Inventory Planner

The Inventory Planner will be responsible for ensuring optimal stock availability across stores or regions, analyzing sales trends, planning inventory requirements, and driving effective merchandising strategies to support business growth. This role requires strong analytical skills, collaboration with cross-functional teams, and an ability to execute data-driven decisions that align with financial and operational goals.

Key Responsibilities

Inventory Planning & Management

• Create and manage seasonal inventory budgets and plans aligned with financial targets.
• Monitor stock across locations to ensure optimal availability and minimize overstock/stockouts.
• Manage and adjust allocation strategies based on sales performance and store requirements.
• Develop sales forecasts and buy plans using historical data and market trends.
  

Data Analysis & Forecasting

• Analyze retail sales data to identify patterns, performance gaps, and improvement opportunities.
• Maintain accurate and reliable data across systems used in merchandise and inventory planning.
• Prepare comprehensive reports and dashboards to track key performance indicators (KPIs).
  

Merchandising & Strategy Execution

• Support development of merchandising strategies to optimize revenue and profitability.
• Implement markdown and clearance strategies based on product lifecycle and seasonal trends.
• Monitor industry behavior and customer feedback to make proactive adjustments in planning.
• Utilize planning tools and technology to improve efficiency and accuracy.
  

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate with buying, supply chain, marketing, and finance teams to ensure product availability
• Support execution of promotional activities by aligning inventory needs.
• Work closely with store operations to enhance customer experience and sales performance.
  

Team Coordination

• Allocate resources effectively and provide mentoring support to team members when required.
• Contribute to continuous process improvement initiatives across the planning function.
  

Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and numerical skills
• Expertise in Excel, retail planning tools, and MIS reporting
• Understanding of retail merchandise lifecycle and demand planning
• Problem-solving ability and decision-making skills
• Excellent communication and team-coordination abilities
  

Education

• Bachelors degree in Retail Management, Business Administration, Supply Chain, or a related field
• Additional certifications in Planning/Analytics will be an advantage