Role Summary:

The role holder is responsible for managing inventory and retail budgets, including Markdown Planning, Open-to-Buy (OTB), sales densities, inventory health, sell-through, and Gross Margin Return on Inventory Investment (GMROII) The role holder will also lead brand/category planning and effective in-season management and inventory levels to optimize availability, profitability, and overall business performance.

Responsibilities:

• Develop comprehensive financial merchandise plans for all brands/categories based on analytics, customer preferences, historical performance, and future projections shared by the buying team.
• Define and manage high-level financial goals, including pre-season financial planning, in-season forecasting, open-to-buy (OTB) management, and new store budget planning.
• Plan and execute markdown strategies, including Mid-Season Offers (MSO) and End-of-Season Sales (EOSS), based on article-level sell-through, inventory age, weeks of cover, and profitability, to optimize stock liquidation while protecting margins.
• Prepare, analyze, and monitor brand/category MIS reports, tracking actual sales versus forecasts, inventory levels, company order parameters, upcoming events, and replenishment requirements.
• Drive and oversee strategic planning and decision-making across key metrics such as: Financial performance, Sales, stock levels, OTB, margins, and forward cover.
• Communicate approved plans clearly to the buying team and ensure effective in-season execution across stores/regions, including stock balancing, markdown control, and stock-to-sales performance analysis.
• Conduct periodic reviews of merchandise plans to ensure profitability is maximized and target performance levels are consistently achieved.
• Ensure zero stock-out situations by doing periodic Gap Analysis.
• Identify slow-moving and obsolete inventory, secure management approvals for markdowns and discounts, and ensure timely liquidation in line with brand/category guidelines.
• Prepare detailed variance analysis reports comparing budgeted vs actual sales and stock and identify growth opportunities to arrest or reverse declining business trends.
• Monitor, set, and track GMROII and sales density targets by brand/category to enhance overall profitability.
• Ensure timely and accurate execution of sales and promotional activities as per the approved Trade Calendar.

Requirements:

• Atleast 4years of experience in trade promotion analysis, sales analytics, or commercial finance
• Promotion Management Systems: Proficiency in ERP/TPM tools (SAP, S4, ECC, POS systems).
• Pricing & Promotion Setup: Strong understanding of pricing rules, markdowns, mechanics, and system validations.
• Data Analytics: Ability to analyze promotional performance, ROI, uplift, and trends using Excel/BI tools.
• Reporting & Dashboards: Skilled in creating accurate reports, dashboards, and post-promo reviews.
• Financial Acumen: Understanding of budgets, claims, accruals, and promotional profitability.
• Compliance & Audit: Knowledge of promotion SOPs, documentation requirements, and audit readiness.
• Process Management: Ability to manage end-to-end promotion workflows and ensure timely execution.
• System Troubleshooting: Competency in identifying system issues, data discrepancies, and coordinating fixes with IT.
• Requires strong PR skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and operational excellence in all trade promotion activities.

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