Senior Planner (Beauty)

takealot.com, South Africa's leading online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Senior Planner (Beauty) to join our Beauty Buying team in Cape Town.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us. We offer a market related, Total Remuneration Package which allows full flexibility according to your needs, a great work environment and a promise that you won’t be bored as long as you are prepared for a challenge and want to build something great.

This position reports to the Head of Planning

• →Oversee the In-stock function including demand planning, ordering and capacity management in line with Beauty department strategy.
• →Deliver accurate insights and reports on a timely bases on which department managers can base commercial decisions and deliver on revenue and margin plans.
• →Create sustainable In-stock systems and processes in partnership with central analytics, technical and product teams.
• →Planning management to support department procurement cycles including but not limited to; seasonality, promotion planning, reaction, import purchasing & continual replenishment.
• →Develop & own the bottom-up budgeting plan cycle and reviews in line with performance, margin, stock turn & departmental strategy objectives.
• →Own and compile the annual retail sales budget, quarterly plan, working plan as well as on-going reforecasting at category and product levels to ensure budgets are achieved.
• →Manage end to end inventory availability and inventory health including: improved in-stock rates (availability), inventory planning at categorisation, systematic forecasting, markdown and clearance provisions, return to supplier activities and warehouse space management.
• →Drive process improvement and operational excellence within our supplier base by reducing costs, defects, and lead times, while increasing innovation, automation, and economies of scale.
• →Drive complex business analysis that identifies opportunities to improve cost structure and profitability, focusing on continual contribution margin improvements.
• →Lead a team of buying assistants; hire, manage and develop a team.
• →Support the operations team in delivering a world-class customer experience – monitor and scrutinise department returns, defects and write offs, supporting the customer service team on product queries and resolving any customer complaints.

• Bachelor’s Degree or Advanced Diploma (Commerce, Finance, Mathematics or Economics Degree preferable).
• Minimum 5 years Retail experience specifically in Planning.
• Beauty Category experience within Retail/FMCG
• Proven track record in planning, inventory management and forecasting.
• Proven track record in spend management (OTB, Margin management, mark down controls).
• Strong numerical and analytical aptitude, and high proficiency creating and managing advanced models.
• Strong proficiency in using analytical tools (Microsoft Excel, SQL and statistical software).