Planner - Apparel Merchandise

Brighter Futures Start Here

We are an inclusive team who power two of the most iconic and loved brands, Kmart and Target. We have more than 50,000 passionate individuals across our stores, distribution centres, and offices around the globe.

With our brands touching the lives of almost two million customers every week, you'll feel the impact of the work you'll do every day. As a leader in the retail market, we're optimistic about our future and yours. We're changing at a rapid rate, giving you challenging work that you'll be proud of.

Join the team

This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in one of the most strategically important and fastest-growing portfolios within the business. You'll join a high-performing team, work alongside talented commercial leaders, and have the opportunity to directly influence category strategy, customer outcomes, and business performance.

Bring your planning expertise, commercial mindset, and passion for retail and help shape the future of Menswear Apparel.

About the Role

As a Planner, you will be accountable for end-to-end commercial planning across the Apparel portfolio. You will partner closely with Buying and Planning leaders to develop customer-focused range and financial strategies that maximise sales, profitability, and inventory efficiency.

A critical component of this role is possessing a deep understanding of large-scale category planning, product architecture, and price architecture. You will leverage these capabilities to create balanced assortments, optimise category performance, identify growth opportunities, and ensure the right product is available at the right price, in the right place, at the right time.

Your ability to translate customer insights, market trends, and commercial data into actionable planning strategies will be key to your success.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Planning & Trading

• Deliver sales, profit, stock turn and ROI targets through customer-led range and financial strategies.
• Develop and manage robust merchandise financial plans, forecasts, and category budgets.
• Drive Open-to-Buy (OTB) management, assortment optimisation, and inventory productivity.
• Build and maintain effective range architecture aligned to category and customer strategies.
• Develop pricing frameworks and product price architectures that maximise customer value while delivering commercial outcomes.
• Analyse category performance to identify risks, opportunities, and actions that improve business results.
• Drive trade performance through proactive management of inventory, promotional activity, and markdown risk.
• Forecast stock requirements to optimise revenue, margin, and stock turn.
• Partner closely with Buying teams to develop compelling assortments that balance customer demand and commercial performance.

Strategic Category Leadership

• Utilise a strong understanding of large-scale product and price architecture to shape category direction and long-term growth strategies.
• Align category execution with broader RBU priorities and business objectives.
• Leverage customer, competitor, and market insights to inform strategic planning decisions.
• Contribute to category reviews, seasonal planning, and growth initiatives.
• Support the Planning Manager and Business Manager in identifying and executing performance improvement opportunities.

Leadership & Capability Development

• Coach, mentor, and develop Planning Assistants and junior team members.
• Provide day-to-day planning leadership to ensure disciplined execution and effective decision-making.
• Foster a high-performance culture built on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support capability uplift across the broader Planning team through knowledge sharing and coaching.

What You'll Bring

We're looking for a highly commercial merchandise planning professional who thrives in a fast-paced retail environment and has a proven track record managing large-scale, high-volume categories.

Essential Experience & Capability

• Significant merchandise planning experience within Apparel, Soft Goods, or a comparable retail category.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-million-dollar portfolios.
• Strong understanding of product architecture, category segmentation, and price architecture, with the ability to translate strategy into commercial outcomes.
• Advanced commercial acumen with exceptional analytical and numerical skills.
• Proven ability to develop and execute financial and assortment plans that deliver sales, margin, stock, and profitability targets.
• Strong trade management capability, including forecasting, inventory optimisation, markdown mitigation, and performance analysis.
• Experience identifying and responding to customer trends, market opportunities, and commercial risks.
• Ability to confidently quantify product performance through metrics such as rate of sale, sell-through, stock cover, markdown exposure, and exit planning.
• Advanced Excel capability and experience using BI and planning systems.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build effective partnerships across Buying, Planning, and Leadership teams.

Personal Attributes

• Customer-first mindset with a passion for delivering great retail outcomes.
• Naturally curious and highly inquisitive approach to problem solving.
• Resilient, adaptable, and comfortable operating in a dynamic, fast-changing environment.
• Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.

Benefits we'll offer you:

• Flexible hybrid working options through our Flex Where, Flex When, Flex Well policy.
• A team member discount card that gives you a discount at Kmart, Target, Officeworks and Bunnings
• Access to the Brighter Benefits program which entitles you to exclusive discounts and benefits in the areas of entertainment, travel, lifestyle, and health - with over 60 suppliers!
• We want you to feel rewarded for your commitment and hard work that's why eligible team members get the opportunity to participate in a bonus program
• We offer inclusive parental leave, and ongoing support offered through our partnership with Circle In for team members of all backgrounds and family circumstances
• A dynamic learning and support program
• Opportunity to fast track your career through our Mentor Program as a Mentee or Mentor
• A Kudos recognition program, where you are nominated by your peers to spin a wheel, to win a stack of cool prizes
• Great career opportunities across the broader Wesfarmers Group

We celebrate the rich diversity of the communities in which we operate. We are committed to creating inclusive and safe environments where all our team members can contribute and succeed. We believe that all team members should feel valued, respected and safe, and strive to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and welcoming, with applications encouraged from all candidates.

We encourage you to tell us about any workplace adjustments that you would like, by emailing ••••@kmart.com.au.

If you would like to explore a career with Kmart and this sounds like the perfect role for you - apply now!

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