Senior Director Planning

Overview (Text Only)

Foot Locker is on a mission to unlock the inner sneakerhead in all of us The Senior Director, Planning & Allocations, FL APAC is a key member of the FL APAC Senior Leadership Team, holding overall responsibility for the effective management of the product planning and allocations functions. The Planning & Allocations Department provides strategic reporting, analysis, advisory and product allocation services to assist in the achievement of the Division's annual sales, gross margin, and inventory turn targets. In addition, the Senior Director, Planning & Allocations leads key product areas including intake planning and pricing to ensure effective product flow, liquidation, and life cycles to deliver key targets. The Senior Director, Planning & Allocations helps drive the company's "Lace Up" strategic plan forward aimed at driving sales and increasing market share, and supports the Company's mission, vision and values by exhibiting the following behaviors: leadership, service, teamwork, innovation, and integrity.
Responsibilities

Drive business performance and strategy

• Key leader in developing and achieving the operational and financial objectives for the FL APAC Division.
• Partner closely with VP/GM, CFO and Head of Buying to develop and align on forward thinking targets, aligning the business with a fast-moving consumer and marketplace.
• Develop, maintain and deliver the Planning & Allocations section of the (bi-annual) FL APAC 'Strategic Plan.' To monitor and adhere to the annual Departmental budget.

Deliver business / technical functions

• Provide strategic reporting, analysis, advisory and product allocation services to assist in the achievement of the Division's annual sales, (gross margin) profit and product turnover targets.
• Facilitate the 'Open To Buy' (OTB) process and assist the Buying team to attain product liquidation, sell through and aged stock targets.
• Actively participate, and lead planning dialogue in major product range showings and Buying reviews.
• Effectively interpret historical & current trends and their relationship with internal Foot Locker campaigns / business strategies in addition to economic, customer, market, environmental and industry factors.
• Effectively forecast emerging product & financial trends within the Retail industry.
• Work closely & negotiate with all vendor partners to manage inventory levels through the RTV (return to vendor) process and profitability through markdown management.
• Lead intake planning process, partnering closely with the Supply Chain team.
• Lead pricing function to deliver effective markdown strategies to manage product life cycles and inventory, while maximizing gross margin; test, learn and analyse offers and markdown strategies to increase effectiveness.

Build effective business partnerships

• Develop and maintain effective communication and strong working relationships with key internal clients including the FL APAC General Manager, FL APAC Senior Leadership Team and Senior Planning & Merchandising Executives in the U.S. and Europe
• Build strong relationships and credibility with vendor partners, including short- and long-term plans to benefit both businesses

Develop a winning team

• Develop and maintain a highly capable Planning & Allocations team to enable the achievement of the Department's goals & objectives.
• Engage the team and elevate analytical and strategic thinking to drive results.

Ensure business & organizational compliance

• Monitor and adhere to the relevant legislative, regulatory, licensing, insurance, ethical, corporate governance and industry standards for the Retail Buying industry in Australia & New Zealand (including statutory and corporate reporting requirements).
• Maintain the organization's core values (leadership, service, teamwork, innovation, and integrity) at work and when representing FL APAC at external functions and events.
• Adhere to all Foot Locker policies, procedures and guidelines.

Project Management:

• Work with global teams to champion company process and systems changes, especially in merchandising / financial systems.
• Undertake additional projects as directed by the FL Management.

• Business Degree (Accounting/Economics)
• 10 years' experience working as a Planner / Buyer-Planner with increasing levels of ownership / leadership

Leadership attributes

• Strong team leader, fostering engagement and developing others
• Strategic, forward-thinking mindset and customer-centric approach
• Highly collaborative team player, effective relationship builder
• Excellent communication, including verbal and written communication, reporting, and presentation to senior leadership as well as wider team
• Good facilitation / negotiation skills
• Measured, firm business view to balance the product team
• High level of drive / sense of urgency to deliver results

Functional / Technical skills

• Strong analytics, planning and organization
• Strong commercial acumen
• Interpretative / Presumptive skills
• Financial management / budgeting
• Internal Planning Systems
• Computer Technology Skills (Advanced MS Excel / Intermediate MS Office)
• Sound knowledge of relevant Planning systems including Planit & Marketmax

Marketplace

• Sound knowledge of the Retail industry (preferably sports/footwear/apparel) including Sales & Operations and Merchandising
• General knowledge of the Foot Locker organization including its global operations, product range, pricing points etc.

Other

• Ability to undertake frequent interstate and occasional international travel