What Does An Inventory Planner Do?

WHAT DOES AN INVENTORY PLANNER DO?

Published: Nov 06, 2025 - The Inventory Planner develops and maintains detailed demand and supply forecasts, ensuring alignment between customer demand, factory capacity, and company receipt budgets. This role involves analyzing inventory performance, monitoring in-season stock availability, and managing purchase orders to optimize inventory levels while supporting service targets. The Planner also collaborates cross-functionally with planning, supply, and customer service teams to enhance forecast accuracy, data integrity, and operational efficiency across the supply chain.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Inventory Planner

1. Inventory Planner Details and Accountabilities

Inventory Management: Respond to daily inventory prompts from the material requirements planning system for a designated portfolio of items across multiple countries.
Forecast Analysis: Inform the demand and operations team leader of significant variances from the forecast.
Team Communication: Communicate regularly with the sales team to ensure consistency of supply.
Order Processing: Place all orders with the plant within established lead-time expectations.
Order Expediting: Expedite and de-expedite orders based on demand variation to maintain optimal inventory levels.
Parameter Optimization: Identify incorrect inventory parameters and highlight opportunities for improvement.
Order Tracking: Follow up on orders to ensure system availability reflects accurate status.
Process Improvement: Simplify processes to meet and exceed customer expectations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Contribute actively to the group supply chain team and collaborate closely with demand planners.

2. Inventory Planner Overview

Inventory Monitoring: Monitor inventory levels and make purchasing decisions.
Inventory Analysis: Analyze inventory quality, turnover, and overstock issues.
Demand Forecasting: Create product demand forecasts to optimize stock purchasing.
Inventory Evaluation: Analyze inventory status to recommend items for discontinuation, liquidation, or replenishment.
Process Development: Develop procedures and best practices to enhance inventory management.
Supplier Coordination: Prepare purchase orders and correspond with local and overseas suppliers regarding pricing, products, packaging, delivery dates, and shipping.
Order Management: Manage outstanding orders, follow-ups, and delivery documentation to ensure on-time shipments.
Logistics Coordination: Coordinate pick-ups and documentation with forwarders, customs brokers, and banks.
Production Planning: Monitor order status, quantities ordered, and adjust production forecasts and arrival dates.

3. Inventory Planner Job Description

Forecast Management: Release spare part forecasts in alignment with the rolling forecast provided by the customer.
Demand Planning: Ensure timely execution of planning activities to meet changing demand requirements.
Material Expediting: Expedite the incoming materials process to support tool move-in schedules and maintain bin fill rate targets.
Supplier Coordination: Coordinate closely with suppliers to prevent material delays and shortages.
System Optimization: Review and adjust SAP parameters such as safety stock and reorder points to reflect real-time demand.
Inventory Analysis: Analyze overall inventory status to optimize stock levels and achieve target inventory turns.
Inventory Control: Implement inventory control measures to maintain efficiency and service reliability.
Root Cause Analysis: Participate in root cause analysis and corrective actions for service failures caused by part shortages.
Material Planning: Develop material plans for service spares to ensure on-time delivery to meet customer field requirements.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with logistics and procurement teams to support fulfillment accuracy and timeliness.
Global Alignment: Align and communicate regularly with the central planning division in the U.S. to manage consumption spikes effectively.

4. Inventory Planner Functions

Forecasting Implementation: Implement forecasting and replenishment tools to meet quarterly sales goals and support business scalability.
Inventory Forecasting: Create inventory forecasts aligned with sales objectives and report on forecast performance weekly.
Shortage Mitigation: Anticipate potential inventory shortages and develop strategies to ensure order fulfillment and delivery, especially during key sales periods.
Open-to-Buy Management: Manage all aspects of open-to-buy planning, including maintaining gross margin, receipts, and inventory adjustment projections.
Preseason Planning: Lead the preseason planning process through hindsight reporting, category assortment planning, and defining target SKU counts.
Strategic Analysis: Provide planning insights for projects such as new product categories, cost negotiations, and process enhancements.
Process Optimization: Optimize reorder and supply forecasting processes to improve communication with factories and reduce lead times.
Demand Collaboration: Partner with operations and logistics teams to develop demand planning forecasts for packaging and supplies.

5. Inventory Planner Accountabilities

Product Launch Management: Oversee the execution of new product launches by developing and implementing standardized procedures and processes.
Launch Coordination: Ensure launch activities are well-coordinated to achieve on-time and successful product introductions.
System Maintenance: Maintain full functionality and reliability of inventory transactional systems to meet evolving business requirements.
Team Leadership: Lead by example to motivate team members and promote adherence to departmental objectives and best practices.
Operational Excellence: Foster a culture of accountability and operational excellence within the inventory management team.
Inventory Control: Implement effective inventory control processes to support business goals for accuracy, service levels, and inventory turns.
Performance Monitoring: Monitor performance metrics to evaluate efficiency and identify areas for improvement.
Inventory Reporting: Generate inventory reports, including cycle-counting and inventory turnover analyses.
Reporting Accuracy: Ensure reporting processes provide timely and accurate visibility into stock movements and performance.
Training Delivery: Provide ongoing training to the Salesforce on consignment program compliance and inventory management expectations.
Field Reporting: Deliver field inventory reports and metrics to support transparency and informed decision-making.

