Location Planner - Foschini at TFG (The Foschini Group)

Job Description

• The Location Planner is responsible for managing pre-season and in-season store plans and identifying opportunities for stock turn improvements. They prepare pre-season store plans, manage new and revamp store viabilities and strategy, and work alongside the allocation team to execute allocation and assortment strategy. Additionally, they monitor store stock levels and performance to ensure alignment with the merchandise strategy.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive store-level performance against sales, stock, and profitability targets.
• Proactively analyse weekly and in-season trade to identify risks and opportunities, taking decisive action to optimise performance.
• Actively manage stock flow, assortment, and availability to maximise sell-through and minimise lost sales.
• Take accountability for stock productivity, including stock turn, aged stock, and markdown outcomes.
• Develop and execute location planning strategies aligned to overall merchandise and business strategy.
• Create and maintain store clusters, grading frameworks, and profiles to enable effective ranging and allocation decisions.
• Localise assortment strategies based on store performance, customer behaviour, and regional trends.
• Assess the viability and strategy of new, relocated, and refurbished stores, ensuring accurate planning and optimal ranging.
• Prepare and deliver pre-season store plans aligned to merchandise strategy and financial targets.
• Translate category plans into actionable store-level execution plans.
• Manage seasonal store grids to ensure optimal product distribution across the store network.
• Continuously refine plans based on in-season performance and evolving trade conditions.
• Partner with Merchandise Planners to translate category strategy into store-specific plans and actions.
• Provide clear direction and priorities to Allocation teams to support effective execution of location strategies.
• Collaborate closely with Operations to ensure alignment between stock strategy and in-store execution realities.
• Act as the central point of insight on store performance, providing actionable recommendations to key stakeholders.
• Monitor and optimise omni-channel stock and sales performance to ensure seamless availability across all channels.
• Manage aged and excess stock within stores in line with company strategy, driving corrective actions where required.
• Identify opportunities to improve availability, reduce stock imbalances, and optimise overall inventory health.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and analytical tools to track store performance, trends, and opportunities.
• Provide regular, insight-led feedback on new and existing store performance, including post-investment reviews.
• Translate data into clear, actionable insights that influence trading decisions across the business.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualification (e.g. Business, Commerce, Supply Chain, Analytics or similar) 
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Location Planning, Merchandise Planning, Allocation, or Retail
• Analytics within a clothing retail environment.
• Proven experience in trading, stock management, and performance analysis.
• Exposure to merchandise planning, allocation, or supply chain processes is advantageous.

Skills: 

• Strong commercial acumen with a trader mindset and bias for action
• Ability to interpret complex data and translate it into clear, actionable decisions
• Deep understanding of retail metrics, stock management, and store performance drivers
• High levels of numeracy with strong analytical and problem-solving capability
• Advanced Excel skills and strong systems capability.
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new systems and technologies.
• Strong influencing and relationship-building skills across cross-functional teams.
• Ability to communicate insights clearly and persuasively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• High level of collaboration with a focus on alignment and execution.

Behaviours:

• Drives Results – Delivers measurable outcomes with urgency and focus.
• Ensures Accountability – Takes ownership of decisions and performance outcomes.
• Manages Complexity – Simplifies and interprets complex information to enable decision-making.
• Plans and Aligns – Develops plans that align with broader business strategy. 
• Builds Networks – Establishes strong, collaborative partnerships across the business.
• Situational Adaptability – Responds effectively to changing business needs and trading conditions.
• Nimble Learning – Quickly acquires new knowledge and adapts in a fast-paced environment.