An exciting opportunity is available for 2 experienced Product Planners to take responsibility for the KIDS and Intimates portfolios within a fast-paced value retail environment.

The positions are suited to experienced planners who understand merchandise products, can turn data into commercial decisions and have strong experience in product planning, replenishment and assortment planning.

Candidates must have at least 3–5 years of previous product planning experience within a relevant retail and/or FMCG environment.

Job Overview

Job Detail	Information
Position	Product Planner
Number of Portfolios	2
Portfolios	KIDS & Intimates
Minimum Education	Grade 12 / Matric
Preferred Qualification	Relevant Degree or National Diploma
Experience	Minimum 3–5 years in Product Planning
Industry Experience	Relevant Retail and/or FMCG
Key Focus	Merchandise Planning, Forecasting, Replenishment & Assortment Planning
Computer Skills	Microsoft Word & Excel
Advanced Excel	Advantage
Location	Not specified in the supplied advert
Closing Date	Not specified in the supplied advert

About the Product Planner Opportunities

The employer is looking for experienced planners who can deliver, implement and manage departmental business plans supporting the overall merchandise strategy.

There are two portfolios available:

• KIDS
• Intimates

The ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of merchandise products within a value retail business and be passionate about using data and numbers to drive performance.

Candidates should also be comfortable operating in a high-energy retail environment where commercial thinking, accuracy and meeting deadlines are important.

Job Purpose

The successful Product Planners will be responsible for delivering, implementing and managing departmental business plans that support the merchandise strategy for the KIDS and Intimates business units.

The employer is particularly looking for individuals who are:

• Experienced in product planning
• Commercially minded
• Data-driven
• Results-focused
• Self-motivated
• Energetic
• Comfortable working with numbers
• Able to perform in a fast-paced retail environment

Key Responsibilities

Successful candidates will be responsible for:

1. Departmental Business Planning

Deliver and implement departmental business plans that support the Strategic Business Unit’s (SBU) merchandise strategy.

2. Forecast Management

Manage departmental forecasts to achieve the agreed:

• Growth targets
• Profitability targets
• Departmental Business Plan objectives

3. Merchandise Assortment Planning

Prepare and deliver merchandise assortment plans that support the signed-off departmental business strategy.

4. Replenishment

Ensure sufficient inflows to maintain agreed replenishment service levels and support departmental growth and profitability targets.

5. Merchandise Information

Provide accurate and timely merchandise information to:

• Minimise business risk
• Identify opportunities
• Optimise business performance

6. Project Management

Where applicable, execute and manage project plans to achieve agreed objectives.

Minimum Qualification

The essential educational requirement is:

Grade 12 Certificate / Matric

This means applicants do not necessarily need a degree or diploma to meet the advertised essential education requirement.

However, candidates must still meet the relevant experience requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

The following qualifications are preferred:

Degree Options

• B.Com degree in a relevant field such as:
  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Mathematics
  • Statistics
  • Business Science

or

• B.Sc degree in a relevant listed field

National Diploma Options

• National Diploma majoring in Internal Auditing and Cost and Management Accounting

or

• National Diploma in Financial Information Systems

These qualifications are listed as preferred, while Matric is the essential qualification.

Experience Required

Applicants must have:

Minimum 3–5 years’ previous experience in product planning within a relevant retail and/or FMCG environment

Candidates must also have experience in:

• Replenishment planning
• Assortment planning
• Store planning
• Planning systems
• General logistics and supply chain processes

The advert additionally lists:

Previous Store Management Experience – 1 to 2 Years

Applicants should make any relevant store management experience clear on their CV.

Retail Knowledge Required

Applicants should understand:

The Retail Merchandise Cycle

Including:

• Buying
• Planning
• Logistics
• Stores

Replenishment

Candidates should understand:

• Seasonal replenishment
• Non-seasonal replenishment

South African Retail Clothing Market

Applicants should understand:

• The South African clothing retail market
• Customers
• Competitors

Computer Skills

Experience with recent Microsoft software is required, including:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel

Advanced Excel proficiency is an advantage.

Because the position is highly data-driven, candidates should clearly state their genuine Excel proficiency on their CV.

Skills and Competencies Required

Commercial and Numerical Skills

Applicants need:

• Sound commercial thinking
• Strong numerical skills

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills

Candidates should demonstrate:

• Analytical thinking
• Logical problem-solving ability
• Ability to interpret information and use it in decision-making

Interpersonal Skills

Applicants need:

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Relationship-building ability
• Collaboration skills
• Ability to positively influence decision-making within a team

Planning and Organisation

Candidates should have strong:

• Planning skills
• Organising skills
• Time-management skills
• Deadline management

Conflict Resolution

The position requires candidates who can handle workplace disagreements and challenges constructively.

Resilience and Agility

Applicants should be able to:

• Work effectively under pressure
• Maintain high levels of drive
• Show initiative
• Adapt to changing circumstances
• Maintain a positive attitude
• Continue delivering results in challenging situations

Attention to Detail

Candidates should have a:

Methodical and detail-oriented approach

Accuracy is particularly important when working with forecasts, merchandise information, replenishment and assortment plans.

Communication

Applicants need effective communication skills across different organisational levels.

Integrity

A strong sense of professional integrity is required.

Assertiveness

Candidates should be confident and appropriately assertive when handling responsibilities and making decisions.

What Type of Candidate Is the Employer Looking For?

