Senior Manager- Planning and Merchandising

Role & responsibilities

• Merchandise Range Planning

  - Build seasonal and annual range plans based on Category targets, Channel-wise performance insights, Brand strategy and price architecture, Consumer trends and preferences

  .

  Ensure the range is balanced across core, seasonal, and fashion-forward items.

• Collaboration with Product Development

  - Coordinate closely with the PD team to ensure SKU-level range execution, mitigate risks of launch delays, monitor sample development and approvals.

• Product Launch Readiness & On-Time Execution

  - Monitor pre-launch critical paths (CPs), ensure assortment availability as per planned launch dates, manage exceptions through agile planning and vendor follow-ups.

• Inbound & Allocation Planning

  - Conduct GRN (Goods Receipt Note) checks to track OTIF (On Time In Full), plan warehouse/channel-specific allocation in coordination with logistics, monitoring first availability timelines and allocation fulfillment.

• NOOS (Never Out of Stock) Management

  - Forecast demand for NOOS product lines and mange stock health while placing timely orders with the vendors and PD. Ensure target Days of Inventory (DOI) is met with no OOS (out-of-stock) or over stockings.

• Inventory Optimization & Aging Stock Actions

  Regularly identify slow-/non-movers, recommend inter-warehouse transfers and liquidation offers, optimize working capital tied to inventory.

• Catalog Hygiene & Merch Plan Alignment

  - Conduct regular catalog audits for product description and imagery accuracy, attribute alignment with merchandising plan, discontinued SKUs removal and visibility tagging.

Preferred candidate profile

• You should have at least 5-8 years of buying and assortment / merchandising planning experience or category management.
• Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Merchandising, Retail Management or Business.
• MBA/Postgraduate in Retail Management, Merchandising, or Analytics is preferred for advanced education.
• Experience in both offline and online channel planning and proven record of inventory management and optimization.
• Bonus points for being a pet parent and having knowledge of pet product trends, customer preferences, and category drivers.
• Technical Skills - Excel (Advanced level), ERP/MIS systems, Merchandise planning tools, BI tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)