Educational pre-requisites:

• Great track record in Marketing IMM diploma, degree or Honours degree (including Finance/Business Science grads).
• Track record of success
• Great team working skills
• Advanced computer skills

Job description:

We are looking for a high potential, entrepreneurial marketing graduate who would like to learn and grow quickly. Reporting to a Team Leader, the successful Trainee will be required to support the Leader in the following activities:

• Manage large amounts of consumer calls, emails and social media messages.
• Resolve product problems by clarifying the customer's complaint; determining the cause of the problem; selecting the best solution to solve the problem; expediting correction or adjustment; following up to ensure resolution
• Provide accurate, efficient and timely responses to requests regarding complaint investigations
• Advance and protect the company’s reputation, mitigate risks and manage complaints positively and constructively
• Resolving highly complex customer issues by partnering with the appropriate departments effectively
• Recruit, manage, liaise and foster relationships with online bloggers, both paid and unpaid.
• Identifies process improvements and procedural challenges, recommending appropriate solutions.
• Help manage company social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram.
• Engages in social media presence creation on new and emerging social media platforms
• Create dynamic written, graphic and video content
• Create content that promotes audience interaction, increases audience presence on company sites, and encourages audience participation
• Assists social media team with large projects, events, and community management
• Works as part of a team to develop large social media campaigns
• Analyses and reports audience information and demographics, and success of existing social media projects
• Proposes new ideas and concepts for social media content
• Works with marketing and social media team members to coordinate ad campaigns with social media strategy
• Writes and distributes e-newsletters to subscribers
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

You will contribute to their brand activation team whose responsibilities include inputting the external environment into our innovation process, maximising effectiveness and return of their brands and developing co-operative relationships with the retailer and distributor partners. You will work closely with the account managers to both grow the local sales market and expand the export territories. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Promotions – planning and implementation

• Market Pricing and product costings 

• Sales and order management 

• Merchandising and in store brand implementation 

Reqiurements: 

- Degree in Marketing or Business-related field

- At least C Higher grade maths at matric (please do not apply if you do not fulfil this criterion)

- Track record of success Great team working skills Strong computer skills 

Role and Responsibilities

• Receive design brief.
• Make manual pattern for fit sample.
• Check garments and verify that quality and measurements are to spec.
• Once fit is approved, prepare pattern for PPS.
• Check garments and verify that quality and measurements are to spec.
• Once PPS is approved, prepare pattern and position markers for production.
• Ensure all comments from buyers are read and instructions adhered to.
• Any changes to patterns that will affect costing must be discussed with Manager.
• No changes are to be made to patterns at PPS stage unless discussed with Manager.
• Any other assistance as required by Manager.

Required Skills

• Qualification / Formal training in pattern making.
• Minimum 1-2 years working experience in a patternmaking role.
• Understanding of garment construction, fabrics, ratings, etc relevant for patternmaking.
• Must be able to make a manual master pattern.
• Must have basic computer skills.

Attributes

• Knowledge and experience in clothing manufacture environment and dealing with retailers.
• Good attention to detail.
• Good communication skills.
• Self-motivated and able to work well in a team.
• Able to cope with stress and a busy workload.
• Good time management skills.

Role and Responsibilities

• Receive master pattern and file.
• Ensure patterns are digitized.
• Ensure patterns are graded.
• Ensure ratio is calculated from PO.
• Ensure program for marking is set up.
• Check bulk rating against cost of rating after marking.
• Ensure marker for bulk marking is correct.
• Ensure layplan for factory is correct.
• Ensure copies of paperwork are made for factory (laysheet and spec).
• Any other assistance as required by Manager.

Required Skills

• Relevant experience in marking and grading.
• Minimum 1-2 years working experience in a similar role.
• Understanding of bulk production marking and grading requirements.
• Must have necessary computer skills.

Attributes

• Knowledge and experience in clothing manufacture environment and dealing with retailers.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Good communication skills.
• Self-motivated and able to work well in a team.
• Able to cope with stress and a busy workload.
• Good time management skills.

