Senior Associate Planning & Trading LFR

Professional Qualification/Experience:

• Postgraduate / MBA from top-tier institutes preferred (e.g., IIMs, NITIE, SPJIMR, XLRI, FMS, MDI), with a minimum of 1–2 years of work experience in data analytics, demand planning, supply chain, or retail planning.
• OR
• Graduate in Engineering from a top-tier college/university, with a minimum of 3–4 years of relevant experience in data analytics, demand planning, supply chain, or retail planning (preferably in fashion industry).

Technical Skills:

• Strong proficiency in ‘Advanced Microsoft Excel’ is a must.

Additional Advantage:

• Knowledge or exposure to SQL, VBA, Python, SAP, PowerBI, PowerQuery or other planning tools will be an added advantage
• Experience in the fashion retail industry is preferred.
• Interest in sports or active participation in any sport is a plus.

Key Attributes:

• Strong communication, interpersonal skills and stakeholder management
• Self-motivated and driven; able to work independently with minimal or no supervision.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work based on business needs.
• Analytical and inquisitive mindset

Position Summary: This role is responsible for driving demand planning, sales enablement, and inventory management for Large Format Retail (LFR), Shop-in-Shop (SIS), and Outright Distribution business.

It requires a strong analytical mindset, effective cross-functional collaboration, and a deep understanding of retail dynamics to ensure accurate forecasting, optimal stock availability, and the achievement of sales and margin targets.

Key Objectives:

Demand Planning & Sales Enablement

• Demand Forecasting: Develop monthly sales targets at the store level, along with detailed day wise phasing of monthly targets for the Department Stores (i.e., Large Format Retail), Multi-Brand Regional Accounts (i.e., Shop-in-Shop)

• Rolling Forecasts: Prepare monthly and quarterly rolling forecasts.

• Sales Achievement: Monitor progress against sales targets and proactively adjust promotional strategies as needed. Collaborate closely with the retail sales and Trading team to identify operational gaps and implement corrective actions.

• Performance Monitoring: Track daily business performance and profitability through key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Promotion Planning: Plan, track, and maintain the promotion calendar; conduct post-promotion analysis.

• Markdown Management: Design data-backed promotional offers that balance revenue, profitability and inventory turnover objectives. Partner with the sales team to communicate and execute in-store promotions, customize offers/promos by location and align display.

Inventory Management

• Buy Budget Estimation: Estimate buy budgets for future seasons for LFR and SIS channels. Track ‘Open-To-Buy’ orders in the system based on the latest sales plan.

• Stock Cover: Maintain optimal stock cover at stores to ensure availability and minimize overstock.

• Returns Management: Estimate and track returns (both in-season and post-season) from stores to the warehouse.

• Warehouse Outwards: Estimate monthly warehouse-to-store stock movements.

• Plan Monthly and Yearly sales targets and estimate buy budgets for the Outright Distribution Business.