6. Inventory Planner Job Summary

Inventory Optimization: Review and manage inventory levels to achieve optimal turnover while sustaining a 99% customer service fill rate.
Performance Monitoring: Monitor inventory performance metrics to ensure a balance between availability and efficiency.
Forecast Management: Maintain accurate vendor forecasts and analyze variances to improve forecast reliability.
Capacity Planning: Evaluate capacity constraints, minimum order quantities, lead times, and vendor capabilities to build effective planning schedules.
Procurement Coordination: Coordinate procurement timing to align supply with forecasted demand and production needs.
Vendor Collaboration: Collaborate with overseas vendors to ensure adherence to company quality and compliance standards.
Supplier Communication: Facilitate communication with suppliers to address potential delays or operational issues.
Inventory Reduction: Identify and manage obsolete or excess inventory through disposition or reduction strategies.
Corrective Action Implementation: Implement corrective actions to prevent future overstocking or shortages.
Performance Reporting: Prepare flash reports for senior management summarizing performance versus plan targets.
Continuous Improvement: Provide insights and recommendations to support continuous improvement in inventory planning and execution.

7. Inventory Planner Responsibilities

Stock Planning: Generate and execute cycle stock and safety stock plans for assigned products or locations based on approved supply plan inputs.
FIFO Compliance: Ensure compliance with FIFO principles for ingredients, packaging materials, and finished goods.
Inventory Monitoring: Monitor inventory movement to maintain freshness and product quality throughout the network.
Inventory Management: Support overall inventory management by adhering to established planning metrics and performance targets.
Inventory Planning: Contribute to developing accurate inventory plans for assigned products or locations within the broader planning framework.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment between supply, logistics, and production.
Data Maintenance: Maintain accurate and up-to-date data for network distribution planning, including capacity, constraints, and supplier information.
Master Data Management: Track and manage master and location data to support effective planning and decision-making.
Issue Resolution: Independently resolve moderately complex inventory or planning issues with minimal oversight.
Problem Escalation: Escalate more complex challenges to senior staff for timely and effective resolution.

8. Inventory Planner Details

Forecast Model Development: Develop and maintain forecasting models that integrate business and market intelligence from both internal and external sources.
Model Refinement: Continuously refine models to reflect changing demand patterns and market conditions.
Trend Analysis: Review historical sales trends to identify key customer and market demand drivers.
Forecast Accuracy: Analyze past performance to improve forecast accuracy and evaluate forecast results.
Cross-Functional Alignment: Collaborate closely with Product Managers to align demand and inventory plans with overall business objectives.
Sales and Financial Synchronization: Ensure synchronization between sales forecasts, inventory strategies, and financial goals.
Purchasing Planning: Translate demand forecasts into accurate and actionable purchasing plans.
Inventory Optimization: Focus on optimizing inventory KPIs, particularly through aged stock reduction initiatives.
Risk Analysis: Analyze key metrics to identify potential supply risks, capacity issues, or constraints.
Risk Mitigation: Develop and implement action plans to mitigate risks and ensure supply continuity.
Process Improvement: Identify and execute opportunities for continuous improvement in demand and inventory planning processes.

9. Inventory Planner Duties

SKU Forecasting: Forecast and replenish a wide range of SKUs across multiple supplier accounts.
Demand Analysis: Analyze fluctuations in demand, seasonal trends, and promotional activity to maintain optimal stock levels.
Inventory Optimization: Maximize product availability for customers while optimizing inventory across national and regional distribution centers.
Performance Analysis: Perform various analyses to manage targets, evaluate performance, and assess upcoming inventory projects.
Supplier Performance: Monitor supplier performance and collaborate with stakeholders to implement improvements.
System Management: Work with forecasting and inventory management systems, as well as the enterprise resource planning platform.
Purchasing Coordination: Coordinate with other departments to ensure appropriate purchasing and stocking strategies are applied to each supplier and product.
Operations Collaboration: Collaborate with distribution center operations teams to resolve issues related to deliveries, space capacity, and critical priority allocations.
Order Tracking: Continuously track the lifecycle of each purchase order from placement to delivery.
Data Accuracy: Ensure purchase order due dates are consistently updated and accurate.

