The Director of Planning is key in helping to drive the business through the development, execution, and communication of inventory plans, inventory allocation, and omni channel buying in line with omni channel sales goals. Key functions include ownership of by-SKU forecasts and the open-to-buy in collaboration with finance and sales channels. This position facilitates cross-functional relationships with sales (e-commerce, wholesale, and retail), merchandising, finance, sourcing, and marketing. This person must be data-driven with strong analytical and forecasting experience/skills, consistently monitoring weeks of supply, measuring forward-looking expectations against performance, and proactively reacting and adjusting to changes in the business. This position will aid in efforts to increase sales, sell through, and margin/profitability of the business to drive sustainable growth.
Forecasting
- Own omni sales forecast by SKU with available for sale and weeks of supply tracking, reflowing monthly based on trends, demand, and company goals.
- Distribute weekly/monthly/quarterly sales reports vs. internal plans, tracking launch performance, monitoring sell through, and providing key insights to leadership.
- Analyze omni category and SKU performance to inform future product development.
- Perform deep dives in optimal colors and size breakdowns.
- Continuously ideate improvements to product planning process to ultimately drive growth and assist in business decision making.
- Act as a liaison across all departments to maintain a pulse on the business and understand planning implications.
- Forecast and monitor new launches, managing trends to expectations. Leverage data to identify risks and opportunities across all accounts.
- Help measure success tied to marketing and promotional events and adjust demand accordingly.
- Present qualitative and quantitative hind-sighting for business reviews and senior management meetings.
- Think strategically and tactically in the short- and long-term management of the business.
- Analyze and track forecast accuracy at different lag times and implement changes to narrow any gaps in demand.
- Solicit and perform ad-hoc analysis when needed.
- Establish effective and supportive working relationships with the Sales & Finance teams.
- Utilize and suggest improvements to analytical tools and processes to support forecast development.
Inventory Management
- Roll up forward looking omni forecast to inform inventory buys; manage core on-hand and replenishment needs.
- Own/prepare, manage, and report on the brand Open-To-Buy, recapping to the business monthly on both an omni and by channel basis.
- Partner with sourcing and sales channel leaders to identify stock challenges, avoid both out of stock or overstock scenarios; call out any overstocks/underperformance situations and recommend actions where applicable.
- Manage bi-weekly allocation process with sales channel leaders for all fashion deliveries based on sell through.
- Assist with sample sale and off-price efforts, recommending products to be considered.
- Establish and follow a proper product life cycle planning.
- Analyze forecast variation/deviation with the goal to maximize inventory and minimize overstocks.
- Address all logistics and distribution problems that impact sales.
- Control inventory flow for allocations, partnering with Sales and Operations partners.
- Provide input into and participate in the monthly S&OP meetings.
Retail Collaboration
- Proactively collaborate with company stores leaders to ensure assortment and stock needs and optimization, in line with each store’s capacity.
- Work to mitigate returns from stores, creating markdown and RTV cadences accordingly.
- Meet with retailer leaders monthly to understand their receipt and sales plans, comparing them to brand plans.
- Remain informed about retail store events and promotions in order to ensure proper supply and drive sales.
- Manage weekly core and fashion replenishment to each store based on WOS, sales trend, and capacity per store.
- 10+ years of experience of planning, forecasting and inventory management, preferably within a fashion/apparel company.
- 5+ years of experience with demand planning software.
- Strong analytical, presentation, and organizational skills; detail and solution oriented.
- Experience leading a team of direct reports.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Proficiency in all Microsoft Office programs.
- Proven experience in working within a high-growth organization and contributing to improvement of stock levels, sales, and margin.
- An inviting, energetic environment that embodies our female-founded, entrepreneurial mentality
- Seasoned industry leadership committed to your professional development in the fashion retail industry
- Competitive pay, health & retirement benefits, and a generous employee discount
