Location Planner Mr Price - Durban at Mr Price Group

JOB DESCRIPTION

This exciting opportunity has become available for an experienced Location Planner to join a new, upcoming department within the Apparel division. As the business expands focusing on non-comp growth, we look forward to moving into new markets and looking for the right person to come onboard with us and break new ground!

Keeping abreast of the opposition and working closely with other team members and suppliers, you will develop strategic plans and, ultimately, translate these into merchandise and assortment plans.  You will manage stock within the department and produce accurate figures for further analysis.   

RESPONSIBILITIES

Current Trade:                 

• Extract & analyse store KPI's by sub department season.
• Complete a draft report highlighting all issues impacting performance.
• Lead a discussion to develop an action plan that will maximize store sales, clearance & space.
• Collaborating with the merchant planner re-forecast in-season store sales to adjust for the current trade variances.
• Convert the store sales plan to a stock plan in OTS (Open to Ship) in order to adjust SAS (Strategic Allocation System) allocations.
• Report variances & action plan in store size service levels & store cover ratios.

Post Mortem:

• Collaborating with the merchant planner to review the previous season's zero-based plan (ZBP) in order to conclude the previous seasons missed opportunities.
• Summarize in a post-mortem the previous seasons performance (sub department. store season KPI's, grade & portfolio) based off current trade reports & compile key lessons learnt.
• Complete store grading in APS (Assortment Planning System) in order to provide the merchant planning team with unit buy recommendations which will inform their strategy.                       

Seasonal Strategy:

• Collaborating with the merchant planner develop a seasonal strategy for the sub department which will include strategic objectives & a top line financial plan which is aligned to the previous seasons post mortem & growth opportunities in comparable, new, enhanced stores as well as reduced & discontinued stores.
• Contribute to the strategy discussion & aggregate the seasonal strategy to be presented to the management team ensuring it is aligned to key company growth initiatives.

Building an Assortment:

• Collaborating with the merchant planner build the assortment plan in order to balance the assortment back to key strategic store requirements.
• Amend where required store grading & unit buys in order to finalize assortment to buy.
• Contribute to the preparation of the required presentation documents in order to articulate variances to strategy in respect of profiles, grades & stores.

Product Allocation/Stock Allocation:

• Collaborate with Trainee Location Planner &/or Junior Location Planner to ensure all store performance deviations are actioned prior to final allocation finalization.
• Adjust & balance the forward allocations checking that required units per store are met & that the strategic assortment shape is executed as per the OTS (Open to Ship) plan.
• Monitor units being accrued for new store openings & report on variances.
• Perform store consolidations in order to optimize store stock levels.

Coaching & Development:

• Provide direction & mentorship to Trainees & Juniors within your greater team.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• University or Diploma Qualification with 2-3 related quantitative or supply chain subjects

Experience:

• At least 2 - 3 years Location planning experience within a retail environment

Knowledge/ Skills:

• Strong business acumen and proven negotiating and decision making ability
• Knowledge of Excel
• Experience with planning software
• Well rounded
• Good organizational and planning abilities
• Excellent communication skills
• Great team player