Demand Planner

Who we are:

GMG is a global well-being company retailing, distributing and manufacturing a portfolio of leading international and home-grown brands across sport, everyday goods, health and beauty, properties and logistics sectors. Under the ownership and management of the Baker family for over 45 years, GMG is a valued partner of choice for the world's most successful and respected brands in the well-being sector. Working across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, GMG has introduced more than 120 brands across 12 countries. These include notable home-grown brands such as Sun & Sand Sports, Dropkick, Supercare Pharmacy, Farm Fresh, Klassic, and international brands like Nike, Columbia, Converse, Timberland, Vans, Mama Sita's, and McCain.

Job Summary

The Assortment Planner will be responsible for managing seasonal assortments and driving category performance through strategic planning and execution within Athlocity’s B&M team. This role supports category management by aligning assortment strategies with market needs, business objectives, and sales targets. A key focus of the role is efficient stock management to optimize inventory levels, reduce markdowns, and maximize sell-through. The Assortment Planner will support the Category Manager in the buying process and develop targeted merchandising strategies aimed at achieving category sales and margin targets, while collaborating cross-functionally to ensure successful implementation across regions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Assortment Strategy Development

• Create and quantify channel-specific assortment plans.
• Use historical data, trend insights, and market analytics to inform product selection.
• Review product lifecycle performance and recommend additions, deletions, or substitutions.
• Conduct post-season reviews and share key learnings with stakeholders.

2. Data Analysis & Forecasting

• Monitor and manage inventory levels to maintain healthy stock positions and minimize excess.
• Support Open-to-Buy (OTB) planning and execution in partnership with the buying team.
• Forecast demand and adjust assortments to maximize revenue and minimize markdowns.
• Create distribution plans for new seasons; analyze and adjust store-wise and region-wise size allocations.
• Collaborate with Merchandisers and Allocators to effectively deliver category targets.

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Category Managers, Buyers, and Planners to align seasonal buys with assortment needs.
• Collaborate with Allocation and Distribution teams to ensure accurate product flow to stores and regions.

4. Technology & Tools

• Leverage planning software (e.g., SAP, JDA, Oracle Retail, or similar).
• Use BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, Excel) to create dashboards and reports.

Competencies

• Advanced expertise in product planning, analysis, and forecasting.
• Strong proficiency in inventory management principles and execution of inventory plans.
• Ability to interpret and analyze complex product data sets.
• Strong understanding of retail operations, preferably within the sports retail sector.

Qualifications

• 4–6 years of experience in Planning.
• Experience in retail (mandatory).
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
• Experience: 6-8 years of experience in planning roles, particularly in retail or fashion/apparel.
• Proficiency in Advanced Excel , SAP , and Microsoft PowerPoint for financial analysis and presentations.
• Strong analytical and statistical acumen to interpret data and develop actionable insights.
• Experience with Business Intelligence tools is a plus.