LandMark Group
Landmark Group has shaped retail and hospitality across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. With 21 brands, 2,500+ stores, and 35M+ loyalty members, we live our purpose: creating exceptional value for all the lives we touchJob Overview
We are seeking an experienced Senior Manager – Demand Planning to lead planning and inventory management activities for Homeware and Furniture categories in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving sales growth, improving inventory productivity, maximizing profitability, and delivering an exceptional customer experience through effective demand forecasting and retail planning strategies.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This leadership role requires close collaboration with Buying, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, and Retail teams to ensure product availability, optimize stock levels, and support long-term business growth.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Planning & Leadership
- Develop and execute demand planning strategies aligned with business objectives.
- Manage sales, margin, inventory, and Open-to-Buy (OTB) budgets.
- Lead planning activities across multiple product categories and retail locations.
- Drive inventory optimization while maintaining product availability.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve operational efficiency and business performance.
- Mentor and develop planning teams to enhance forecasting and analytical capabilities.
Seasonal Planning & Merchandising
- Conduct post-season reviews and analyze business performance.
- Create seasonal sales, inventory, and assortment plans.
- Develop merchandise financial plans (MFP) and store grading strategies.
- Support category growth through effective range planning and product allocation.
Demand Forecasting & Inventory Management
- Monitor sales trends, inventory levels, stock cover, and replenishment performance.
- Improve forecast accuracy using data-driven planning techniques.
- Identify risks and opportunities and implement corrective actions.
- Manage stock allocation, markdown strategies, and inventory turnover.
Business Performance Analysis
- Track key retail performance indicators and provide actionable insights.
- Conduct competitor research and market analysis.
- Support decision-making through advanced reporting and forecasting models.
- Present business performance updates during weekly and monthly review meetings.
Team Leadership
- Lead recruitment, coaching, and performance management initiatives.
- Build a high-performing planning team focused on continuous improvement.
- Foster collaboration and stakeholder engagement across departments.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- Strong experience in retail demand planning and merchandise planning.
- Expertise in WSSI, OTB, MFP, assortment planning, allocation, and markdown management.
- Advanced knowledge of demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and retail analytics.
- Strong understanding of sales planning, gross margin management, and GMROI.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and data analysis skills.
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management abilities.
- Experience with planning platforms such as RELEX, SAP IBP, Oracle, o9, or similar systems is preferred.
- Proven ability to manage teams and deliver business results in a retail environment.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Sales Growth and Revenue Performance
- Gross Margin Achievement
- Inventory Turnover and Productivity
- Forecast Accuracy and Demand Planning Effectiveness
- Product Availability and Stock Replenishment
- Markdown Optimization
- Open-to-Buy (OTB) Performance
- Sell-Through Rates
- Team Performance and Capability Development
Why Apply?
This is an exciting opportunity for experienced retail planning professionals seeking to advance their careers in Dubai’s growing retail industry. The role offers the chance to influence strategic business decisions, lead high-performing teams, and drive commercial success within a dynamic retail environment.