Category Planner

Sandton, South Africa Posted on 03/19/2025

Category planners play a pivotal role in the success of any business that has its roots in the retail industry. In the case of DotActiv, they help us to transform the in store experiences of our customers, drive sales and profit, analyse and profile clusters as well as use this information to recommend a customer centric assortment plan to our customers.

With a starting Cost to Company of between R and R per month, we're searching for people who value strategic planning, problem solving, customer satisfaction, and working in an innovative environment.

The idea behind category management is straightforward: it's the process used to manage product categories to deliver value to shoppers in a bid to increase both the sales and profit for a retailer. In short, it is the science behind how retailers decide on which products to stock as well as how to organise these products in store so as to please their customers.

Our history dates back to 1991 when we launched as a Category Management consultancy. In 1997, we became the first company to establish a formalised and collaborative management process between a retailer and supplier when we signed Pick n Pay as a client. That wasn't our only first. In 2001, when we relaunched under the name of DotActiv, we became the first company to create a data driven category management system. The fact that we have since expanded and evolved that system means today, we have more than 2000 retail professionals using our planogram software in over 110 countries.

Role Type: On Site, Full time.

Now that you know what you can expect from us, it's time to unpack what you can expect from this job.

• Creating strategic assortment plans
• Planning and building data driven shelf plans
• Conducting floor and space plan analytical reviews
• Developing optimised cluster plans per product category using the cluster optimizer and maintenance tools in the DotActiv software
• Analysing the cluster plan and profiling each cluster to deliver strategic insights to clients
• Maximising customer and category performance by considering category strategies and plans, product financial performance, shopper psychology and aesthetic appeal
• Supporting, advising and guiding retail customers where required

What We Expect From You

• A Consumer Science or Commerce degree or similar degree at a recognised and accredited university
• A good understanding of English (you must be able to speak, read and write at a business proficiency level)
• While not required, 1 to 2 years of experience in a retail environment is advantageous
• A valid driver's licence and vehicle are a requirement for this role as you may be required to travel on site to meet with clients
• A working laptop - it is important that your laptop has Windows as our software is not supported with Mac PCs. We do offer a laptop allowance, included in the CTC

• General retail business experience within a retail environment
• Understanding of category management principles, including clustering and assortment planning (beneficial)
• Understanding of space planning and how it connects to clustering and assortment planning (beneficial)
• Understanding of merchandising principles and techniques (beneficial)
• Product knowledge and understanding of product ranges
• Computer literacy, including:
• Intermediate MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Google G Suite/Google Docs for business
• Understanding of the computer packages and systems currently used by DotActiv and customers (training will be provided)

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical skills and ability to use data analysis techniques and apply them to business situations
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• High capacity to represent the DotActiv brand as a specialist
• High degree of internal client engagement
• Ability to multitask and work cross functionally
• Remain attentive in a busy environment
• Naturally calm while having a strong sense of urgency and focus (detail oriented)
• Team player
• Versatile enough if participation in other types of activities is required
• Adaptable to change as different product categories present different challenges and opportunities

To balance out the investment of your three month training, we have attached a cost of training agreement.

This means that you undertake not to resign for a period of three years from the date of your successful deployment.

If this agreement is not upheld, you will be liable to repay the total actual value sponsored immediately on termination of service.

Too often, we've come across job offers that focus first on what they expect from their applicants without thinking about the person who intends to apply. That's not what you'll find with DotActiv. As our vision clearly states, we aim to exceed the expectations of our staff.

Here's what you can expect from DotActiv when joining the team as a Category Planner:

• You'll receive a Cost to Company of between R15k and R20k, depending on your qualifications and experience
• You'll receive guidance, support and training from your line manager to ensure that you succeed as a category planner and can grow in your career at DotActiv
• We offer you a transparent job grading system
• We offer you a developmental path specific to your circumstances, allowing you to track your progress