Senior Director, Inventory Planning

Sephora•Toronto, ON

1d•CA$171,000 - CA$203,100•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Senior Director, Inventory Planning, you’ll lead key functions across merchandise planning, demand planning, in-season open-to-buy management, and inventory flow. The work you do will impact beauty by ensuring the right products are in the right place at the right time—driving sales, optimizing margins, and delivering seamless client experience. You’ll manage a high-performing team and partner cross-functionally with leaders in Merchandising, Logistics, and Finance to shape strategy, align resources, manage risk, and unlock growth opportunities. Together, you’ll bring data-driven insights to life and create the foundation for a thriving, customer-centric business.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in retail planning, demand planning, or inventory management, with a proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams.
Deep expertise in open-to-buy (OTB), forecasting, allocation, and end-to-end inventory management, with the ability to translate data-driven insights into strategic decisions.
Strong understanding of the inventory lifecycle, assortment optimization, and supply chain dynamics within a fast-paced, omni-channel retail environment.
Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to identify risks, uncover opportunities, and drive business performance.
Experience leveraging data, tools, and systems to enhance forecasting accuracy, optimize inventory flow, and improve overall planning effectiveness.
Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with a track record of building strong cross-functional partnerships across Merchandising, Supply Chain, and Finance.
A strategic, agile mindset with the ability to navigate complexity, lead through change, and deliver results in a dynamic, evolving business environment.
Strong leadership presence with a passion for developing talent, fostering collaboration, and creating an inclusive, high-performing team culture.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of pre-season and in-season strategies across sales, margin, and inventory.
Own and evolve short- and long-term inventory strategies to drive alignment with business goals and growth targets.
Oversee the end-to-end inventory lifecycle, partnering closely with demand planning on forecasting and purchasing strategies.
Guide and challenge the team to proactively identify and manage risks and opportunities through the OTB and monthly forecast processes.
Bring strong expertise in inventory analysis, assortment optimization, supply chain, and allocation systems to support and elevate team performance.
Lead forecast processes (YTD/YTG), ensuring performance is tracked against plan and proactive actions are taken to stay on course.
Mentor and support the team in optimizing inventory performance across assortment, promotions, and in-stock levels to drive business results.
Apply insights from business trends, product launches, promotional calendars, and cost structures to inform planning strategies.
Proactively manage obsolete inventory by identifying risks early and recommending effective exit and markdown strategies while protecting margin.
Partner with Merchandising, Supply Chain, Finance, and Distribution to align strategies.
Collaborate with merchandising & other cross functional teals to support strategic seasonal merchandise reviews (assortment planning tactics, obsolescence aged inventory).
Champion the development of tools, systems, and scalable processes to enhance planning capabilities.
Standardize and optimize operational planning and workflow processes to improve efficiency and consistency.
Partner with Reporting & Systems to elevate data, analytics, and reporting frameworks that support better decision-making.
Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing planning organization.
Demonstrate resilience and adaptability while taking ownership of outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
Advocate for the team by effectively communicating priorities and needs to executive and cross-functional partners.