Director of Inventory & Planning

SSA Group•Denver, CO

15h•Remote

About The Position

The Director of Inventory & Planning establishes and leads SSA's merchandise planning and inventory intelligence capabilities for the Retail Merchandise function. This role owns the implementation and administration of the Relex inventory optimization platform, builds reporting and analytics infrastructure, and drives the transition from reactive purchasing to disciplined, data-driven planning. The Director serves as the single point of accountability for inventory health, forecasting accuracy, vendor complexity reduction, and financial reporting — connecting inventory strategy to buyer spend, store budgets, and margin outcomes.

Requirements

5–8+ years of combined experience in inventory planning, merchandise planning, or supply chain management required
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Merchandising, or related field preferred; equivalent experience accepted
Must be 18 or older
Demonstrated proficiency with inventory optimization or merchandise planning technology platforms
Multi-location retail experience strongly preferred
Proficient in data analysis tools and reporting platforms
Colorado-based; ability to travel 0–5% as required
Knowledge of inventory and merchandise planning systems and ability to lead platform implementation with cross-functional teams
Skill in financial analysis and reporting, including margin, COGS, per cap, and inventory turn metrics
Ability to develop and manage complex project timelines with multiple dependencies and stakeholders
Knowledge of retail buying cycles, vendor management, and supply chain workflows in multi-location retail environments
Ability to build collaborative, trust-based relationships across departments and leadership levels
Skill in translating data and analytics into clear, actionable communication for both technical and non-technical audiences
Ability to develop and lead direct reports, establish functional capability, and support succession planning

Nice To Haves

Prior Relex experience preferred

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end implementation of Relex, including timeline management, stakeholder communication, and direct project coordination with implementation with IT Systems Support.
Establish and maintain data governance standards to ensure system accuracy and integrity across all inventory and planning data.
Drive platform adoption across the Retail Merchandise team by developing training, documentation, and operational processes tied to Relex workflows.
Serve as the primary internal subject matter expert and point of contact for all Relex-related functions.
Develop and deliver regular implementation updates with detailed timelines to the EVP of Operational Innovation and relevant stakeholders.
Own inventory health across Retail Merchandise, including active monitoring of aged inventory, stock-to-sales ratios, and in-stock performance.
Lead replenishment strategy and forecasting processes to improve product availability and reduce missed sales opportunities.
Link inventory plans to buyer spend decisions and store-level budgets to establish financial discipline in the buying cycle.
Identify and execute liquidation actions for aged and excess inventory, including identified dead inventory in the A&F portfolio.
Develop and implement inventory metrics that drive accountability and continuous improvement in merchandise flow.
Build and maintain weekly sales recap reporting inclusive of revenue, margin (COGS), and per cap performance by location or category.
Develop and distribute inventory health dashboards including stock-to-sales, aged inventory, and turn rate reporting.
Own freight reporting and integrate freight cost visibility into total inventory cost analysis.
Provide regular performance color commentary that translates data into actionable business insights for leadership.
Support annual planning processes by providing inventory and demand data to inform financial targets and open-to-buy.
Track and report key inventory performance metrics: sell-through, gross margin return on inventory, inventory turnover, markdown rate, forecast accuracy, and out-of-stock rate.
Analyze the current vendor landscape to identify opportunities for consolidation and simplification that improve efficiency and margin.
Reduce PO complexity by establishing streamlined ordering processes aligned with Relex capabilities and operational standards.
Establish SKU rationalization criteria and support Buyers in applying them to eliminate underperforming items.
Develop and maintain controls and standards to improve inventory turns, reduce carrying costs, and protect margin.
Coordinate with Procurement and Finance to ensure vendor reduction efforts align with organizational cost and risk objectives.
Lead and develop the Inventory & Planning team, including direct oversight of Divisional Merchandise Directors during the interim reporting period, with clear expectations, development goals, and succession pathways.
Cultivate a collaborative team culture grounded in open communication, shared accountability, and continuous improvement.
Serve as a cross-functional partner to Buyers, Finance, and Operations to align planning and inventory decisions with business priorities.
Partner with Sourcing/Supply Chain to align purchase commitments, vendor performance, and lead times with merchandise plans.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, testing, and innovation in planning processes and tools.
Communicate proactively with the EVP of Operational Innovation through regular updates, issue escalation, and strategic alignment.

Benefits

Full-Time, Exempt
$75 Cell Phone Stipend
Flex Time Off: no accruals; employees are encouraged to schedule time off as needed within business scope.
Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance and other voluntary benefits for you and your family; employee premiums applicable.
Participation in a 401(k) program with a 15% company match (must be 21 years or older, eligible after one year of employment with 1,000 hours worked, available to enroll during Open Enrollment Periods).
Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability, employer sponsored; scaled-salary pay following submission and approval of leave
Parental Leave: Birthing Parent Plan covers up to (6-8) weeks fully paid leave, based on the birthing event.
SSA Paid Benefit: Up to 120 hours of Paid Leave for qualifying reasons, including Parental Bonding and your family’s serious medical conditions.
Up to 5 days Paid Bereavement Leave
On-Demand Pay Program: Get access to a portion of earned wages before payday.
Meal Plan & Employee Discounts where applicable
Paid sick leave is provided in accordance with applicable state and local laws. Accrual rates, caps, and usage rules vary by location.
Arizona, California, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C., Colorado: Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 48 hours per year, under the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act (HFWA).
Maryland: Employees accrue at least 1 hour of paid sick and safe leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year, as required under the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act.
Washington: Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, in accordance with the Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time.