Other Details :

• Vacancy Type - Permanent
• Reporting to - Manager
• Salary - Negotiable
• Benefits - Provident Fund
• Working Hours - TBC

• Must be able to/have experience in ammending patterns
• Must have experience in patternmaking
• Receive all handovers from the development coordinators
• Check through and give to pattern makers
• Work on a timeline for the fits and seals and check that they are not running late and get sealed in time
• To be responsible to send and chase all outwork off fits/seals from relevant pleater/laundry etc.
• Check on sample machinists and get a score
• Look at finished garments on the dummy with the pattern maker to check for any issues with fit or construction
• If the sample is not correct then ask for another one to be made
• Check sample against hand over sheet to see all trims are correct and styling comments have been adhered to
• Measure sample and fill out and email fit paperwork and send off garment
• Follow up with customer garment techs for fit reports if necessary
• Help QA’s with any queries regarding PP samples or production
• Deal with any bulk marker rating issues with the graders and notify the merchandisers
• Chase seal samples
• All seals and fits to be approved by merchandiser before sending to prospective customer
• Work with hand over sheet and make pattern
• Issue pattern and fabric to sample machinist
• Send pattern to Graders for PP markers
• Request bulk markers once PP samples have been approved
• Request print markers
• Help with ratings
• Help QA with queries
• Advise Merchandisers if any style changes on fits or any measurement increases.
• To give BPS to merchandiser for final approval before sending off

Responsibilities: 

- Handling QA of Imported products 

- In house QA

- Be the Quality and fit liason between their factories in China and Bangladesh and their customers locally

Requirements: 

- At least 3 years QA experience 

- Technical knowledge in underwear is advantegous 

Key Functions

Trends and Planning

-                Establish trends for upcoming seasons, colours, styles, etc.

-                Planning individual customers requirements

Sales

-                Liaising with buyers and setting-up appointments

-                Presenting ranges (including trend boards at beginning of season)

-                Taking notes and sketching at meetings

-                Following-up on enquiries and price quotations

Orders

-                Once orders are received from customer, ensuring details are correct as confirmed previously, e.g. Price, delivery date, quantity, size ratios, etc.

-                Prepare brief for artist and follow-up (for correct CAD of that order)

-                Prepare order for supplier with coordinators

-                Ensure size spec is correct

Ownership and responsibility of Orders/Deliveries

Although the coordinators are responsible and do their daily follow-ups and tasks, the merchandiser will take the ultimate responsibility and ownership of the order to ensure delivery takes place. This means continuous and vigorous follow-up/checking of all aspects including:

-                QA fit sessions with QA and coordinators

-                Overseeing fit comments and ensuring the supplier understands the changes. Overseeing size specs

-                Ensuring delivery schedules are updated and order files are being maintained by coordinators

-                Minimum, weekly delivery meetings and updates with coordinators

-                Approving samples, lab dips, strike-offs, etc that are received from supplier before being sent to buyer, i.e. giving these an once-over to ensure there’s no potential problem.

-                Liaising with buyers/planners if required for extensions, or negotiating discounts

-                Liaising with suppliers for delivery issues, quality, etc.

Additionally, this part of the Job function is to oversee the coordinators and QC to ensure smooth running of your department.

Pricing and GP’s

-                Confirming prices with the customer – this is done in conjunction with the Director who will approve the final price. Negotiation with customer will be done by merchandiser.

-                Confirming prices with Suppliers - this is done in conjunction with director who will negotiate the final price with the supplier.

-                Ensuring that a beneficial GP is maintained and striving for better margins and customers.

-                Analyzing sales and GP’s on a monthly basis. Also analyzing products and customers by GP  

Customer product analysis and follow-up

-                Follow-up with buyers on product sell-offs and find updates

Requirements:

• Must have valid drivers license and own vehicle
• Reside in Newcastle or willing to relocate
• Experience checking pps samples, bps samples, inline quality and aql

• Extensive experience in the local CMT factories
• Experience working on the lines to check quality/ measurements/ construction etc and be able to pick up faults AND advise how to correct them.
• Someone with a strong character that can ensure CMT’s perform and deliver good quality timeously

