Inventory Planner - Canada

At Bath & Body Works, everyone belongs. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture focused on delivering exceptional fragrances and experiences to our customers. We focus on recruiting, retaining, and advancing diverse talent where our associate population is as diverse as the communities we serve, live and work. In addition, we work to improve our communities and our planet in a way that will make us proud for years to come because we believe the world is a brighter, happier place when everyone has access to the things that make them happy.

The Planner, Inventory is responsible for handling the deployment of finished goods to various distribution centers and stores for an assigned book of business. Translates the merchandise plan into an inventory deployment plan, collaborating with the Merchandise Planner to ensure that inventory is handled to constraints and targets that are aligned with the business strategy. Ensures optimum inventory levels to enhance sales and margins and to achieve targeted levels of inventory productivity, in support of overall product and company profitability. Collaborates with the Managers, Merchandise Planning on the positioning of themes and pre-season planning, with Space Planning on minimum presentation quantity inputs, with the Production team on new orders and with Logistics on product flow. This position reports to the Manager, Inventory Deployment. They are also responsible for mentoring, with potential to leading one or more Inventory Deployment Analysts.

Responsibilities

Pre-Season

• Based on the approved merchandise plan, formulate an inventory deployment plan, and suggested order quantities to support it.
• Assist Inventory Deployment Analysts with monitoring and developing ideal store deployment parameters, taking into account constraints and inputs such as inventory levels by store cluster, lead time and order cycle, timing of merchandise delivery, minimum presentation quantity/safety stock, distribution size and frequency.
• Conduct and confirm purchase parameters for each vendor/distribution center, e.g. lead time, order frequency, etc.
• Incorporate purchase parameters (order size and frequency) into an inventory receipt plan that meets sales, margin, and inventory objectives.
• Collaborate with Production/Sourcing on suggested and approved order quantities for finished goods.
• Where necessary, lead component tracking and place orders to support finished good buys.
• Work with Logistics to resolve external constraints that impact inventory flow to distribution centers and stores.
• Collaborate with the Merchandise Planner to prioritize flow of product in light of constraints.
• Collaborate with Space Planning, aligning on MPQ and store assortments.
• In support of the sales plan, collaborate with Merchandising on MPQ/placement of goods at time of buys/based on recommended buys, while enhancing pre-sale sell-through.
• Set strategies/parameters to achieve targeted service levels for Vendors, DCs and Stores.
• Partner with the Manager, Merchandise Planning to position long-term themes and proactively plan the season; a seasonal view.

In-Season

• Taking updated demand plans into consideration, propose revised orders and deployment of inventory.
• Construct solutions to exceptions that occur in the deployment process.
• Lead all aspects of reporting and inventory targets in support of major events (i.e. item launches, promotions, new stores, and relocations).
• Coordinate with Demand Forecaster and Merchandise Planner to project and implement quick turn-around on event changes.
• Problem-solve with cross-functional partners to resolve inventory issues and proactively address constraints.
• Identify system inputs from cross-functional partners impacting inventory fulfillment that require further updates to optimize flow.
• Identify and address future inventory issues to reduce impact to the business, based on a time-phased plan.

Reporting/Analytics

• Develop reporting to support in-season and season-end hind-sighting.
• Review and analyze weekly store performance/inventory levels; recommend changes to forecasts.
• Analyze past performance to find opportunities and create corrective action for improving inventory management performance.

Integration Points

• Partner cross-functionally with across the business with Merchandising, Merchandise Planning, Logistics, Distribution Centers, Space Planning, and Sourcing to ensure inventory planning goals/objectives are achieved.