About the position
Join a leading retail team as Head of Planning to shape the future of strategic retail operations!
One of our leading clients in the retail industry is seeking a dynamic and strategic Head of Planning.
This is an exciting opportunity to take the reins of a high-impact role focused on driving inventory excellence,
sharp forecasting, and data-driven decision-making across a diverse portfolio of brands.
If you're passionate about turning insights into action and aligning supply with market demand, this role was made for you.
Minimum requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business Analytics, Finance, or related field.
- 5+ years of experience in inventory planning, demand forecasting, or supply chain
- management.
- Proven leadership experience in a multi-business or group-level planning role.
- Advanced proficiency in Excel, BI Tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau), and ERP systems (e.g.,
- NetSuite, SAP, or similar).
Personality Traits:
- Analytical Acumen: Advanced ability to analyse large sets of data and draw actionable
- insights.
- Attention to Detail: Relentless focus on the accuracy and quality of inventory data.
- Strategic Thinking: Able to connect daily operations with broader business objectives.
- Communication: Strong presentation and reporting skills for both technical and executive
- audiences.
- Leadership: Capable of managing and mentoring a team of planners across the group.
Duties and responsibilities:
- Strategic Inventory Management:
- Lead a team responsible for deep-diving daily into inventory quality across all business units.
- Maintain detailed oversight of stock profiles by business, region, and product category.
- Ensure stock levels are optimised to meet customer demand while minimising obsolescence and holding costs.
- Forecasting and Demand Planning:
- Develop and manage forecasting models that align with sales trends, seasonal cycles, and strategic objectives.
- Integrate market intelligence, sales data, and supplier lead times into predictive planning.
- Sell-Through and Market Analysis:
- Track and report on sell-through performance across all sales channels.
- Identify slow-moving, high-performing, and at-risk inventory items and initiate interventions.
- Collaborate closely with sales and procurement to ensure that planning aligns with business realities.
- Executive and Supplier Reporting:
- Prepare and present high-impact reports to the Executive Committee (Exco) on inventory quality, planning accuracy, and risk mitigation.
- Lead the quarterly performance reporting process to key suppliers and manufacturers, providing insight into product performance and forward-looking plans.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Work closely with finance, procurement, warehousing, and sales to drive a unified planning strategy.
- Act as the custodian of planning data integrity and process consistency across the group.
Desired Skills:
- Planning manager
- Planner
- Forecasting
- Retail
- Retail planner