Head of Retail Operations (JHB) - Reporting to the Managing Director

The purpose of this role will be to co-create the company’s strategic agenda for retail and to support the delivery of a compelling and sustainable brand proposition for their Brands in retail, by contributing effectively across functions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Effectively implement strategic decisions within stores and ensure effective execution of the retail strategy.
• Align group Initiatives with the retail framework and strategy.
• Ensure efficient and effective implementation of store operational objectives in line with the brand objectives through the delivery of an in-store experience that reflects the brand proposition.
• Management of the Retail Operations Management Team to ensure that the Visual Merchandisers execute visual merchandising and presentation of all stores in a manner that represents the brand image.
• Ensure achievement of budgeted and agreed financial performance of store operations.
• Facilitate effective store layouts, ranges and merchandise execution in stores.
• Secure suitable locations for new stores.
• Drive continuous business process improvements to embed store operational excellence and manage risk.
• Drive loyalty and service differentiation as a tool for competitive advantage.
• Set ambitious but achievable objectives and targets, ensure buy-in, motivation and implementation.
• Actively identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to Retail and drive initiatives on regional level to meet these challenges.
• Create a ‘trading’ mindset in the retail organization.
• Establish vertical retail expertise across all retail functions.
• Ensure executional excellence in retail operations across all functions.
• Drive key retail KPIs in stores by implementing best retail practices.
• Ensure elaboration of a rolling Retail deployment schedule by store, covering all retail marketing, visual merchandising & other activities and ensure implementation by operational coordination and close tracking.
• Develop and ensure implementation of advanced components for enhancing the company’s retail business model (logistics, reporting, staff development, planning, training) with the respective functions.
• Develop and ensure implementation of operational guidelines.
• Lead and drive a culture of high performance, with focus on teamwork, service excellence & accountability.
• Recruitment and selection of high-quality talent. To ensure effective people development and a sustained succession and talent pipeline at all levels in store operations in order to build capability to meet current and future business objectives and to support the delivery of the Transformation Roadmap.
• Drive employee engagement and affiliation through consistent people practices in order to ensure sustainable performance.
• Oversee the delivery and management of financial targets, including but not limited to Sales targets, UPT, ATV, Conversion rates, stock loss ratios and risk management to maintain minimal stock loss.
• Weekly and monthly reporting to Key Stakeholders (i.e. MD, Exco, Brand Managers, etc.) including participation at Business Reviews to present on store performance per Brand.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Retail Management, Business Degree, or similar.
• Minimum 8 years retail operations management experience
• Minimum 8 years people management experience.
• Experience managing a medium size team across geographies including exposure operating at senior level within a Retail/Fashion environment.

Core Competencies

• Relationship Building: Ability to build strong, collaborative relationships across multiple professional levels.
• Problem Solving: Strong problem-solving and critical thinking ability.
• Agility: Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and to quickly adapt to changing needs and priorities. Manages ambiguity.
• Judgement: Uses good judgment and discretion.
• Maintains high levels of confidentiality at all times.

Skills and Abilities

• High analytical skills to enable strategy development and business planning.
• Strong interpersonal skills: Very good communication and negotiating abilities as well as presentation, relationship management and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to persuade and influence effectively at all levels of the organization.
• High degree of commercial and business acumen.
• Excellent mentoring, coaching and people management skills.
• Excellent Verbal and Written Communication.
• Reporting and Presentation skills (MS Office).

Merchandise Planner (CPT) - Reporting to the Head of Planning

A Cape Town based multinational consumer brands business representing leading global aspirational apparel brands seeks an experienced Merchandise Planner to work with two well-known international fashion brands and assist the business in expanding both channels and improving profitability.

