Associate Planner (United Arab Emirates) Dubai

Requirements

Candidates must have 7-8 years of experience in retail or merchandise planning, including at least 2 years of hands-on Open-to-Buy management. Strong analytical skills, advanced Excel proficiency, and a proven track record in sales forecasting and inventory control are required.

Job Summary

About the Role

We are looking for a commercially driven Associate Planner to join our Retail
Planning team. This role is responsible for developing and delivering
merchandise plans that maximize sales, margin, stock productivity, and inventory
performance across our retail stores.

The successful candidate will partner closely with Buying, Supply Chain, Store
Operations, Finance, and Leadership teams to develop seasonal and annual sales
plans, manage OTB, monitor trading performance, and drive inventory optimization
strategies. This is an excellent opportunity for a planning professional who
thrives in a fast-paced retail environment and enjoys turning data into business
decisions.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Functional Roles and Responsibilities 

* Develop and manage seasonal, annual, and departmental merchandise plans.
* Drive sales, gross margin, sell-through, and inventory performance against
commercial targets.
* Own and manage the Open-to-Buy (OTB) process to ensure effective stock
investment and inventory control.
* Review trading performance and provide recommendations to maximize sales and
profitability.
* Identify risks and opportunities through sales, stock, and trend analysis.
* Lead markdown and promotional planning to reduce aged stock and protect
margin.
* Monitor inventory levels, stock cover, and replenishment strategies across
stores.
* Partner with Buying teams on range planning, forecasting, and buying
decisions.
* Manage stock allocation, replenishment, and inter-store transfers to optimize
inventory productivity.
* Collaborate with Supply Chain and vendors to improve delivery performance and
stock availability.
* Produce planning reports and communicate performance updates, forecasts, and
action plans to key stakeholders.
* Drive continuous improvement across merchandise planning processes and
decision-making.  

 

People Management Roles and Responsibilities 

* Assumes responsibility for the outcomes of others. Promotes a sense of
urgency and establishes and enforces individual accountability in the team.
Works with people to establish explicit performance standards. Is completely
on top of what is going on and knows where things stand. Provides balanced
feedback at the most critical times. 
* Proactively develops relationships with a wide variety of people. Builds
immediate rapport, even when facing difficult or tense situations.
Understands interpersonal and group dynamics and reacts in an effective
manner. Engages input from others constantly and listens with empathy and
concern. 
* Readily distinguishes between what’s relevant and what’s unimportant to make
sense of complex situations. Looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the
first answers. Analyzes multiple and diverse sources of information to define
problems accurately before moving to solutions. 
* Delivers messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner. Articulates
messages in a way that is broadly understandable. Adjusts communication
content and style to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders. 
* Takes consistent action to develop new skills. Finds ways to apply strengths
to new issues. Is aware of the skills needed to be successful in different
situations and levels. Seeks assignments that stretch him/her beyond comfort
zone. 
* Decisively makes high-quality decisions, even when based on incomplete
information or in the face of uncertainty. Actively seeks input from
pertinent sources to make timely and well-informed decisions. Skillfully
separates opinions from facts. Is respected by others for displaying superior
judgment.

QUALIFICATIONS

What We’re Looking For

* 7-8 years of experience in Merchandise Planning, Retail Planning, Demand
Planning, or Commercial Planning within a retail environment.
* Minimum 2 years of hands-on Open-to-Buy (OTB) management experience.
* Strong experience managing sales forecasting, inventory planning, stock
optimization, and trading analysis.
* Proven experience working closely with Buying and Merchandising teams.
* Strong understanding of KPIs including sales, margin, sell-through, stock
turn, cover, and markdown performance.
* Experience planning across multiple stores, categories, or regions.
* Advanced Excel and analytical capabilities.

 

Ideal Candidate

* Experience within Fashion, Sportswear, Lifestyle, Department Store, Beauty,
or Specialty Retail sectors.
* Experience using planning tools, forecasting systems, or retail ERP
platforms.
* Strong stakeholder management and presentation skills.

 

Why Join Us?

You’ll play a key role in shaping inventory and commercial performance within a
dynamic retail environment, partnering with cross-functional teams to drive
profitable growth while influencing strategic planning decisions across the
business.

Responsibilities

The Associate Planner is responsible for developing merchandise plans to maximize sales, margin, and inventory productivity across retail stores. They will collaborate with cross-functional teams to manage OTB, monitor trading performance, and drive inventory optimization strategies.

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