Woolworths Vacancies

To apply, click on the link at the end of the posts and all the best with your applications.

Trend Forecaster – Homeware

Listing reference: woolw_001133

Listing status: Online

Apply by: 31 March 2025

Position summary

Industry: Wholesale & Retail Trade

Job category: Other: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain

Location: Cape Town

Contract: Fixed Term Contract

EE position: No

Introduction

To identify and present a cohesive and on-brand look and feel across the Homeware category. This role plays a key part in delivering forward-thinking trend insights to drive innovation and commercial success, ensuring alignment with customer expectations and cross-business growth opportunities.

Job description

Trend Research and Concept Development (Pre-Season)

• Conduct in-depth global trend research using platforms such as WGSN, industry reports, social media, online retailers, and leading homeware brands for inspiration and concept development.
• Analyse macro consumer and lifestyle trends to identify opportunities that inform buying and marketing strategies.
• Conduct store visits to understand trends, product performance, assortment balance and customer experience (online and in-store).
• Work collaboratively to generate innovative product ideas based on trend insights.
• Develop and present seasonal material, texture, and colour trend reports to inform the sourcing and product development strategy.
• Provide guidance on key print, pattern, and graphic trends, ensuring relevance to the Homeware category.
• Curate high-level seasonal colour palettes and mood boards that feed into product design and range building.
• Present design briefs to relevant stakeholders to guide range development. 

Collaborate and Communication with Stakeholders

• Identify product opportunities for tests in season
• Identify opportunities for 3^rd party collaborations.
• Identify opportunities around key seasonal events and drive Cross group collaborations where appropriate.
• Drive innovation & sustainability with fabric techs and sourcing
• Present quarterly trend updates to the community.

Minimum requirements

•       Diploma/Degree in Design, Textile Design, or a related field.
•        4 – 6 years of experience in design or trend forecasting, preferably within the Homeware category.
•        Proficiency in Adobe Suite and other industry-standard design tools, with strong sketching and illustration skills.
•        Experience using trend forecasting platforms (e.g., WGSN) and conducting high-level market analysis.
•        Strong conceptual and analytical skills, with the ability to translate trends into commercially successful product lines.
•        Excellent presentation and communication skills, with a proven ability to lead cross-functional projects and contribute to strategic 

CATEGORY MANAGER: WCELLAR

Listing reference: woolw_001130

Listing status: Online

Apply by: 7 April 2025

Position summary

Industry: FMCG & Supply Management

Job category: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain

Location: Western Cape

Contract: Permanent

Remuneration: MARKET RELATED

EE position: No

Introduction

Responsible for leading the co-ordination of the end-to-end category strategy by inspiring the team in the co-creation and execution of the long-term strategy to ensure the delivery of sustainable profit growth and operational excellence.

Job description

• Interprets and translates strategy into commercially viable operating plans to ensure delivery of operational excellence

• Lead the co-creation of the strategy by gathering input from the teams
• Interprets market reports to identify opportunities and viability
• Establish long-term objectives across commercial, customer and supplier strategy
• Integrates and aligns category assessments with the WCellar strategy to create and deliver 3-year operating plans
• Understands market share and supplier inputs to create leading industry operating plans
• Co-ordinate category assessment program across the Matrix Team
   
• Drive and enable profitable growth of the Category

• Conducts analysis and tracking of management accounts
• Accountable for the oversight and management of KPIs to ensure maximum sales, profitability and market share accretion at a product group level
• Deploy tactical strategies to manage monthly performance against KPI’s at product group level
• Monitors financial performance of the business/ department and identifies implications for business performance
  
• Lead, mentor and support the matrix team to deliver on strategic outcomes

• Effective management and co-ordination team engagements
• Manage and co-ordinate rhythm and pace of category by inspiring a culture within the teams to create and sustain momentum
• Ability to effectively communicate and make decisions taking into consideration multiple, diverse viewpoints 
• Identify possible issues and mitigate by having difficult conversations in order to ensure the delivery of business standards and values
  
• Manages mutually beneficial stakeholder relationships and ensures stakeholders execute and deliver on strategy

