Assistant Planner

Ref #: W147204

Department: Merchandising & Planning

City: Watford

State/Province: Hertfordshire

Country: United Kingdom

Pay Range Max

Pay Range Min

Company Description Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands.

At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.

Position Overview

Support planning team with current season forecasting, trading and future season planning, in order to maximize sales and profitability. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Operations/Financial

• Assist in the production of weekly Monday business reports and participate in Monday trade meetings by proposing MD’s, promotional changes and other strategic changes.

• Update and forecast Basic/flow line cards, managing intake into the business on these Lines to ensure sales are maximized and within the agreed cover and stock targets.

• Own setting up MD templates and uploading promos weekly/Post trade actions.

• Work with cross functional teams to ensure timely and accurate planning of new store openings.

• Work with the Allocation team and provide guidance in order to Manage store stock levels at a class level to ensure an optimal distribution of inventory to maximize sales and profit.

• Produce Analysis at style and size level to ensure accurate size ratio buying each season.

• Develop Distribution plan by class and store for each season at an option and unit level based on historical data, current business strategy and financial targets.

• Liaise with Buying partner to review lessons learnt after each season and influence the Buy for the next season using analysis and historical data to ensure commercial decisions are made.

• Support Planner with in-season forecasting as required.

• Ad-hoc business reporting

• On a monthly Basis, review receipts and Intake into the business at class level, reconcile any changes to the previous forecast and present these movements back to the Planner and department heads in the monthly forecast meeting.

2. Communications/Relationships

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships within cross-functional team (Buying, Planning, Visual, Retail Planning, Logistics, Store teams etc.).

• Participate in cross functional meetings, contributing input on product mix, inventory levels and current sales and margin forecasts

• Collaborate with peers to ensure consistency of information, share best practices and develop systems knowledge.

• Participate in company initiatives as appropriate.

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

Commercial and Analytical

• Able to work on own initiative and to be pro-active

• Able to organize and prioritize; demonstrates logical analysis and problem solving skills.

• Knowledge of sales/stock ratios, ability to provide strategies to achieve store and product turns.

• Able to understand distribution strategies and how to execute them.

• Demonstrates good listening, written and oral communication skills, effectively and clearly communicates.

• Able to build and maintain productive relationships within team environment.

• Strong Microsoft application skills, particularly Excel which should be at an Intermediate level (ideally advanced).

• Show ability or aptitude in retail maths, and to learn technical applications quickly.

• A flexible and pro-active approach to business and systems management

• Able to demonstrate resilience and remain positive during challenging periods