Central Planning Analyst: Systems

**JOB PURPOSE**:
To be responsible for evolving and optimising the merchandise planning systems and business intelligence platforms in line with the merchandise planning system strategy in support of the company objectives. Driving cross functional alignment when planning systems changes are implemented and keeping users up to date with planning system changes.

**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES**:
**Optimization of Merchandise Planning Systems and Intelligence Platforms**
- Evaluation of current systems holistically
- Proposal of enhancements or changes to the system/processes
- Accountable for specification and sign-off of any change to Merchandise systems:

- Enterprise Planning
- Location Planning
- Assortment Planning
- JDA Stock Allocations
- Just Enough replenishment tool
- APT (Test and Control)
- Qlik-Sense (Reporting Tool)
- Investigate new sources

**Communication**
- Accountable for cross-functional alignment with all relevant stakeholders
- Change management of new systems and implementation
- Accountable for user acceptance testing of new systems from a planning side

**Training and Development**
- Designing content of training material
- Ensuring the training and development of users
- Co-ordinating and facilitating training for system users
- Refreshers on planning systems and processes
- Training on new systems

**Projects**
- Plan, lead and implement projects as required by the business
- Support the planning team through the implementation of any other projects

**EXPERIENCE REQUIRED**:
**Essential**:

- A minimum of 3+ years of planning experience within a clothing retail environment
- Experience working in planning systems namely from product plans to clustering, assortment plans and allocations
- Working experience in the latest Microsoft packages (Word, PowerPoint & Advanced Excel)
- 2-3 years' experience in analyzing information in a BI environment

**Preferred**:

- 2-3 years' experience in replenishment and fashion planning
- Previous exposure to and understanding of logistics and supply chain processes

**SKILLS REQUIRED**:

- Excellent organisational, planning, project and time management expertise.
- Merchant and Commercial sound thinking
- Methodical, detail oriented and accurate
- A strong analytical and problem-solving ability
- Good judgment together with a sound decision-making ability
- Excellent relationship-building, facilitation, networking and communication skills
- Excellent numerical skills
- Conflict resolution skills
- Assertiveness
- Resilient, have tenacity and maintain high levels of drive and initiative under pressure
- The ability to:

- interpret and understand customer needs and translate these into technical specifications and operational requirements
- to be deadline and results-driven
- take initiative and reason logically and be creative in developing and introducing new ideas
- work independently, as well as within a team
- positively influence system user behaviour

**QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED**:
**Essential**:

- A Grade 12 Certificate/Matric
- B. Comm./ B. Science degree in Finance, Accounting, Mathematics, Statistics and/or Business Science OR
- National Diploma majoring in Internal Auditing and/or Cost and Management Accounting OR
- National Diploma in Financial Information Systems OR
- National Diploma/ degree in Business/Retail/Merchandise Management or Accounting/Finance

**KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED**:

- Expert product knowledge on the Just Enough tool or a similar RPL System (JDA, SAP, Retek, Oracle etc.)
- Knowledge of the Retail merchandise cycle in terms of Buying, Planning, Logistics and Stores
- Knowledge of the retail and merchandise planning processes
- Knowledge and understanding of seasonal and non-seasonal products
- Exposure to BI tools (e.g. QlikSense/ QlikView)