Retail Merchandiser

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Sales Planning & Forecasting

• Develop comprehensive seasonal and annual sales plans that align with company objectives, brand strategies.
• Forecast sales and inventory requirements by department, store, and month to ensure optimal stock availability without overstocking.
• Continuously review and revise forecasts during in-season trading based on sell-through performance, market conditions, and promotional activities.
• Collaborate with the buying team to ensure assortment depth and breadth are aligned with forecasted demand and category performance.
• Provide detailed analysis of planned versus actual performance and recommend corrective actions to maximize profitability.

2. Merchandise & Inventory Management

• Identify fast-moving and slow-moving merchandise through regular performance analysis to guide replenishment and markdown strategies.
• Manage the product lifecycle from new launch to end-of-season clearance, ensuring appropriate pricing, promotions, and transfers.
• Take proactive measures against low-selling items (e.g. Discounts, or store transfers).
• Oversee stock movement across multiple locations (stores, warehouses, and regional hubs — including UAE and other GCC markets).
• Plan and manage SKU allocation by store and channel, ensuring right stock in the right place at the right time.
• Track stock in stores, stock in transit, and stock in warehouse, ensuring full visibility across the supply chain.
• Maintain balanced stock cover levels to support sales objectives while minimizing obsolescence and markdown losses.
• Develop merchandise plans down to store-by-store, month-by-month, and category-by-category levels, outlining sales, stock.
• Define optimal SKU breakdowns by classification, incorporating insights from historical sales data, color/size analysis, and market demand.
• Recommend appropriate product mix per store based on trading area, customer demographics, and sales history.

3. Data Analytics & Market Insights

• Conduct deep-dive analyses of historical sales data, identifying sales patterns, top-performing SKUs, and key profit drivers.
• Use data-driven insights to forecast SKU-level demand, rationalize assortments, and determine effective color and size ratios.
• Identify current fashion trends, consumer preferences, and regional differences to guide buying and replenishment decisions.
• Analyze market to anticipate shifts in consumer demand and react quickly to emerging opportunities.
• Present analytical reports to management, summarizing key findings, trend insights, and recommendations for improvement.

4. Performance Optimization & Business Growth

• Continuously evaluate trading performance to identify sales growth opportunities and underperforming areas.
• Recommend and execute reallocation strategies to maintain healthy sell-through rates.
• Determine key trading factors (e.g., seasonality & product lifecycle) for each brand and category.
• Implement post-season analysis to measure plan accuracy, identify gaps, and apply learnings for future planning cycles.

5. Reporting & Communication

• Produce regular reports on sales performance, stock levels, and product movement across regions and channels.
• Support senior management in seasonal reviews, and strategic decision-making.

Desired Candidate Profile:

• Minimum 3 to 5 years of Experience in Retail Fashion Industry

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and numerical ability with advanced Excel/Merchandise Planning System skills.
• Excellent understanding of retail KPIs: sell-through %, stock cover and OTB (Open-to-Buy).
• Strategic thinker with a commercial mindset and strong fashion/fabric/product awareness.
• Effective cross-functional collaborator with strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced, multi-brand retail environment.

Key Deliverables

• Accurate sales and inventory forecasts by store, category, and month.
• Action plans for slow-moving and overstocked items.
• Detailed merchandise plans and assortment matrices per store and season.
• Market and trend analysis reports with actionable recommendations.
• Improved sell-through and optimized stock turn across all categories.

Education Qualification· B.Tech/M.tech/BE – Textile Technology· B.FT/M.FT/MFM – NIFT· Bachelors – Pearl Academy/Army institute of Fashion/FDDI

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: AED5,000.00 - AED7,000.00 per month