Assistant Planning Manager (Merchandising) | Dubai, UAE

Job Overview

The Assistant Planning Manager will support the retail planning function by developing and managing sales, financial, and inventory plans across different markets, business units, stores, and sales channels. The role focuses on accurate forecasting, inventory management, markdown planning, and performance analysis to support sales growth and profitability.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Working closely with Merchandising, Buying, Finance, Retail, Allocation, and Supply Chain teams, the Assistant Planning Manager will help ensure that business plans are effectively developed, monitored, and executed.

Key Responsibilities

Business Planning

• Support the development of annual business plans across markets and business units.
• Prepare weekly Warehouse Sales and Stock Intake (WSSI) reports.
• Monitor sales, stock intake, and inventory performance across business categories.
• Support markdown management in line with sales and profitability objectives.

Sales and Financial Planning

• Develop seasonal and annual sales plans by market, store, category, and sales channel.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and seasonal sales forecasts using historical performance, market trends, and business drivers.
• Support financial planning for gross profit, gross margin, markdowns, and inventory.
• Monitor actual performance against planned targets.
• Identify potential risks, sales gaps, and business opportunities.

Merchandise Planning

• Support the Planning Manager with seasonal business unit planning.
• Consider new product launches, seasonal strategies, and previous-year performance when preparing plans.
• Monitor product and category performance throughout the season.
• Recommend corrective actions to improve sales, stock levels, and profitability.

Markdown and Price Planning

• Support markdown planning and price phasing activities.
• Analyze promotional performance and sell-through rates.
• Monitor aging and slow-moving inventory.
• Work with Merchandising teams to recommend appropriate markdown actions.
• Help balance stock clearance with margin and profitability targets.

Reporting and Business Analysis

• Prepare weekly and monthly reports covering sales, margin, inventory, and key performance indicators.
• Analyze product, category, store, and channel performance.
• Identify trends, risks, and opportunities through data analysis.
• Provide actionable insights to support commercial and planning decisions.
• Develop dashboards, templates, and presentations for business reviews.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Finance to validate forecasts and financial plans.
• Collaborate with Buying and Merchandising teams on business unit and departmental planning.
• Coordinate with Retail, Allocation, and Supply Chain teams to support effective inventory management.
• Communicate planning insights and recommendations to relevant stakeholders.

Systems and Process Management

• Maintain accurate planning data and product hierarchies within reporting systems.
• Use retail planning and business intelligence tools to analyze performance.
• Improve reporting templates and planning processes where required.
• Support the development of dashboards and management presentations.

Required Skills

• Strong analytical and numerical abilities.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Experience with reporting and business intelligence tools.
• Strong understanding of sales, inventory, margin, and retail performance metrics.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced retail environment.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Retail Management, Merchandising, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in merchandise planning, financial planning, retail analysis, or a related role.
• Previous experience in fashion, department store, grocery, or multi-category retail is preferred.
• Experience with planning and reporting platforms such as JDA, Power BI, Tableau, SAP, or similar systems.
• Experience working with sales forecasts, inventory planning, markdowns, and commercial performance analysis.

Why This Role Matters

The Assistant Planning Manager is an important part of the retail planning team, helping the business make informed decisions around sales, inventory, pricing, and profitability. The role offers an opportunity to work across multiple retail functions while contributing directly to business performance and customer-focused stock management.

Job Location

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Job Type

Full-Time | Retail | Merchandising & Planning