Manager, Product Planning

About the Job

Define and execute short- to mid-term category strategies that drive sustainable growth, profitability, and customer relevance across markets. Partner closely with Product, Assortment Planning, and market Retail Merchandising teams to deliver a robust end-to-end product planning process, translating group objectives into actionable category plans and measurable business outcomes. Support the Associate Director as a key category interface and planning lead, ensuring alignment across product lifecycle, assortment, inventory, and financial targets.

Key Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Business Planning

• Develop and execute category strategies aligned with Group product and brand priorities, ensuring sustainable commercial growth and market relevance.

• Define category objectives, financial targets, and performance roadmaps, translating strategic direction into actionable plans.

• Partner with Product, Assortment Planning, and Market teams to identify opportunities for category expansion, productivity improvement, and market differentiation.

Range Planning

• Lead range planning and assortment development, balancing consumer demand, market trends, brand positioning, and commercial objectives.

• Drive portfolio optimization through effective range architecture, SKU productivity analysis, and lifecycle management.

• Ensure compliance with range segmentation, assortment principles, and product placement strategies across markets and store formats.

Merchandise Financial Planning & Forecasting

• Own category sales, inventory, and demand forecasts across all channels, ensuring optimal product flow and availability.

• Monitor and manage category performance against key financial metrics including sales, margin, inventory productivity, and stock turn.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop pricing architecture and margin strategies that support profitability and competitiveness.

Inventory & Product Lifecycle Management

• Lead end-to-end product lifecycle management, including product introduction, performance reviews, rationalization, and discontinuation planning.

• Partner with Retail Planning and Market teams to manage inventory health and minimize aged or slow-moving stock.

Analytics, Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Establish robust category performance tracking and reporting frameworks.

• Govern product master data integrity to ensure accurate planning, forecasting, and business analysis.

• Identify process improvement opportunities and champion best practices in product planning, forecasting, and category management.

Stakeholder Management

• Act as a key liaison between Product Creation, Product Teams, Assortment Planning, Retail Planning, and Market stakeholders.

• Influence cross-functional decision making through data-driven insights and commercial recommendations.

• Support senior leadership with category reviews, business cases, and strategic planning initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, or related disciplines.

• Minimum 6 years of experience in Product Planning, Category Management, Merchandising, Buying, or Merchandise Planning.

• Proven track record in driving category growth, inventory productivity, and commercial performance.

• Strong analytical capabilities with advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.

• Experience in Merchandise Financial Planning (MFP), forecasting, assortment planning, and inventory optimization preferred.

• Demonstrated ability to influence and collaborate across complex cross-functional and matrix organizations.

• Strong commercial acumen, strategic thinking, and problem-solving capabilities.

• Experience in jewellery, luxury, premium lifestyle, fashion, or retail industries is highly preferred.

• Regional or international exposure, preferably within Greater China or Asia.

• Fluent in English and Mandarin.

• Willingness to travel as business needs require.