• Supports the team in negotiating contracts and agreements with suppliers to secure favorable terms and conditions. 
• Facilitates a cross functional supplier base including other stakeholders to plot path to objectives
• Manage various stakeholders towards the execution and delivery of business projects and initiatives
• Ensures gathering and consolidation of pertinent information from various stakeholders within reasonable timeframes
• Creates well defined and articulated supplier strategy with clear objectives and transformation plans
• Identifies suppliers that are aligned to the business’ values and can fulfill current gaps

Minimum requirements

• Formal Qualification needed/ Relevant diploma/degree
• Buying experience required
• Demonstrated ability in Category Management, preferably in the FMCG industry, with 8 years of experience
• Experience in liquor (across categories: Wine, spirits, beers & RTD’s) & adjacent categories is advantageous.
• 3-5 years’ experience managing a team/leading people is required
• Additional knowledge/ experience needed to fulfill role; work conditions (such as shift work, international travel required)
• Strong ability to interpret data into actionable recommendations to drive top-line and bottom-line growth.
• Ability to articulate complex concepts in clear, simple & logical terms & build compelling presentations & professional communications
• Stakeholder Management: Understand complex business context; Ability to influence internal / external partners at all levels, with various backgrounds and expertise
• Strong resilience and an ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
• Exceptional problem-solving ability and strong solution orientation
• Highly entrepreneurial and passionate about the Liquor category
• Advanced MS suite proficiency (Excel & PPT) and data visualization tools (e.g., Qliksense or QlikView, etc.)

Store Planner

Listing reference: woolw_001132

Listing status: Online

Apply by: 2 May 2025

Position summary

Industry: FMCG & Supply Management

Job category: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain

Location: Western Cape

Contract: Permanent

EE position: No

Introduction

Assist and support the Planner with administrative tasks and analysis required to deliver optimum availability and profitable stock investments.

Job description

•  Develop and Execute Channel Plan
  • Develop cross plan per centralised grading parameters in line with critical path. 
  Ensure exceptions are executed as agreed with Central Planning. 
  • Ensure New Stores are stocked to plan – in line with Location brief and critical 
  path.
  • Conduct Post seasonal analysis with regards to size, store and product 
  performance and identify exceptions to inform grading exceptions (move to 
  data analysis).
  • Maintain On the Dot parameter tool timeously to inform agreed stock 
  parameters and optimised sales.

• Develop and Execute Allocations
  • Prioritise allocations based on trading, monthly launches and monthly intake 
  forecast.
  • Monitor and analyse store performance against plan and provide accurate and 
  timeous information to optimise decision making.
  • Capture and update sizing ratios in RMS and sizing tool.
  • Create size profile & size ratios for each product to optimise allocations and 
  future orders.
• Data analysis & reporting
  • Analyse store performance and provide accurate and timeous information to 
  optimise business decision making. 
  • Conduct grade analysis and present findings to planner and central planning 
  team for action.
  • Check In-season exceptions and suggest possible resolution to planner or 
  action where appropriate. For example – availability, size profile including on 
  order ratio. 
  • Assist stores in resolving any queries relating to stock.

Minimum requirements

•         Relevant retail/ business qualification
•         2 years retail experience( minimum)
•         Numerical, analytical and interpretive ability
•         Analytical capability (core skill, non-negotiable)
•         Efficient and accurate attention to detail
•         Commercial understanding and a merchant mind set
•         Good working knowledge of computer software, with intermediate to advanced working experience on Excel and Cognos reporting skills
•         Assertive, effective communication and interpersonal skills
•         Action orientated and deadline driven
•         Problem solving ability
•         Ability to use own initiative and be proactive
•         Ability to work independently and decision making-ability
•         Excellent planning and organising skills
•         Customer Service Orientation
•         Self-starter with the ability to work independently with confidence

SENIOR PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST: FRUIT

Position summary

Industry: FMCG & Supply Management

Job category: Other: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain

Location: Gauteng

Contract: Permanent

Remuneration: Market Related

EE position: No

Introduction

To identify and develop world class suppliers to procure a range of product to meet the Departments business objective of sustainable growth, Excellent quality and availability, thereby driving the market share and profitability of our Produce department and suppliers.

