Merchandise Planning & Buying Manager

Overview

Based in Brookvale, NSW, POSSE is a distinguished Australian womenswear brand revered for its timeless designs and dedication to quality. As we enter a pivotal phase of growth, we seek an experienced Merchandise Planning & Buying Manager to elevate the business performance of both Retail and Ecommerce divisions.

This critical role reports directly to the COO and operates at the intersection of product design, creative direction, and commercial strategy. The successful candidate will translate POSSE's creative ethos into well-balanced, market-responsive assortments and make disciplined inventory decisions to ensure optimal allocation of resources.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Design and Product Development teams during seasonal range planning to craft well-rounded assortments considering category, color, fabric, pricing, and sizing.
• Evaluate historical sales data, customer purchasing trends, and market insights to inform future collection strategies.
• Identify opportunities for category expansion, fill assortment gaps, and propose new product developments.
• Lead the commercial preparation for seasonal purchases, guiding the sign-off process with clear recommendations.
• Establish and maintain comprehensive seasonal sales, stock, and margin plans alongside managing Open-to-Buy across product categories.
• Prepare and update weekly and monthly Sales and Stock Inventory forecasts (WSSI and MSSI).
• Track results against plans and propose measures to achieve sales, profitability, and inventory targets.
• Review inventory commitments, adjusting orders, delivery schedules, and replenishment as needed.
• Monitor critical inventory metrics including weeks of cover, sell-through, stock turn, aged inventory, and size distribution.
• Recommend adjustments in product mix, pricing, and promotions to enhance full-price sales and inventory efficiency.
• Coordinate with Ecommerce and Retail teams on product launches, marketing campaigns, promotions, and customer analytics.
• Work with Production and Logistics to synchronize inventory availability with launch dates and sales cycles.
• Generate concise weekly reports on trade, inventory categories, margins, markdowns, sizes, and end-of-season performance.
• Develop scalable merchandise planning reporting tools and processes to support ongoing company growth.
• Anticipate commercial risks and equip senior leadership with actionable, data-driven advice.

Candidate Profile

• A minimum of five to seven years’ combined experience in merchandise planning and buying, ideally within premium or contemporary fashion or an equivalent multi-channel retail environment.
• Proven expertise handling complete merchandise financial planning and Open-to-Buy processes.
• Solid knowledge of retail and ecommerce dynamics.
• Advanced proficiency with Excel, including complex formulae, pivot tables, data analytics, and financial modeling.
• Familiarity with key performance indicators such as gross margin, GMROI, stock turnover, weeks of cover, sell-through, and markdown management.
• Experience in detailed assortment planning by category, style, color, and size levels.
• Ability to analyze extensive sales and inventory datasets and adapt strategies considering seasonal products and varying lead times.
• Strong decision-making skills, able to make informed commercial judgements amidst incomplete information.
• Confidence in presenting proposals to senior stakeholders and challenging prevailing assumptions constructively.
• Excellent communicator with strong organizational and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Meticulous attention to detail and dedication to maintaining high accuracy.
• Deep passion for premium fashion, product excellence, and delivering superior customer experiences.
• Experience with merchandise planning, ERP, or ecommerce platforms, with preference for candidates familiar with tools like Style Arcade, Indigo8, or Shopify, though not mandatory.
• Candidates with fewer years yet demonstrable end-to-end merchandise planning ownership are encouraged to apply.