Job Summary

The role will encompass both store and assortment planning for the retail channel; as well as working with the Brand / Sales Managers to support the wholesale business with demand planning. There is a strong focus on improving key performance metrics over time, where the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in ensuring that these objectives are met.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Preparation of seasonal sales and stock plans, encompassing unit projections, price inflation targeting, and product mix optimization.
• Preparation of seasonal analysis of each Brand in order to fully understand the performance down to the lowest SKU Level; and to use such analysis for Critical Forward Planning for each Brand.
• Assisting with the compilation of annual sales budgets, with ongoing reforecasts at a store, category and product level to ensure achievability and to rebalance OTB commitments.
• Management of the forward order pipeline with international vendors by ensuring OTB commitments are aligned to the budgeted sales plans and Principal Commercial Contracts.
• Management of the critical path of each brand respectively, to optimise the relevant timelines and ensure key interventions are conducted on time.
• Continual assessment of Store performance and implementation of stock management techniques to keep the business aligned to key indicators; including but not limited to effective Replenishment to maximise Sales Performance and Market Share.
• Providing support to the Brand Manager and Head of Planning with the setting and maintenance of prices and margins across the range.
• Compiling regular management and operational reporting to bring visibility to business operations.
• Working closely with the Brand & Purchasing and Customer Services Teams to formulate commercially practical ranges whilst providing and presenting data that supports informed decision making.
• Working with and providing direction and/or guidance to the allocations team to replenish stock to stores to eliminate lost sales opportunities.
• Working jointly with Store Operations and driving development to ensure grading/option plan is in line with space management (pre-season).
• Ensuring integration of ratio management in all merchandising activities.
• Ensuring best practise is actioned for in-depth analysis to support buying commitment decisions for each Brand as appropriate.
• Reviewing and actioning fact-based category input and feedback for internal/external stakeholders.
• Guiding the Operational teams for best practice end-to-end in season management including management of best sellers and worst sellers, in season stock cover management, in season reactivity and sales to space management.
• Providing guidance and strategy for execution of end of season stock management.
• Overseeing the optimal flow of merchandise including fulfilment of product/marketing introduction deadlines/capacity planning.
• Working collaboratively with Marketing and Brand, Visual Merchandising (VM) and Store Operations.
• Supporting the Business and Finance Teams when conducting Business Reviews for each of the Brands as appropriate.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Essential: Matric
• Desirable: Relevant business-related tertiary qualification
• Essential: 4+ years merchandise planning experience in a retail environment

Core Competencies

• Persuading and Influencing
• Analysing
• Deciding and initiating action
• Planning and Organising
• Entrepreneurial and commercial thinking
• Presenting and Communicating Information

Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills
• Negotiation skills
• Communication skills
• Commercial thinking
• Presentation skills
• Knowledge of IT systems and data analytics
• Client account management
• Knowledge of market trends and the retail landscape
• Self-starter with an ability to manage own tasks and responsibilities

• 5 years experience minimum on local production in the industry
• Strong understanding of the local process
• Good with follow ups & pushing to get things out on time
• Chase up lab dips, fabrics - send all approvals to the buyers, chase up approvals and fits from the buyers.
• Deal with buyers, planners etc.
• Follow up fit and PP samples on our sample set 

Responsibilities: 

- Taking bookings

- Supporting 4 hair stylists

- Welcoming customers

- Dealing with customer queries 

- Cash up 

- Social media 

Requirements: 

- Matric

- PC literate 

- Excellent people and communication skills 

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualities: 

• Excellent management skills to direct and motivate a team according to set requirements and deadlines.
• Be proactive and have a positive outlook on life.
• Be customer oriented.
• Excellent telephonic, written and communication skills as required to liase with customers and factory managers and staff. 
• Good organizational skills (time management etc).
• Outgoing and confident.
• Ability to multi-task and work well under pressure.
• Admin orientated as paperwork would need to be captured on the computer system.

Duties:

• Manage Quality team of controllers to achieve customer requirements in quality.
• Work closely with the various CMTs to ensure our garments meet customer’s standards.
• Motivate and direct a team of QA staff and review their performance on an ongoing basis.
• Plan the daily movements of the team to the various CMTs according to requirements.
• Ensure BPS and trial samples are approved timeously.
• Ensure audits are conducted on time and to meet requirements.

Requirements:

• 5 Years QA (Quality Assurance) experience in the Clothing Industry.
• Familiar with AQL, QA system.
• Familiar with Chain Store QA procedures.
• Computer Literate.
• Driver’s License.
• Traceable references.
• Garment construction and Industrial Sewing machine experience a must.

• Full debtors & Creditors
• Journals
• Cash book
• Stock recons
• Bank Reconciliations
• Month End Bookkeeping
• Petty Cash
• Record cash receipts and make bank deposits
• Conduct periodic reconciliations of all accounts to ensure their accuracy
• Calculate and issue financial analysis of the financial statements
• Maintain an orderly accounting filing system
• Provide clerical and administrative support to management as requested
• Assisting with supervision of admin staff
• VAT submission and reconciliations
• SARS Efiling