Category Planner I

JOB SUMMARY

Responsible for achieving company inventory management goals for assigned products which include, but is not limited to, exemplary customer service, purchase order (PO) accuracy (cost, quantity, dates), minimal spoilage and shrink, and managing inventory to the lowest possible Days Sales Outstanding (DSO). Execute a replenishment strategy that supports supply chain efficiencies

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage Inventory DSO, aged inventory, obsolete inventory, spoilage and shrink to achieve corporate goals.
• Handle and process purchase orders in compliance with corporate guidelines.
• Maintain PO product and freight cost accuracy.
• Conduct forecasting and demand planning for customer events, business shifts, and seasonality changes.
• Collaborate with the local, market and corporate merchandising teams, suppliers, and other functional areas.
• Demonstrate an intermediate level of proficiency of the Manhatten inventory planning tool Demand Planning Replenishment (DPR), to drive team performance as indicated by DPR scorecards, dashboards and merchandising key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Collaborate with the logistics team to maximize supply chain efficiencies.
• Work with operations to develop programs to maximize efficiencies in receiving and warehousing.
• Manage Operating Company (OpCo) level Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) count (min 1,800 ' 2,299 SKUs vendor direct) and resolve replenishment issues as required.
• Performance to be sustained at this level while meeting established KPIs.
• Follow and react to market conditions within established corporate and market guidelines.
• Manage forecasting and demand planning.
• Support product recalls as required.
• Execute enterprise purchasing initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• High school diploma required.
• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Experience

• 1+ year professional business experience.
• Purchasing/merchandising experience preferred. May substitute a Bachelors's degree in place of experience.
• Experience working within a retail, wholesale or distribution environment
• Inventory Management/Purchasing experience in distributor with 10,000+ SKUs preferred.

Professional Skills:

• Ability to work cross-functionally across the enterprise.
• Strong attention to detail and follow up.
• Proactive attitude to highlight and address issues as they arise.
• Able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Solid organizational and planning skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Understand/execute standard replenishment processes and best practices.
• Superb tactical replenishment execution skills and understanding of product forecasting.
• Can negotiate with suppliers to execute the inventory depletion process.
• Proficient Excel skills.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Regularly required to sit, stand, walk and use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and telephone to talk and hear.
• Frequently required to sit and reach with hands and arms.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.

NOTICE: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the environment and the level of work being performed by this job. This job description in no way states or implies that the duties and responsibilities listed are the only tasks to be performed by the employee in this job. The employee will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by his or her supervisor.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job description supersedes prior job descriptions. When duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be reviewed and subject to changes of business necessity.