Manager, Inventory Readiness

Fanatics Commerce•Tampa, FL

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Fanatics Commerce is seeking an Inventory Readiness Manager to support domestic and nearshore manufacturing operations by driving blank inventory positioning strategy across internal and external production networks. This role will lead a team of 2–3 and partner closely with Inventory Supply Planning, Demand Forecasting, and Order Fulfillment teams to align inventory strategy with operational capacity, customer SLA commitments, and long-range business goals. The Inventory Readiness Manager (Blank Inventory) delivers business and fan impact through BOLD leadership and execution excellence, leveraging data, automation, and AI-enabled insights. The primary place of performance of this role is the Company's office located in Tampa, FL, subject to the Company's current hybrid work policy. This role currently requires in-office presence 3 days per week.

Requirements

5+ years of related professional experience in inventory management, supply chain planning, demand forecasting, or a related operations discipline.
Strong understanding of inventory planning, supply chain operations, and demand forecasting, with demonstrated ability to develop and execute inventory positioning strategies across internal and external networks.
Proficient in analytical tools including MS Excel (macros, advanced database functions), MicroStrategy, and MS Office Suite, with strong quantitative aptitude and attention to detail.
Proven ability to lead and manage a team, with strong collaboration and problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively across cross-functional partners including Capacity, Allocations, and Manufacturing teams.
Experience working with external inventory distributors and VMI partners, with the ability to drive execution and integrate third-party inventory into broader production readiness strategies.
Effective communication skills — written, oral, and presentation — with demonstrated ability to recap findings, solutions, and timelines clearly for upper management.
Willingness to travel up to 5–10% and to work additional hours during peak periods as required.
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Industrial/Systems Engineering, Logistics, or a related field required.

Responsibilities

Partner with Capacity, Order Allocations, and Manufacturing teams to optimize Fanatics Brands domestic and nearshore order fulfillment capabilities, aligning inventory positioning with network constraints and go-forward demand.
Collaborate with Inventory Supply Planning and Demand Forecasting teams to ensure long-range, mid-range, and short-range inventory strategy is proactively aligned with customer and operational needs.
Drive partnership and execution activities with external inventory distributors and VMI partners to ensure domestically available blanks are efficiently incorporated into the production inventory readiness strategy.
Lead, develop, and manage a team of 2–3 inventory readiness professionals, fostering a culture of analytical rigor, urgency, and continuous improvement.
Coach team members to shift focus from transactional execution toward strategic and analytical activities through automation and process improvement.
Monitor on-hand inventory levels across internal and external production partners to ensure positioning aligns with overall strategy, remediating issues by initiating transfer requests or additional inventory purchases as needed.
Analyze inventory positioning across internal and external networks — including distributor and VMI inventory not yet owned by Fanatics — to ensure alignment with current and upcoming customer demand.
Serve as a contributing member of the forecasting and planning process as it relates to inventory needed for domestic and nearshore replenishment production across internal and external partners.
Develop a broad understanding of the Fanatics Brands business beyond core responsibilities to ensure inventory decisions and strategy remain aligned with overall company goals and customer SLA targets.
Create and continuously improve current-state processes, systems, toolsets, and business rules to support Fanatics Brands' goal of improving customer SLA while operating profitably.
Establish data-driven processes and decision-making patterns by building a playbook for exception management and contributing to the development of a new virtual blanks housing system.
Apply a continuous improvement mindset to drive greater automation of executional and transactional activities, freeing capacity for higher-value analytical and strategic work.
Demonstrate strong problem-solving capabilities, providing accurate recaps of findings and solutions with timelines to upper management.
Own blank inventory positioning strategy end-to-end, proactively and reactively managing inventory readiness to meet domestic and nearshore production needs.
Exhibit a sense of urgency and constructive judgment in a fast-paced environment, meeting deadlines during peak demand periods with self-discipline and attention to detail.
Leverage analytical tools including MS Excel (including macros and advanced database functions), MicroStrategy, and MS Office to produce actionable insights and support inventory decision making.
Support the US Operations team in Tampa on special projects as needed, contributing cross-functional expertise beyond core inventory responsibilities.
Apply AI and technology to improve efficiency, quality, and outcomes.
Use data and digital tools to inform decisions and enhance performance.
Demonstrate curiosity and adaptability in adopting new technologies and ways of working.
Contribute to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.