Job Title

Manager Merchandising Planning Location: Gurgaon, IndiaRole Purpose & Organizational Impact The Manager Merchandising Planning is responsible for maximizing the profitability of own retail Value stores across Emerging Markets (EM) by driving key merchandising processes, strategic initiatives, and data-driven decision-making. This role ensures that all in-season activities (promotions, markdowns, and replenishment) are aligned to achieve planned sales, margin, and inventory objectives, while enhancing customer experience and operational excellence across all stores.What We Are Looking For We are seeking adynamic merchandising professionalwith6–8 years of experience(total experienceunder 10 years ) inretail or trading , with proven expertise inOTB planning, replenishment, markdown management, and inventory optimization . The ideal candidate will havestrong analytical skills, advanced Power BI and Excel proficiency , and atrading mindsetto identify and maximize business opportunities.Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skillsare essential, along with ago-getter attitude, attention to detail, and the ability to perform under pressurein afast-paced, multi-market environment .Key Responsibilities Strategic Planning & Execution:Define and implementkey merchandising strategiesaligned with business objectives and the merchandising framework. OTB & Seasonal Buys:Plan, manage, and monitorseasonal Open-to-Buy (OTB)and buys to achieve targeted sales and margins. Sales & Stock Management:Maintainmonthly sales and stock intake plans , including product gap analysis and assortment planning. New Store Development:Collaborate withstore development teamsto ensureoptimized product space allocationin new stores. Visual Merchandising & Trade Marketing:Partner withVM and trade marketing teamsto standardizein-store communication toolsacross EM. Supply Chain Optimization:Work closely withSCM teamsto improvereplenishment and reduce inefficiencies . KPI Management:Monitor key metrics ( net sales, sell-through, margin, inventory, IDL ) and drive corrective actions to achieve business goals. Markdowns & Promotions:Implementstandardized markdown and promotional strategies(e.g., BOGO, seasonal discounts) to balance profitability and inventory aging. Reporting & Insights:Develop and managemerchandising reports and dashboards (Power BI)to support data-driven decision-making. Weekly Trade Reviews:Conductweekly analysis of sales, inventory, and product performance , and creategap plans with markets . Best Practice Sharing:Promoteknowledge transferacross value stores and franchise networks within EM. Project Leadership:Leadstrategic projects and initiativesto support growth and operational excellence. Leadership & Culture:Serve as arole model for leadershipand foster theONE EM mindsetacross teams.We Are Looking for Experience In Excellent communication skillswith the ability to collaborate across multi-country teams. Strong knowledge and hands-on expertise with Power BI (mandatory). Merchandising or trading background(Note: No buying backgrounds). Total experience of less than 10 years, with 6–8 years in merchandising. Go-getter attitude with strong ownership and a results-driven mindset.Well-Versed In OTB (Open-to-Buy) management. Replenishment planning and stock optimization. Markdown and promotion strategies(e.g., BOGO offers, discounting). Store operations and retail management. Inventory management and retail analytics. Sales forecasting and category performance tracking.Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Strong financial acumen and retail math expertise. Advanced MS Excel and reporting skills. Analytical, detail-oriented, and structured problem solver. Ability to influence across diverse teams (directly and indirectly). Trading mindset with entrepreneurial agility. Solid understanding of retail management systems and processes. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, multi-market environment.Education & Experience University degreein Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience). 6–8 years of merchandising or trading experience,ideally inretail value stores or emerging markets. Total work experience under 10 years.