Deputy Manager - Buying/Planning & Merchandising - Fashion Retail

Position Summary:

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned merchandiser from an apparel fashion retail background, responsible for managing the end-to-end product lifecycle from buying and assortment planning to allocation, inventory control, and sales analysis across offline distribution channels and key accounts. You will work closely with cross-functional teams including sales, design, supply chain, and retail partners to ensure the right product is in the right store at the right time.

Key Responsibilities:

- Develop seasonal and in-season product assortment plans aligned with brand strategy, customer preferences, and channel-specific trends.

- Collaborate with design and product teams to finalize buy plans and range selections for different channels and accounts.

- Align buying decisions with category budgets and revenue goals.

- Manage Open-to-Buy (OTB) frameworks by category and channel to optimize inventory levels and ensure profitable growth.

- Monitor sales and inventory metrics to adjust buys and ensure stock turns and sell-through targets are met.

- Build seasonal and annual merchandise financial plans including revenue, margin, and markdown projections.

- Develop effective allocation strategies based on store grading, regional performance, and sales velocity.

- Coordinate with supply chain and warehouse teams to ensure timely deliveries and stock replenishment.

- Optimize stock across offline channels, franchisees, and key account partners (like Reliance Trends, Shopper's Stop, Lifestyle, etc.).

- Conduct regular performance analysis by product/category/channel and take corrective actions on slow/fast movers.

- Generate actionable insights from sell-through reports, stock ageing, ROS, and other merchandising KPIs.

- Present seasonal reviews, sales trends, and performance dashboards to leadership.

- Act as a strategic liaison with key retail partners and offline distributors to align on assortment, pricing, and promotions.

- Plan exclusive product drops or special launches with key accounts as needed.

- Ensure merchandising strategies are in sync with store formats, consumer profiles, and regional trends.

Candidate Requirements:

- Graduate or Postgraduate in Fashion Retail, Merchandising, or Business Management.

- 7 - 8 years of experience in merchandising, planning, and buying within a reputed apparel or fashion retail brand.

Strong understanding of offline retail formats, key account retailing, and distributor-based retail networks.