Junior Planner

takealot.com, South Africa's leading online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Junior Planner to join our team in Cape Town.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us. We offer a market related, Total Remuneration Package which allows full flexibility according to your needs, a great work environment and a promise that you won’t be bored as long as you are prepared for a challenge and want to build something great.

This position reports to the Head of Planning

Your responsibilities will include:

• Oversee the In-stock function including demand planning, ordering and capacity management in line with department strategy.
• Deliver accurate insights and reports on a timely basis on which department managers can base commercial decisions and deliver on revenue and margin plans.
• Create sustainable In-stock systems and processes in partnership with central analytics, technical and product teams.
• Planning management to support department procurement cycles including but not limited to seasonality, promotion planning, reaction, import purchasing & continual replenishment.
• Develop the bottom-up budgeting plan cycle and reviews in line with performance, margin, stock turn & departmental strategy objectives.
• Own and compile the annual retail sales budget, quarterly plan, working plan as well as on-going.reforecasting at category and product levels to ensure budgets are achieved.
• Manage end to end inventory availability and inventory health including improved in-stock rates (availability), inventory planning at categorisation, systematic forecasting, markdown and clearance provisions, return to supplier activities and warehouse space management.
• Drive process improvement and operational excellence within our supplier base by reducing costs, defects, and lead times, while increasing innovation, automation, and economies of scale.
• Drive complex business analysis that identifies opportunities to improve cost structure and profitability, focusing on continual contribution margin improvements.
• Support the operations team in delivering a world-class customer experience – monitor and scrutinise department returns, defects and write offs, supporting the customer service team on product queries and resolving any customer complaints.

Qualification & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Advanced Diploma (Commerce, Finance, Mathematics or Economics degree preferable).

• 1 to 3 years retail planning experience

• Proven track record in spend management (OTB, Margin management, mark down controls).

Attributes Required:

• Proven track record in planning, and inventory management.
• Competencies and forecasting.
• Strong willingness to learn.
• Entrepreneurial / Commercial mindset.
• Proven track record in spend management (OTB, Margin, management, mark down controls).
• Strong numerical and analytical aptitude, and high proficiency creating and managing advanced stock managment and inventory models.
• Strong proficiency in using analytical tools (Microsoft Excel, SQL) and statistical software.

The Environment: 

• takealot.com employees are entrepreneurial and dynamic, smart, customer- centric, fun and have the shared ambition of takealot.com being the leading e- commerce company in Africa. 
• We have fun, work hard, take ownership, work in teams to create solutions, and are always open to direct feedback/new ideas on where we can improve. 
• We are short on ego and high on output. 
• We are doers and not only thinkers, its all in the execution after all. 
• We love what we do and what we are creating.
• We seek to employ an Extra Ordinary Mind who is Smart, has Integrity, and is Hardworking. 

If you meet the above you are an Extraordinary Mind so come and join us! 

Takealot Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applicants from the previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities, to apply.

View all current vacancies at takealot.com →

1. Read the full job description and requirements on this page carefully before applying — tailor your application to what the employer actually asks for.
2. Update your CV and save it as a PDF. Make sure your contact details, most recent experience and qualifications are easy to find.
3. Click the apply button on this page to complete your application on takealot.com's own careers site. The employer manages the shortlisting process directly.
4. Have certified copies of your ID and qualifications ready. Many South African employers request them once you are shortlisted.
5. Applications close on 19 August 2026. Submit well before the deadline — late applications are normally not considered.
6. Keep a record of what you submitted and when. If you have not heard back within a few weeks of the closing date, it is acceptable to follow up politely.

If takealot.com shortlists you for the Junior Planner position, preparation makes the difference. Work through these steps:

• Research takealot.com before the interview — look for their official website, social profiles and any recent news. Interviewers expect you to know why you want to work there specifically.
• Go through the job description above and prepare a specific example from your own experience for each of the main duties. Most interview questions will be drawn from what the advert emphasises.
• Structure your answers with the STAR method — Situation, Task, Action, Result. Concrete stories with measurable outcomes are far stronger than general claims about your abilities.
• Prepare two or three thoughtful questions to ask the panel — about the team, how success is measured in the role, or growth opportunities. It signals genuine interest.
• Plan your logistics early. Confirm whether the interview is in person in Cape Town or online, and arrive or log in at least ten minutes early.