Assistant Planning Manager | Retail | Marks & Spencer (M&S) | UAE

Job Requisition ID: 178597

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day

Overview Of The Role:

• The Assistant Planning Manager for M&S plays a pivotal role in supporting the planning function, focusing on developing precise financial, sales, and inventory plans across various markets and channels. This position is crucial for forecasting sales, margins, markdowns, and inventory needs to ensure robust business performance and efficient stock management. Collaborating closely with teams such as Merchandising, Allocation, Retail, and Supply Chain, the Assistant Planning Manager ensures alignment and accurate execution of plans.
  
  

What You Will Do:

Business Plan and KPI Delivery

• Responsible for planning the annual business plan by market and business unit.
• Deliver weekly WSSI for Clothing, Home and Total Business.
• Execute markdown management.
• Deliver sales, cash margin, markdown cost, and closing stock as per the business plan.
  
  

Sales & Financial Planning

• Support the development of seasonal and annual sales plans by market, store, category, and channel including Retail, E-Commerce, and Omnichannel.
• Assist in building weekly, monthly, and seasonal sales forecasts, incorporating past performance, trends, and business drivers.
• Prepare financial projections for gross profit, gross margin, markdown, and inventory.
• Track performance versus plan and highlight risks or opportunities.
  
  

Business Unit Sales Planning

• Support Planning Manager in business unit sales planning by season, incorporating new product strategies, forward-looking initiatives, and potential sales gaps from the previous year.
• Monitor performance against plan, identifying risks, opportunities, and corrective actions to optimize seasonal results.
  
  

Markdown & Price Optimization

• Support markdown planning, price phasing, and promotional analysis.
• Track sell-through and aging stock to recommend timely markdown actions.
• Partner with Merchandising to ensure markdown strategy protects margin while achieving sell-through targets.
  
  

Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare weekly and monthly business performance reports including sales, margin, stock, and KPIs.
• Analyze product, category, and store performance to support strategic decisions.
• Identify business risks and provide insight-driven recommendations.
  
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Support Finance in validating forecasts and financial submissions.
• Work with Buying and Merchandising team on weekly business unit and department-level planning.
  
  

System & Process Support

• Maintain accurate planning data and product hierarchies in reporting systems.
• Develop templates, dashboards, and presentations for planning reviews.
  
  

Required Skills To Be Successful:

• Analytical thinking and attention to detail.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen.
• Advanced Excel and reporting skills.
• Collaboration and cross-functional alignment.
  
  

What Qualifies You For The Role:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Retail Management, or related field.
• 3-5 years of experience in merchandise planning, financial planning, or retail analysis, preferably in fashion or multi-category retail.
• Proficient in Excel and reporting tools, with strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Experience with planning systems such as JDA, Power BI, Tableau, SAP, or similar.
• Strong communication and presentation skills and the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced retail environment.
  
  

About Al-Futtaim Retail

Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.

Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference…