Optical Merchandise & Category Planning Manager

Develops and executes merchandising and category strategies across Frames, Sunglasses, Readers and Accessories to maximise sales, gross profit, inventory productivity and customer satisfaction, ensuring the right products are in the right stores at the right time, while collaborating with Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain and vendors. Category Management: Build and execute category strategies tailored to customer demographics and store profile. Review category performance weekly and recommend actions to improve sales and profitability; introduce new ranges based on trends; Phase out slow-moving and underperforming products. Analyse customer buying behaviour, market trends and competitor activity to identify opportunities and optimise product assortments. Merchandise Planning: Create annual/seasonal plans, forecast demand and inventory needs, allocate stock across stores, and maintain optimal product mix while minimizing excess inventory and Ensure the right product mix is maintained in every store. Inventory Management : Monitor inventory health across all categories, improve turn and sell through, reduce aged/obsolete stock, Develop action plans for slow-moving stock. Manage full product life cycles, and partner with vendors on replenishment. Optimise inventory investment and working capital while maximising stock productivity and return on inventory. Sales & Performance Analysis : Track sales, units, ASP, gross profit/margin, sell-through, stock turn, weeks of cover and category contribution; identify growth opportunities and produce regular performance reports. Visual Merchandising: Set merchandising guidelines and planograms, ensure consistent in-store presentation, optimise display space by performance, and conduct store visits/audits. Conduct regular store visits and merchandising audits. Product & Range Management : Build balanced assortments across price points and brands, manage launches and seasonal collections, recommend exits, and secure exclusive ranges with suppliers. Pricing & Promotions : Recommend pricing and markdown strategies, evaluate promotional effectiveness, and support marketing with the right product selection while protecting margin. Vendor & Supplier Management : Build supplier relationships, participate in buying meetings, negotiate promotional/marketing support, and review supplier performance. Cross-Functional Collaboration : Partner with Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, Store Managers, Vendor Partners, and IT/BI teams to deliver commercial goals.