Director of Planning, EMEA

About the Company

SKIMS is a brand focused on rethinking underwear, loungewear, shapewear, and everyday essentials through comfort-led, technically advanced product design. It aims to set a higher bar in modern apparel by combining innovation, culture, and commerce.

The business is growing globally and is looking for people who are creative, collaborative, operationally strong, and driven by high standards. Its HQ teams help define strategy, build the systems needed to scale, and support healthy growth across regions.

Role Overview

The Director of Planning, EMEA will take ownership of regional merchandise and financial planning across all EMEA channels. The role is accountable for the region’s top-line and bottom-line planning approach, with responsibility for forecasting, inventory control, and long-range planning to support growth across retail, wholesale, franchising, concessions, and e-commerce.

This is a senior, strategic position suited to someone with strong commercial judgment, deep international planning experience, and the ability to operate effectively across both regional and global priorities.

Regional Planning Leadership

• Lead the EMEA planning function across retail, concessions, e-commerce, wholesale, and franchising.
• Create and manage financial plans for the region, covering revenue, margin, inventory, and OTB by market and channel.
• Work with Global Planning to ensure EMEA plans align with company-wide financial goals and long-term strategy.

Forecasting and Performance Management

• Take charge of seasonal and in-season forecasts, reforecasts, and scenario planning for the region.
• Own weekly and monthly performance reviews and translate results into risks, opportunities, and corrective actions.
• Maintain tight inventory discipline, including stock depth, flow, and allocation across the region.

Strategic Growth and Market Expansion

• Collaborate with regional leaders on new market launches, store openings, and flagship planning, including markets such as the UK, EU, and Middle East.
• Develop solid financial models before and after launches for new doors, markets, and channels.
• Support 3–5 year planning for EMEA growth, headcount, and infrastructure needs.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as a key partner to Merchandising, Trading, Finance, Retail Operations, E-Commerce, and Supply Chain.
• Help shape decisions around assortment structure, pricing, promotional timing, and inventory investment.
• Partner with Finance on budgets, forecasts, and regional P&L accountability.

Team Leadership and Capability Building

• Build, lead, and develop the EMEA Planning team as the region expands.
• Set up planning processes, operating rhythms, and best practices that work across international markets.
• Coach senior planners and managers while helping build a strong internal talent pipeline.

Reporting and Executive Communication

• Own reporting for executive leadership, including weekly trade updates, month-end close materials, and long-range planning presentations.
• Present regional results and strategic recommendations clearly and confidently to senior leaders.

Skills and Experience

• 12–15+ years of experience in merchandise planning, financial planning, or commercial planning in fashion, apparel, or consumer retail.
• Prior Director-level experience leading planning across multiple markets or international regions, ideally within EMEA.
• Strong expertise in OTB, forecasting, inventory management, and margin improvement.
• Solid understanding of omnichannel planning across retail, e-commerce, and wholesale.
• Advanced financial and analytical capability, with strong Excel skills and experience using planning tools such as Anaplan, SAP, or similar platforms.
• Experience creating and scaling planning teams in a fast-growing environment.

Attributes for Success

• Commercially sharp, strategic, and grounded in data.
• Confident business partner who can influence senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable working through ambiguity in a rapidly expanding international business.
• Highly detail-focused with strong financial discipline.
• Motivated by building scalable planning structures and supporting profitable growth.

Benefits, Culture and Perks

• Private Medical Insurance (PMI)
• Group Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Critical Illness cover
• Pension Scheme
• Modern Health
• ClassPass