Inventory Planner

About the Inventory Planning Team

The Inventory Planning & Management team is responsible for building and managing merchandise financial plans that optimize for sales growth, margin and turn. We are a trusted partner to the merchandising organization, providing insight into sales trends, inventory productivity and exit strategies. We are numbers people with a passion for analyzing and synthesizing data into forecast models, constantly updating plans in reaction to sales trends. 

Overview of Inventory Planner role 

As anInventory Planner for your product Division, you support the full inventory planning and management lifecycle for the Furniture product category. You will assist in building bottom-ups quarterly plans for the category, including new launches and exits. You will support inventory in-season execution, monitoring product incoming to DCs for launch and communicating any delays to your cross-functional partners. You will report on product sell-through to target and align on potential corrective action. You’ll suggest pricing strategies for product exits and partner with marketing to help drive sales. You will monitor the variance companies reports to product movement and summarize important changes to your manager or senior leadership. You will be working cross-functionally with merchants, sourcing and the eCommerce and Retail channels to hit your division’s KPIs of sales growth, maintained margin and inventory turn. 

Responsibilities

• Prepare reporting for weekly cross-functional business reviews 
  • Summarize Backorder positions
  • Analyze large variances to forecast and LY
  • Analyze success of recent pricing action (Clearance and LTO)
  • Calculate performance of new product vs plan and resulting inventory liabilities 
• Participate in initial forecasts for new product development to guide sourcing strategies
• Support quarterly Investment Review planning, including:
  • Building out the IR file and support docs
  • Collaborating with merch on initial product forecasts for newness
  • Suggesting potential drops for downtrending and low selling product
  • Ensure margins are accurate
  • Update powerpoint presentation 
• Support monthly Open-to-Buy process
  • Align with your merchant on the sales and margin forecast by category by month
  • Make updates to forecast in OFT files
  • Communicate inventory position in detail (full price, promo, clearance) and pricing recommendations
  • Request additional receipts or receipt shifts to keep inventory in alignment with the sales plan
• Maintain sku level forecasts in JustEnough software
• Build monthly “Push-Chase-Cancel” requests to optimize open inventory receipt dollars by month
• Build monthly reorder recommendations in-line with approved OTB receipts and roll-up to senior management for approval
• Prepare proposals of pricing actions for review and upload to AMS (or PRiMA)
• Correspond with distribution centers regarding receiving delays or lost product
• Monitor delay NLA reports (product removed from the web)
• Monitor vendor feedback in the weekly “PWR” reports and surface issues
• Audit for Ship-mode to DC mismatches
• Run ad-hoc reporting for partners and senior management as needed
• Participate in regular process improvement discussions to faciliate continued company growth

Criteria

1. Have a minimum of 3 years prior experience in inventory planning and management.
2. Have prior experience in retail
3. Are proficient with the Microsoft Office suite of products with excellent proficiency in using MS Excel.
4. Have a high level of retail math acumen, including elements of markup, margin planning, open to buy, and inventory productivity measures.
5. Have proven analytical, business planning skills.
6. Can make timely decisions, anticipate problems and able to provide creative solutions.
7. Are well-organized, detail oriented.
8. Can effectively deal with ambiguity and a changing environmentAbility to perform work onsite in the Portland office full-time pending state, local, and Company return-to-work guidance during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

People First

Putting People First means investing in overall well-being and opportunities to grow and advance within the organization. Depending on the position and location, here are a few highlights of what benefits may be available:

Benefits Just for You

Depending on your position and your location, here are a few highlights of what you might be eligible for: 

• A generous discount on all Williams-Sonoma, Inc. brands 

• A 401(k) plan and other investment opportunities

• Paid vacations, holidays, and time off to volunteer

• Health benefits, dental and vision insurance, including same-sex domestic partner benefits 

• Tax-free commuter benefits

• A wellness program that supports your physical, financial and emotional health

Your Journey in Continued Learning

• In-person and online learning opportunities through WSI University 

• Cross-brand and cross-function career opportunities

• Resources for self-development

• Advisor (Mentor) program

• Career development workshops and learning programs

• Speaker series

WSI will not commence an immigration case or "sponsor" an individual for this position at this time (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration).

This role is not eligible for relocation assistance.

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, or other applicable state or local laws and ordinance