This opportunity would particularly suit someone who:

• Already has solid product planning experience
• Understands value retail
• Enjoys working with numbers and data
• Understands merchandise performance
• Can manage forecasts
• Has replenishment and assortment planning experience
• Understands stores and supply chain processes
• Can identify commercial opportunities
• Is comfortable working under pressure
• Can collaborate with buyers and other business teams
• Takes responsibility for delivering results

How to Apply

The supplied vacancy indicates that candidates should apply for the job, but the actual application URL or application instructions were not included in the information provided.

Applicants should therefore use the official application option attached to the original vacancy.

Do not send applications to an unofficial email address unless the employer specifically provides one.

Closing Date

Not specified in the supplied vacancy information

Applicants should check the original vacancy listing for the current closing date before applying.

CV Tips for Product Planner Applicants

1. Put Your Product Planning Experience Front and Centre

The employer requires 3–5 years of product planning experience within retail and/or FMCG.

Your CV should immediately demonstrate that you meet this requirement.

For example:

Product Planner – [Retail Company]
January 2022 – Present

Then describe your actual planning responsibilities and results.

2. Quantify Your Achievements

This is a commercially focused position, so numbers can strengthen your CV.

Where accurate, provide achievements such as:

• Percentage sales growth
• Improved stock availability
• Reduction in aged stock
• Improved forecast accuracy
• Increased stock turn
• Improved gross margin
• Reduced markdowns
• Improved replenishment service levels

For example:

“Improved stock availability from X% to Y% through revised replenishment planning.”

Only use figures you can genuinely support.

3. Highlight Assortment Planning

Assortment planning is specifically required.

Explain your genuine experience with:

• Range planning
• Product assortment
• Seasonal planning
• Category performance
• Store clustering, if applicable
• Product allocation, if applicable

4. Highlight Replenishment Experience

The employer requires both seasonal and non-seasonal replenishment knowledge.

Make relevant replenishment responsibilities easy to find.

5. Mention Your Planning Systems

The vacancy specifically requires experience working with planning systems.

List the systems you have actually used.

6. Highlight Excel Skills

If you genuinely have advanced Excel skills, state them.

You may also mention specific functions or capabilities you actually use, such as:

• PivotTables
• Lookups
• Data analysis
• Forecast models
• Reporting
• Complex formulas

Do not claim advanced Excel if you cannot demonstrate it during an assessment or interview.

7. Highlight Store Management Experience

The advert specifically lists 1–2 years of previous store management experience.

If you have this experience, clearly identify:

• Store/company
• Position
• Dates
• Responsibilities
• Team size, where relevant
• Commercial achievements

8. Show Your Understanding of the SA Clothing Market

Because knowledge of the South African retail clothing market, customers and competitors is required, your CV should demonstrate relevant apparel or merchandise exposure where applicable.

Example CV Profile

“Commercially focused Product Planner with over five years of experience in retail product planning, forecasting, replenishment and assortment planning. Strong analytical and numerical ability with experience translating merchandise data into actionable commercial decisions. Experienced in planning systems, Microsoft Excel, store operations and supply chain processes, with a strong understanding of the South African retail market.”

Adapt this example according to your actual experience.

Possible Product Planner Interview Questions

1. Tell us about your experience as a Product Planner.
2. How many years of product planning experience do you have?
3. What retail or FMCG categories have you planned?
4. What do you understand about the merchandise planning cycle?
5. How do Buying and Planning work together?
6. How do you build a departmental business plan?
7. How do you prepare a merchandise assortment plan?
8. How do you forecast sales?
9. Which factors do you consider when forecasting demand?
10. How do you measure forecast accuracy?
11. Explain your experience with replenishment planning.
12. What is the difference between seasonal and non-seasonal replenishment?
13. How do you determine appropriate stock levels?
14. How would you deal with an underperforming product?
15. How would you manage excessive stock?
16. How would you respond to unexpectedly high demand for a product?
17. How do you minimise markdown risk?
18. Which KPIs do you normally use when assessing merchandise performance?
19. How do you balance sales growth and profitability?
20. Tell us about a commercial decision you made using data.
21. How do you identify opportunities from merchandise performance data?
22. Describe your experience with assortment planning.
23. What planning systems have you used?
24. How would you rate your Microsoft Excel skills?
25. Which Excel functions do you regularly use?
26. What store planning experience do you have?
27. What store management experience do you have?
28. How has store-level experience influenced your approach to merchandise planning?
29. What experience do you have with logistics and supply chain processes?
30. What trends are currently important in the South African clothing retail market?
31. How would you approach planning for a KIDS merchandise portfolio?
32. How would you approach planning for an Intimates portfolio?
33. How do you manage competing deadlines?
34. Tell us about a time you had to influence a commercial decision.
35. Why are you interested in this Product Planner opportunity?

Important Vacancy Summary

Position: Product Planner
Number of Portfolios Available: 2
Portfolios: KIDS & Intimates
Essential Qualification: Grade 12 / Matric
Preferred Qualification: Relevant B.Com/B.Sc Degree or listed National Diploma
Product Planning Experience: Minimum 3–5 years in relevant Retail and/or FMCG environment
Replenishment Planning: Required
Assortment Planning: Required
Store Planning Experience: Required
Store Management Experience: 1–2 years listed
Logistics/Supply Chain Exposure: Required
Planning Systems Experience: Required
Microsoft Word & Excel: Required
Advanced Excel: Advantage
Location: Not specified in the supplied vacancy
Closing Date: Not specified in the supplied vacancy
Application Method: Use the official application option provided with the original vacancy listing