National Transport Account Manager

**About Us**:
The primary function of the merchandise team is to meet organisational financial goals by selecting the right merchandise, in the right quantities, at the right price and to ensure it is available to our customers at the right place, at the right time. This is achieved with a focus on insights from the customer, the market, and our own internal trading history. Category plans form the basis of our strategic category decision making with emphasis on good, better and best principles targeting optimal range, pricing structure, brand hierarchies, space usage and merchandise solutions. The buying, inventory and commercial business units work collaboratively to achieve best in class outcomes with close cooperation with operational and marketing colleagues. Externally suppliers play a key role with effective relationships contributing to optimal return on investment for our customers, franchise partners, pharmacists and API.

**About the Role**:
The Merchandise Planning Manager is responsible for developing the overall Merchandise Planning strategy for API including Priceline from a B2B wholesale and B2C retail perspective. They will develop top down and bottom up financial budgets for Sales, Margin, and Inventory that support the corporate financial targets. This function will play a key role in working cross functionally with the Inventory Management team and the Merchandising Leadership team to support growth and align operational targets to ensure seamless execution.

Set the Merchandise Planning direction to ensure initiatives and priorities are aligned with business goals and oversee the execution of the Merchandise Planning function. Lead, coach, and develop a team of planners. In the initial phase, the role will be responsible for project management ensuring the success of a Merchandise Planning tool implementation.

This position is accountable for short & long range merchandise financial budgets, through, bricks and mortar retail, online and wholesale sales channels, Financial forecasting of sales, margin/profit & income forecasting with a high degree of accuracy as well as OTB management.

Reporting to the Commercial & Supplier Strategy Manager the responsibilities for this role include, but are not limited to:

- Maintain a strong sales and profit focus by developing and managing short and long range merchandise financial budgets through, bricks and mortar retail, online and wholesale sales channels
- Support plans to hold market share in Colour Cosmetics and gain market share in Skincare and Health
- Financial forecasting of retail and wholesale sales, margin/profit and Income
- Utilise data and insights to deliver a high degree of forecast accuracy
- OTB management for purchasing into DC's and Retail Stores to manage working capital in line with budgeted expectations
- Quantify risk/opportunity and provide appropriate recommendations to deliver overall company financial growth objectives
- Collaborate with the wider Merchandise and Inventory management teams to ensure purchases fit within receipt plan and will deliver the required sales volume, net margin, and inventory productivity goals (Weeks Cover, Stock Turn and Adjusted GMROI)
- Responsible for adjusting forecasts based on actual performance and provide recommendations and options with respect to lifecycle management, exit strategies and clearance inventory management
- Work with Demand & Supply Planning teams to optimise inventory movement and distribution across the network. Develop strategies to improve inventory productivity metrics, stock to sales ratios, stock turn, weeks cover & adjusted GMROI by lowering average inventory
- Lower costs as well as remove aged/non-productive inventory
- Lead the seasonal buy planning for key seasonal categories and budgets with agreed sell through targets
- Introduce key Assortment Planning principles and processes in readiness for a dedicated tool implementation
- Develop a high performing team through strong leadership, team, and individual capability development

**About you**:

- Merchandise Planning lead at a Divisional or Group level within a medium to large retailer
- Demonstrated understanding of retail metrics and drivers
- Demonstrated capability in managing and developing a team
- Proven ability to deliver outcomes in an accurate, efficient, and timely manner
- Excellence in communication, customer service and building relationships
- Excellent organisational, attention to detail, problem solving and decision making skills
- Proven strong computer literacy in Microsoft Office Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook
- Understanding of retail franchise model implications
- Passion for process improvement and coaching others to build capability

**Qualifications**
- Tertiary qualification in Business, Commerce or related discipline that involves the development of strong numeracy skills (Financial management, economics, accounting, maths, statistics) or
- Cert IV in Frontline Management