Assistant Manager (Demand Planning & Merchandising)

JOHNSON LAKRA

United Arab Emirates
assistant manager (demand planning & merchandising)
$3000 / month
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About Candidate

Over 12 years of extensive experience in demand planning, merchandising, and retail buying.
 Proven expertise in managing franchise and private label brands across apparel.
 Skilled in Open-To-Buy (OTB) management and accurate sales forecasting for multiple retail
formats.
 Demonstrated success in stock optimization, markdown strategies, and improving sell-through
rates.
 Strong background in pre-season budgeting, in-season stock control, and post-season performance
analysis.
 Hands-on experience with WSSI updates, KPI reporting, and trade performance reviews.
 Adept at cross-functional collaboration with IT, logistics, buying, and sales teams.
 Proficient in vendor management, sourcing, and ensuring timely product availability.
 Sound understanding of P&L management and aligning inventory with financial targets.
 Effective in store performance analysis, grading, and merchandise assortment planning.
 Experience in visual merchandising planning and competitive benchmarking.
 Successfully handled category-level planning for licensed and private label apparel brands.
 Strong analytical, communication, and negotiation skills with a result-oriented mindset.
 Educational foundation in Garment Manufacturing Technology and Commerce, with practical retail
exposure.

Education

B
Bachelor of Commerce
BJB College Bhubaneshwar, Odisha
P
PG Diploma in Garment Manufacturing & Technology (GMT) 2002
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)

Experiences

A
Assistant Manager (Demand Planning & Merchandising (SMYK & Babies & More) 2014-05-07 - 2024-05-07
Apparel Group

Spearheaded brand demand planning for both franchise and private label brand (R&B Kids) to Babies & More.  Led pre-season budgeting, financial forecasting, and in-season sales/stock performance review.  Collaborated with central planning to align sales, OTB, and stock positioning against plan.  Drove clearance markdown strategies to manage aged stock and boost sell-through rates.  Conducted weekly/monthly trade reviews, WSSI updates, and post-season performance analysis.  Regularly visited stores for competitor benchmarking, and merchandising planning

A
Asst. Buyer (License Brands) 2013-04-07 - 2014-03-07
Landmark Group

Managed buying and planning for licensed apparel brands.  Oversaw product selection, OTB adherence, and coordination with factory and logistics team for timely delivery

D
Deputy Buyer – Ladies Western Wear (i-Jeans) 2011-02-07 - 2013-03-07
Shoppers Stop Ltd

 Supported buying and merchandising for women’s western wear label.  Handled vendor communications, style curation, and sales trend evaluation.

A
Asst. Manager – Planning & Vendor Management 2008-04-07 - 2011-01-07
Global Trendz Ltd. (Disney Licensing)

Oversaw merchandise planning and launch execution for Disney-branded products.  Managed sourcing and ensured right product availability at optimal cost and timelines

Skills

Retail Buying & Assortment Planning
80%
Open-To-Buy (OTB) Management
80%
Merchandise Financial Planning
80%

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