Assistant Planning Manager

Overview

Dear Applicants! Home Centre Landmark group is looking for an Assistant Manager - Planning for Dubai, UAE.

Overseeing the day-to-day running of the Planning team (Kids/Household/Furniture) and working with heads of other departments to drive the long-term strategy of the business and improve the Home Centre customer experience.

• Strategic Role
  • Formulate and agree on the Concept/Territory strategic guidelines in conjunction with senior leadership.
  • Oversee the smooth day-to-day running of the planning department, ensuring the right quantity is in the right place at the right time.
  • Develop and coach the planning team to understand the fundamentals of planning and use them to drive the business strategy.
  • Collaborate with heads of Buying, Supply Chain, Marketing and VM to develop new efficiencies and processes that drive long-term strategy.
  • Partner with Concept planning and LMIT to develop and implement system solutions that improve planning efficiency aligned to Home Centre strategy.
  • Develop realistic and achievable budgets aligned with the overall Home Centre strategy; manage budgets to meet sales, profit and margin targets.
  • Work with Buying and Supply Chain to develop cost-effective, long-term sourcing strategies.
  • With Supply Chain and Logistics, manage stock flow to meet sales targets while avoiding excessive stockholding.
  • Ensure availability on all critical (K) lines across territories as identified in long-term buying strategy.
  • Determine and agree on high-level Concept Strategic Plan Targets with the CEO and Finance Manager in areas such as Sales, Sales Margin, Stock Holdings, Stock Turn, Promotional events, Price Inflation, New Stores Planned, and Merchandise Strategy.
  • Collaborate with other departments to develop and maintain a business calendar and ensure discipline in patch deadlines.

• Planning (Seasonal)
  • Prepare a Post Seasonal Analysis of past performance at Concept/Territory and Department levels.
  • Manage, guide and approve planning activities, proposing seasonal strategies on Sales, Price Point, Supplier, Brands, Size, Colour and Assortment with Buyers.
  • Prepare and propose Seasonal Budgets derived from MFP at Concept/Territory levels to meet Financial targets (Sales, Opening/Closing Stocks, Inflows, Forward covers, Sales Margins).
  • Prepare Store Grading at Class/Subclass levels to determine Range width/depth and order quantities where applicable.
  • Share a Theoretical Range Plan with Buyers to finalise a Buy Plan by month at Class/Subclass levels to match Strategy Plans for Quantities, Options, Prices, and Financial parameters (OTB/Inflows).
  • Prepare reports to measure actuals against plan for in-season management.
  • Ensure adherence to Merchandise standards and procedures.
  • Prepare a Post Seasonal Analysis and discuss SWOT and action plans for Strategic Planning.

• In Season Management (Daily / Weekly)
  • Monitor Orders against Open to Buy targets, ensuring timely placement according to assortment plans.
  • Weekly forecasting on MFP to identify exceptions and propose actions with Buyers in weekly meetings.
  • Monitor good and bad selling items and propose actions on reorders or price adjustments for slow sellers.
  • Ensure availability of replenishment items and conduct scheduled reviews of Replenishment Orders to prevent stockouts.
  • Ensure stock received in Territories is allocated to Stores and discuss out-of-line situations with Buyers.

• In Season Management (Monthly)
  • Monitor Seasonal Budget performance against Plan and forecast, considering past performance and trends.
  • Agree with Buying on adjustments to maintain profitable operations; present findings at monthly trading meetings.
  • Prepare and attend Monthly Management Trading Meetings to report department performance and actions with Buyers.

• Store / Competitor Visits
  • Visit stores on an agreed frequency to stay informed on product performance and trends.
  • Understand Territory/Store requirements regarding Quantity, Range, Price and Customer base.
  • Visit competitors to identify their Range, Options and Prices.
  • Report findings and work with the team to resolve issues.

• Systems Maintenance and Enhancement
  • Ensure adequate reports to measure performance against plan for all activities.
  • Ensure planning applications are used and data integrity is sound; communicate any additional system requirements to Central Planning Dept Manager.
  • Utilize all planning applications effectively.

• People Management
  • Manage and support team recruitment and development.
  • Set responsibilities for direct reports and conduct performance appraisals.
  • Provide regular feedback and drive motivation and development of the team.

Post graduate or Graduate, 5+ years relevant experience of which at least 3 years should have been in a Planning role in the home retail industry