Job description

• Management of the supplier relationships and service level agreements
• Provide input to the relevant strategies and operational plans
• Work with suppliers to improve efficiencies and ensure consistent delivery of high-quality products
• Create & implement growing programmes with long term Procurement strategies
• Give input to Category & Supplier strategies
• Build & manage relationships with a diverse range of Suppliers
• Drive delivery of BEE / EE within our supplier base
• Maximise profitability utilising knowledge of competitor’s pricing structure and product ranges
• Deliver End-to- End Value Chain financial benefits
• Ensure that products adhere to specifications 
• Visit suppliers and stores
• Keep up to date, monitor & react to industry & International trends
• Drive availability wrt supplier service level agreement 

Minimum requirements

• Relevant commercial degree / diploma
• Minimum 5 years buying / procurement experience in the FMCG environment required
• Proven experience in managing a Foods/FMCG department
• Proven sourcing and supplier management experience
• Proven ability to provide tactical input and deliver the category operating plan.
• Strong integrator and the ability to work in a matrix structure
• Collaboration & integration skills and ability to build strong relationships internally & externally
• Strong negotiation and financial management skills
• Understanding of factors influencing product cost & selling price
• Knowledge & understanding of Supply chain concepts, processes and systems
• Ability to travel to farming regions within South Africa and internationally
• Proven ability to deliver the following category KPIs (ie. market share, sales growth, margin, ROS, availability)
• Management / leadership skills
• In depth understanding and application of Woolworths’ quality standards
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal
• Team player with understanding of diversity 

Assistant Planner

Listing reference: woolw_001134

Listing status: Online

Apply by: 31 March 2025

Position summary

Industry: FMCG & Supply Management

Job category: Other: FMCG, Retail, Wholesale and Supply Chain

Location: Cape Town

Contract: Permanent

EE position: No

Introduction

To assist and support Senior Planner/Planner with Developing and delivering integrated department merchandise planning strategies to meet KPI’s and manage inventory efficiently. Deliver impact and value, balance quality with speed, shape the future with technology and insight driven decision making and action.

Job description

To assist with the development and execution of Store and Merchandise Financial Plan

• ·       Collaborate with cross functional teams to assist in compiling departmental strategy in line with Group strategy.
• ·       Develop and present seasonal department channel strategy  
• ·       Consider all group inputs, including strategic initiatives, key operational metrics, and post-seasonal analysis.
• ·       Analyse historical sales data by product and store, market trends, and customer demand to inform MFP. 

To assist with the development and execution of Assortment Plan

• ·       Work together with Planner/Senior planner and Buyer on the planograms and correct catalogues for the stores
• ·       Work together with the Senior Planner/Planner to sign off the pres mins for each CC by grade (private label)
• ·       Work together with the Senior Planner/Planner to sign off the pres mins for each CC by store (brands)
• ·       Review and ensure grade assortment can be executed given available space & customer insights reports.
• ·       Look for opportunities using in depth store analysis to look for range optimisation opportunities within stores

 To assist and support Senior Planner / Planner to leveraging insights.

• ·       Manage all allocations to stores on new product launches and new store openings on time
• ·       Manage all auto allocations by checking weekly reports on allocations to stores
• ·       Pre-season engagement with Central Planning Analysts to review and refine analytics (APS, Profiles & Sales Profiler)
• ·       Analyse customer feedback, store sales data, product sales data and market trends to make data-driven decisions and better inform future product demand.
• ·       Manage planning admin in all applicable systems in line with the requirements of the Woolworths Beauty merchandise cycle.
• ·       As a team, conduct competitive shopping and store visits and share findings to Leadership and broader team.
• ·       Participate in weekly trade meetings to discuss business performance with appropriate action focus.
• ·       Participate in company initiatives as appropriate.

Minimum requirements

• ·       Preferably a relevant business diploma / degree (Retail business management/BCom/Clothing management/BScience) or relevant work experience.
• ·       2 years’ experience in retail industry (beauty experience advantageous)
• ·       Intermediate Excel to analyse and manipulate large datasets to present complex information in clear and concise manner
• ·       Extensive Retail knowledge
• ·       Retail, Supply Chain and Logistics processes
• ·       Retail Systems: Familiar with retail planning and merchandising software, like Assort, PLM, Blue Yonder (formerly JDA)
• ·       Retail Math, proficiency in retail calculations
• ·       Numerical

Click here to apply

We wish you all the best with your applications