner to support a well established retail business in Paarden Eiland, Cape Town. You will be part of a commercial planning team that decides what stock to buy, how much to keep, and when to move it, so the business stays profitable and shelves stay full.
In this role you will work closely with Buying, Retail Operations, Finance and Supply Chain. Your day to day work will involve analysing sales and stock data, building forecasts, preparing reports and helping the team spot risks and opportunities in the merchandise plan. You will also support promotional planning, markdowns and stock allocation across stores and channels.
This is a great opportunity if you enjoy working with large sets of data, solving commercial problems, and seeing the direct impact of your planning decisions on a retail business. You will get exposure to the full planning cycle and can grow your skills in a supportive team environment.
How to apply: Applications are managed through the PNet job listing. Use the apply button on the job page to submit your CV and supporting documents. No email address or reference number is required for the subject line, but you may mention reference HC006099-Laure-1 if the application form asks for it.
Requirements
- Degree in Commerce, Retail Management, Supply Chain, Statistics, Economics or a related field
- Minimum 5 years experience in merchandise planning, retail planning or a similar commercial planning environment
- Proven experience managing category plans and inventory investment
- Retail experience is essential
- Strong experience with forecasting, stock analysis and merchandise planning
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and reporting skills
- Experience with merchandise planning systems will be advantageous
- Strong commercial and financial acumen
- Excellent analytical and problem solving abilities
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills
- Experience guiding or mentoring junior team members will be advantageous
Responsibilities
- Develop and manage annual, seasonal and monthly merchandise plans
- Build accurate sales and demand forecasts using historical and current trading data
- Set and monitor sales, stock, margin and inventory targets
- Manage inventory investment and improve stock turn, sell through and weeks of cover
- Identify and help reduce aged, obsolete and slow moving stock
- Analyse category performance and flag commercial opportunities and risks
- Track performance against plan and recommend corrective actions
- Support promotional planning and markdown strategies
- Give direction on allocation and replenishment across stores and channels
- Prepare planning reports, dashboards and forecasts for management
- Turn complex data into clear commercial insights and recommendations
- Take part in weekly and monthly trade reviews
- Work closely with Buying, Retail Operations, Finance and Supply Chain teams
- Guide and support Junior Planners and help build planning capability
- Drive continuous improvement in planning processes and ways of working
Job details
- Organisation
- Humankind Group
- Location
- Paarden Eiland, Cape Town, Western Cape
- Job type
- Full time
- Experience level
- Junior (5+ years)
- Education
- Bachelor
- Salary
- R33k to R40k per month / monthly
- Category
- Retail & Wholesale
- Application Method
- Apply online
Success Guide
This Junior Planner role is a great fit if you have a few years of retail planning experience and want to step into a more commercial position. The job title says junior, but the listing asks for 5 years experience and strong Excel skills, so make sure your CV clearly shows your planning background, the systems you have used, and examples of how your forecasts or stock decisions improved a retail category. In the interview, be ready to talk through a real example of analysing sales data or solving a stock problem. Show that you understand both the numbers and the practical side of getting stock into stores. The offices are in Paarden Eiland, so plan your travel if you do not stay nearby. Good luck, this is a solid move for a young retail planner looking to grow.
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