Sr. Manager, Demand and Inventory Planning & Management

Monro•Fairport, NY

4d•$110,000 - $120,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Sr. Manager, Demand and Inventory Planning & Management is responsible for leading the organization’s end-to-end inventory planning and management processes, including demand planning, forecasting, inventory optimization and replenishment for all product categories and across Monro’s fleet of more than 1,100 stores. This role plays a critical role in aligning inventory investments with customer demand and financial targets, leveraging data, systems and partnerships with both suppliers and internal stakeholders to improve inventory availability, reduce inventory risk and drive profitability and GMROI. The Sr. Manager, Demand and Inventory Planning is responsible for managing the health and positioning of inventory across the enterprise, including identifying and mitigating inventory obsolescence risk, excess inventory and ensuring appropriate inventory levels at the SKU-Location level. This role requires close cross-functional collaboration with Merchandising and Category Management teams, Marketing, IT, Finance to drive a high-performance inventory planning and management function that scales with the needs of the business.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Analytics or a related field; MBA or APICS certification preferred
6+ years of progressive experience in demand planning, inventory management, or supply chain analytics, preferably in a retail or wholesale environment
Demonstrated expertise with forecasting tools and ERP systems
Strong analytical and Excel skills
Advanced proficiency with Power BI, Tableau or similar data analytics and visualization platforms
Proven track record of driving inventory efficiency and service level improvements through planning and inventory management best practices
Excellent communication, leadership and cross-functional collaboration
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Proficient in business tools including Excel, PowerPoint, and merchandising analytics platforms, with the ability to create compelling business cases and data-backed recommendations
Critical thinking and decision-making skills grounded in data and business understanding
Ability to effectively manage both on-shore and off-shore resources

Responsibilities

Demand Planning & Forecasting
Own and lead the end-to-end demand planning process across key categories, partnering with Category Management, Supply Chain, and Finance.
Lead monthly 3-way forecast collaboration sessions with key suppliers and distribution partners to ensure alignment to demand expectations and inventory needs across the entire supply chain.
Build and maintain statistical forecasting models, adjusting for market trends, promotions, seasonality, and lifecycle status.
Monitor forecast accuracy and bias, and drive continuous improvement through root cause analysis and corrective actions.
Partner with Finance to ensure alignment of demand and sales expectations to financial plans and forecasts, as well as overall business performance objectives.
Translate demand plans into rolling 12-month inventory and purchase forecasts, and provide forecasts to key supplier and distribution partners, as well as to internal Merchandising and Category Management teams, Finance and Senior Leadership.
Inventory Management
Develop and execute inventory strategies to optimize service levels, inventory turns, and GMROI.
Oversee item-level replenishment strategies and safety stock parameters, adjusting dynamically based on performance and risk.
Manage inventory targets for key SKUs and categories, ensuring alignment with merchandising strategy and store execution capabilities and capacities.
Identify and pursue opportunities for inventory rebalancing, repositioning and returns to continually drive inventory efficiency
Analytics & Reporting
Build and enhance dashboards, KPIs, and exception-based reporting to measure and improve forecast accuracy, in-stock rates, inventory health, and supplier performance to plans.
Leverage data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities in demand patterns and inventory position.
Present clear, actionable insights to leadership and stakeholders to guide decision-making and improve performance.
Ensure suppliers and distribution partners are providing accurate and timely reporting on inventory availability and outlook; work with suppliers and distribution partners to mitigate inventory availability risks via substitution, alternate sourcing, backorder prioritization and management, inventory reservation, etc…
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner closely with Category Managers, Merchandising, Finance, and Operations to align planning assumptions and timelines.
Act as a key liaison between merchandising and supply chain to ensure continuity of supply and timely flow of goods.
Lead S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) discussions and alignment meetings as needed.
Team Leadership & Development
Lead and develop a team of Purchasing & Replenishment Specialists, providing coaching, training, and career development support.
Manage both onshore and offshore resources effectively, promoting collaboration and accountability across geographies.
Foster a high-performance, data-driven culture focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.