Manager, Strategic Inventory Management

Zones, Inc.•Auburn, WA

55d•$90,000 - $110,000•Remote

About The Position

The Manager, Strategic Inventory Management is responsible for developing and executing inventory strategies that optimize working capital, minimize stockouts and excess, and ensure supply readiness across the organization. This role drives cross-functional alignment between supply chain, procurement, finance, and sales teams to support business objectives through effective inventory planning, analytics, and governance.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, or related field (Master's or MBA preferred).
7+ years of progressive experience in inventory management, supply chain planning, or operations strategy.
At least 2-3 years in a managerial or team leadership role.
Strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills.
Experience in the Enterprise IT procurement channel
Expertise in ERP and advanced planning systems (Microsoft D365 and Kinaxis RapidResponse preferred).
Proficiency in data visualization and analytics tools (Power BI, Tableau, Excel, SQL, etc.).
Knowledge of and experience with best practices in inventory and materials management (e.g., Classification Methods (A,B,C,D), Safety Stock, Lean, Consignment, etc.)
Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and change leadership skills.
Demonstrated ability to balance strategic vision with operational execution.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement long-term inventory management strategies aligned with business growth, customer demand, and financial goals.
Lead a team responsible for demand planning, inventory forecasting, optimization, and reporting across multiple product lines or regions.
Partner with executive leadership to define key inventory KPIs (e.g., inventory turns, days of supply, fill rate, excess & obsolete metrics).
Analyze demand and supply trends to set optimal inventory targets and safety stock levels.
Drive strategic initiatives to improve inventory efficiency, reduce carrying costs, and mitigate obsolescence risks.
Oversee deployment and replenishment strategies to balance customer service and cost.
Collaborate with supply planning, procurement, logistics, and finance to ensure alignment of supply plans and inventory goals.
Act as a key liaison between global and regional operations teams for inventory governance and standardization.
Partner with finance to forecast working capital requirements and monitor inventory-related financial performance.
Lead continuous improvement projects in planning systems and analytics tools.
Establish standardized processes, controls, and reporting dashboards to enhance inventory visibility and decision-making.
Support system enhancements and automation to improve accuracy and efficiency in inventory management.
Track, analyze, and present inventory performance metrics to senior leadership.
Develop advanced analytics models to predict demand-supply imbalances and inventory risks.
Provide actionable insights to improve forecasting accuracy and service levels.