Manager, Demand Planning- Wholesale

General Summary

The Manager, Demand Planning will implement demand planning strategies, demand planning processes, and execute top down/bottom’s up SKU level forecasts that support inventory and financial objectives. This person will collaborate with the appropriate leaders of cross-functional teams to ensure agreed processes and procedures are in place to support Inventory management and Business process improvements across the supply chain. In addition, he/she will effectively handle communication of Key Performance Indicator (KPI) analysis and improvement plans. We expect a Demand Planning Manager to work independently, identify opportunities for improvement, develop solutions, and influence outcomes across a wide range of products and brands.

Reports to: Director of Planning, Wholesale

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide ad hoc inputs and analysis to others in supply chain to maximize effective decision making.
• Design and interpret meaningful business analyses and metrics to drive consensus-based forecasts, provide visibility to forecast accuracy and communicate findings to all levels of the organization.
• Develop and execute new Demand Planning Strategies from the ground up.
• Initiate and lead process improvements.
• Conducts and provides analysis of key performance indicators (KPI) among product lines and accounts.
• Manage established as well as develop new reporting metrics for back order, fill rates, aging stock, and forecast error to internal/external customers.
• Consolidate demand for the total wholesale channel and partner with Production to ensure that receipt needs for wholesale channel deliveries are consistently met.
• Ad Hoc projects as assigned
• Partner with Supply Chain to understand the supply demand match and collaborate with the business unit on action plans to improve service to factory and customers.
• Lead a team of demand planners through monthly demand planning processes which include building forecasts, analyzing forecasts, making recommendations, and incorporating historical and market intelligence data into current forecasts.
• Work cross-functionally and collaboratively with sales, planning and finance to review the business at a Customer/Brand or Channel/brand level.
• Create and maintain brand/sku level demand plans to be used in production/manufacturing planning;

Required Skills:

• Strong problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Wholesale and sizing experience preferred, not required.
• Excellent communication skills including written and verbal with emphasis on delivery of financial concepts.
• Demonstrates financially astute business management with the ability to impact financial outcomes.
• Understanding of supply chain/factory process
• Prioritize effectively and adjusts easily to changing demands; demonstrates strong time management skills.
• Passion for crafting process and systems improvement
• Ability to identify best practices/efficiencies/automations and communicates them to benefit the entire planning team.
• Basic understanding of product lifecycle planning.
• Ability to travel as needed.
• Proficient in Excel and PowerPoint
• Highly organized and self-motivated; able to juggle multiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, while still achieving agreed upon deadlines.

Experience:

• 5-10 years’ experience in supply chain, specifically in demand, supply, and allocation planning for footwear, wholesale, retail or comparable seasonal high SKU-count sized industry such as fashion.

Education:

• B.S. degree in Fashion Merchandising, Business, Finance, or a related field