Demand Planning Manager

Real Flame Company Inc•Yorkville, WI

57d

About The Position

Reporting to the VP of Merchandising & Strategy, the Demand Planning Manager will oversee the demand planning/buying functions that directly influence the company’s ability to meet financial goals and deliver customer satisfaction. In this dynamic role you will build and execute brand category plans, analyze historical data to forecast demand, and lead deployment strategies that ensure the right products are in the right place at the right time. Managing multiple seasons simultaneously, you will provide actionable insights into current results and recommend strategic actions that drive profitable sales and efficient inventory turnover. This multi-faceted role requires extensive cross-functional partnerships. You will be the key point of contact for forecasting and pricing for the Sales team, Sourcing team, and factory partners both domestically and abroad. You will also be responsible for owning the inventory and space budget at multiple 3PL locations to optimize costs and be a key partner to DC Manager to coordinate inbound shipment schedule and collaborate on space optimization and peak-season planning. In this role, you will also lead, coach, and develop a team of direct reports to optimize performance across all purchasing and inventory processes.

Requirements

Exceptionally detail-oriented
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Passion for structure and organization
Ability to adapt quickly to a rapidly changing business environment
Strong problem-solving skills with a solutions-oriented mindset
Curiosity and a passion for sales analytics, inventory planning, and strategic pricing
Advanced/Expert in Microsoft Office Products
Execute multiple projects in tandem, and prioritize regularly based on changing business needs
Occasional visits to local factory and distribution center
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in demand planning/management or buying required
Strong foundation of analytical skills
Previous experience with developing and maintaining sales and inventory plans
Previous experience in collaborating and influencing cross-functional teams
Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer
Requires the ability to read written instructions, reports, and other documentation
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
The employee frequently is required to talk or listen
Required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms
Must be able to lift-up to 25 pounds at times

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, retail, supply chain, economics, or finance is preferred
Demonstrated experience in turning off-line tools into integrated systems preferred
Net Suite Forecasting and Analytics experience preferred
AI Analytics experience preferred

Responsibilities

Create and manage product sales, cost, inventory, and margin plans at the category, class, and item level and be accountable for buying decisions within purchasing budget
Create, maintain, and review monthly Open-to-Buy with leadership team to measure progress on sales, margin, and inventory plans along with 6–12-month future forecast
Use data analytics to assess the impact of sales and inventory variances to plan and dynamically shift forecasts to maintain efficient stock levels while maximizing sales and margin outcomes to meet and exceed budget
Negotiate, expedite, delay, cancel, or re-order inventory as necessary
Track inventory movement and storage space and systematically introduce and guide promotional and price change opportunities to optimize sales, inventory, and margin
Analyzes future marketing plans to determine appropriate levels of inventory for each item, overstock situations to establish seasonal sales prices and evaluates/determines demand targets for assortment plan development
Provide monthly inbound container plan annually for P&L input based on category plans and projection analysis roll-up
Responsible for continuous improvement mindset regarding purchasing, inventory management, and pricing systems, processes, and ERP tools
Determine 3-tiered product list-prices (FOB, Drop/Ship, Retail Truckload) annually to maximize sales and margin
Communicate discontinued and slow-moving products and determine pricing levels for sales team to implement to deplete inventory
Assist in determining base promotional discount level by month at the item level based on inventory levels and sales needs
Pre-align with sales team on promotional items so that inventory can be pre-positioned accordingly to maximize sales
Assist in sales analytics and reporting when needed
Provide rolling 12-month production forecasts by factory to Director of Global Sourcing and directly to Real Flame factory partners overseas
Partner with Director of Global Sourcing to determine freight forwarder strategy to ensure Real Flame is always securing the best import freight rates balanced with optimal speed and access to vessels
Oversee communication of direct reports with Sourcing team regarding factory forecast requests, freight-forwarder issue/actions, and other logistical or inventory related topics
Provide annual purchase plans/forecasts for domestic factories, in addition to a dynamic 6-month forecast so that factories can properly buy parts with proper lead times to meet purchasing demand
Oversee weekly scheduling meetings to hold factory partners accountable on delivery dates and determine action plans for any potential delays
Create reporting capabilities to give DC partner visibility to inbound shipments up to 4 months
Include DC partner in OTB reviews to give rolling 6-12 month sales/inventory outlook
Inform DC partner on all topics that could impact space allocation at the DC including discontinued/slow-moving products, new item launches, and overall customer choice count