Associate Planner - Retail Planning

About the role

Al Tayer Insignia is looking for a commercially driven Associate Planner to join its Retail Planning team in Dubai. The role develops and delivers merchandise plans that maximise sales, margin, stock productivity and inventory performance across retail stores, working closely with Buying, Supply Chain, Store Operations, Finance and Leadership teams.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and manage seasonal, annual and departmental merchandise plans, driving sales, gross margin, sell-through and inventory performance against commercial targets.
• Own and manage the Open-to-Buy (OTB) process to ensure effective stock investment and inventory control.
• Review trading performance and recommend actions to maximise sales and profitability; identify risks and opportunities through sales, stock and trend analysis.
• Lead markdown and promotional planning to reduce aged stock and protect margin.
• Monitor inventory levels, stock cover and replenishment strategies across stores, and manage stock allocation, replenishment and inter-store transfers.
• Partner with Buying teams on range planning, forecasting and buying decisions, and work with Supply Chain and vendors to improve delivery performance.
• Produce planning reports and share performance updates, forecasts and action plans with stakeholders, and drive continuous improvement in planning processes.
• People management: set clear performance standards, give balanced feedback, build strong relationships, and make sound decisions even with incomplete information.

Required profile

• 7-8 years of experience in Merchandise Planning, Retail Planning, Demand Planning or Commercial Planning in a retail environment.
• Minimum 2 years of hands-on Open-to-Buy (OTB) management experience.
• Experience planning across multiple stores, categories or regions.
• Ideal candidates come from Fashion, Sportswear, Lifestyle, Department Store, Beauty or Specialty Retail.

Required skills

• Strong experience in sales forecasting, inventory planning, stock optimization and trading analysis.
• Understanding of KPIs such as sales, margin, sell-through, stock turn, cover and markdown performance.
• Advanced Excel and analytical capabilities.
• Experience with planning tools, forecasting systems or retail ERP platforms.
• Strong stakeholder management and presentation skills.