Ares Holdings Internships 2026: Buyer & Trade Marketing Roles in Cape Town

Published August 11, 2026

About the Ares Holdings Internships

Ares Holdings is providing these internships to help build the careers of individuals interested in retail, buying, analytics, and trade marketing. The Buyer Internship focuses on data analysis and merchandising, while the Trade Marketing Internship offers exposure to campaign planning and execution. Both roles are designed to give interns hands-on experience in key areas of the retail industry.

About Ares Holdings

Ares Holdings is a company operating within the retail sector. It focuses on providing opportunities for growth and development within its commercial and operational areas. The company is committed to offering practical experience to aspiring professionals looking to enter the retail market.

Available Internship Opportunities

Ares Holdings has two distinct internship opportunities available for 2026:

Buyer Internship
Trade Marketing Internship

About the Ares Holdings Buyer Internship 2026

The Buyer Internship at Ares Holdings is designed for individuals who want to gain experience in monitoring consumer purchasing patterns and analysing sales data. The successful candidate will support planning and management teams in making informed merchandising and inventory decisions. This role is heavily focused on understanding consumer trends, sales performance, and inventory management.

Buyer Internship Responsibilities

The Buyer Intern will be responsible for a range of tasks, including:

Monitoring sales data by price, category, trend, geography, and customer.
Analysing sales performance to identify consumer purchasing trends.
Making recommendations based on sales information to support merchandising.
Monitoring seasonal changes and assisting with inventory turnover improvements.
Evaluating purchase-order and sales-history reports.
Assisting with liquidation planning and monitoring aged inventory.
Communicating with stores and monitoring in-season trade.
Setting up seasonal line lists by store and analysing marketplace sales.

Inventory Management Exposure

The internship also provides exposure to key inventory management functions such as:

Inventory levels and turns.
Open-to-Buy planning.
Product assortments and marketing launches.
Promotional activation planning.
Shipping, receiving, and warehousing.
Demand planning and end-of-life stock management.
Purchase orders and order tracking.
SKU setup, pricing, and Available-to-Sell reporting.

Buyer Internship Reporting Duties

The intern may assist with various reports, including:

Shipping schedules and inbound containers.
Location reviews and inventory tracker tools.
Retail top sellers and weekly sales reports.
Returns management and additional management reporting packs.

About the Ares Holdings Trade Marketing Internship 2026

The Trade Marketing Internship is aimed at graduates looking to gain practical exposure to marketing plan development and implementation across retail stores and wholesale partners. This programme offers insights into marketing strategy, campaign planning, visual merchandising, and commercial performance. It is an excellent opportunity to understand how marketing initiatives are brought to life in a retail setting.

Trade Marketing Execution Support

The Trade Marketing Intern will assist with:

Implementing trade marketing strategies and supporting seasonal marketing plans.
Supporting campaign rollouts and monitoring timelines to ensure deadlines are met.
Coordinating deliverables between internal teams and supporting marketing communication with retail and wholesale partners.

Point of Sale and Visual Merchandising

The role involves assisting with the coordination of Point of Sale (POS) materials, including ordering, distribution, and monitoring stock levels. The intern will also gain exposure to visual merchandising guidelines, campaign briefs, and VM training coordination. This includes adapting global POS materials for local market needs and providing recommendations based on execution results.

Product Training and Consumer Promotions

Responsibilities may include developing training materials, distributing product-training content, and coordinating training schedules. The intern will also support consumer promotions and sales incentive programmes, tracking promotional timelines and communication across stores. Post-promotion reporting will also be a key aspect of this role.

Market and Performance Reporting

The internship includes collecting campaign performance data, tracking competitor activity, and monitoring in-store trends. The successful candidate will assist in preparing reports and presentations, maintaining reporting templates, and keeping trackers up to date.

Events and Activations Support

The graduate will assist with trade shows, events, and marketing activations, including logistics, event setup, and branding materials. Capturing event feedback and results will also be part of the role, providing a well-rounded event management experience.

Budget and Administration Support

The intern will also be involved in budget tracking, purchase-order management, and maintaining spend and invoice records. Campaign cost reconciliation and ensuring documentation is up to date are also key administrative duties.

Minimum Requirements

Buyer Internship Requirements

Applicants for the Buyer Internship should meet the following criteria:

A relevant tertiary qualification.
One to two years of experience in a similar role.
Strong administration and merchandising skills.
Good numerical ability and the capacity to work with large volumes of data.
Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.
Understanding of supply chain processes and good problem-solving skills.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, prioritise tasks, and multitask effectively.
A valid driver’s licence and own transport.
Willingness to travel locally.

Trade Marketing Internship Requirements

The specific minimum tertiary qualification for the Trade Marketing Internship was not specified in the provided information. Applicants should check the official application page for any additional qualification requirements.

Competencies Required

Both internships will benefit candidates who can develop skills in:

Marketing strategy and brand management.
Retail and wholesale marketing.
POS materials and digital marketing.
Market research and event management.
Budget management and cross-functional collaboration.
Data analysis and problem-solving.
Collaboration, communication, and accountability.
Adaptability, customer focus, and motivation.
Ability to influence stakeholders and support teams.

Who Should Apply?

The Buyer Internship is ideal for individuals with a relevant tertiary qualification and some experience in buying or data analysis, who possess strong analytical and organisational skills. The Trade Marketing Internship is suited for graduates eager to gain broad exposure to retail marketing, campaign execution, and event management within the fast-paced retail environment. Both opportunities are best for proactive individuals willing to learn and contribute.

Required Documents

Applicants should prepare the following documents for their application:

Updated CV.
Certified copy of South African ID.
Certified copy of Matric certificate.
Certified copies of relevant tertiary qualifications (especially for the Buyer Internship).
Academic record.
Proof of residence.
Any other documents requested on the application portal.

How to Apply

For the Buyer Internship:

Applications must be submitted online.
Click here to apply for Ares Holdings Buyer Internship 2026

For the Trade Marketing Internship:

Applications must be submitted online.
Click here to apply for Ares Holdings Trade Marketing Internship 2026

Important Notes

Both internships are based in Cape Town.
The Buyer Internship closes on 14 August 2026.
The Trade Marketing Internship closes on 18 August 2026.
The Buyer role requires a relevant tertiary qualification and 1-2 years of experience.
A valid driver’s licence and own transport are required for the Buyer Internship.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee selection.
Applicants who are not contacted within two weeks after the closing date should regard their applications as unsuccessful.

Closing Date

The closing date for the Buyer Internship is 14 August 2026.

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