10. Inventory Planner Tasks

Production Scheduling: Develop short-term production schedules for assigned facilities and external co-manufacturers or co-packers.
Scheduling Coordination: Coordinate scheduling activities to ensure optimal production efficiency and effective resource utilization.
Inventory and Capacity Management: Manage production and inventory levels to balance capacity constraints while minimizing product shortages.
Bottleneck Resolution: Identify and resolve potential bottlenecks to maintain consistent product availability.
Exception Management: Communicate production plan exceptions promptly and review corrective actions with key stakeholders.
System Maintenance: Update and maintain planning system parameters, including safety stock levels and production quantities.
Variable Monitoring: Monitor key variables such as transit times, process and packing capacities, and shipping constraints.
System Accuracy: Ensure planning systems accurately reflect operational realities and inventory limitations.
Product Freshness: Track product age to minimize write-offs and maintain product freshness.
Capacity Analysis: Conduct capacity analyses to support data-driven decision-making and process efficiency improvements.
Supply Chain Collaboration: Collaborate closely with supply chain partners by providing timely updates, insights, and scenario planning support.

11. Senior Inventory Planner Roles

Inventory Analysis: Analyze inventory data to identify root causes, detect trends, and improve existing processes.
Cycle Projection Management: Own and manage monthly cycle inventory projections for the region.
Excess Inventory Reporting: Support excess inventory reporting and provide recommendations to reduce inventory levels.
KPI Monitoring: Maintain and monitor inventory key performance indicators, proposing corrective actions.
Regional Alignment: Align regional inventory expectations with global targets while monitoring and analyzing expected performance.
Planning Support: Provide input and consolidate information to facilitate the annual operating plan and the latest estimated inventory targets for the region.
Global Reporting: Support global inventory reporting by preparing KPIs and ad hoc reports.
Toolkit Development: Collaborate on and drive the ongoing development of the regional inventory reporting and analytical toolkit for planning and management.
Process Improvement Projects: Support strategic analyses and projects aimed at process improvement.
System Implementation: Actively participate in system changes or implementations.
Project Support: Support planning projects and provide timely status updates.
Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvement and communicate them to management.

12. Inventory Planner Additional Details

Inventory Management: Manage program in-stock inventory levels to minimize overstock while maximizing sales and customer satisfaction.
Stock Performance Monitoring: Monitor stock performance to ensure an optimal balance between availability and efficiency.
Demand Analysis: Analyze sales trends, demand forecasts, and vendor lead times to inform inventory decisions.
Order Planning: Recommend initial order quantities from vendors based on forecasted demand and product performance.
Data Evaluation: Evaluate historical data to refine order quantities and improve replenishment accuracy.
Sales Reforecasting: Continuously reforecast future sales using updated data and market trends.
Reorder Management: Determine appropriate reorder timing and quantities to maintain ideal stock levels.
Product Performance Analysis: Assess product performance metrics to identify slow-moving or obsolete items.
Product Discontinuation: Recommend product discontinuations based on sales performance and inventory position.
Profitability Optimization: Implement adjustments that enhance profitability and inventory turnover while maintaining service goals.

13. Inventory Planner Essential Functions

Global Reporting Support: Support global inventory reporting by maintaining accurate data and tracking key performance indicators.
Data Integrity Management: Ensure the integrity and consistency of inventory information across all reporting systems.
Goal Setting: Contribute to setting global inventory goals and targets in collaboration with regional teams.
Regional Collaboration: Work closely with regional planners to create localized roadmaps that align with global objectives.
Toolkit Enhancement: Assist in improving the global inventory reporting and analytical toolkit for better visibility and efficiency.
Data Visualization: Collaborate on enhancing data visualization and automation to streamline performance tracking.
Report Analysis: Perform proactive analyses of reports to deliver accurate, timely, and actionable insights.
Target Tracking: Under management direction, establish inventory targets and track progress toward achieving them.
Performance Monitoring: Monitor expected performance, analyze deviations, and coordinate follow-up actions with cross-functional teams.
Cross-Regional Coordination: Participate in cross-regional meetings to ensure effective communication and operational alignment.
Workload Management: Balance collaboration across time zones while maintaining productivity and work-life balance.

14. Inventory Planner Role Purpose

Assortment Management: Manage inventory assortments and stock levels to maintain optimal availability across all material life cycle stages.
System Maintenance: Ensure system parameters are accurately maintained to support efficient planning and replenishment.
Requisition Control: Control material requisitions and inventory replenishment processes in coordination with buyers.
Procurement Collaboration: Collaborate closely with procurement to guarantee on-time delivery of materials and supplies.
Inventory Oversight: Oversee physical inventory activities, including planning and executing regular cycle counts.
Discrepancy Management: Identify and report inventory discrepancies, then implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Demand Monitoring: Monitor customer demand and collaborate with Work Preparers and Work Planners to adjust plans.
Issue Resolution: Resolve issues related to changing demand to ensure customer requirements are consistently met.
Performance Tracking: Contribute to key performance indicators such as inventory turnover, investment levels, and fill rates.
Reporting: Prepare monthly reports covering KPIs, budgets, actuals, and warehouse volumes.
Data Analysis: Analyze performance data to identify trends and apply corrective measures for improvement.

15. Inventory Strategy Planner General Responsibilities

Strategy Ownership: Own and manage hold-and-flow growth and optimization strategies.
Size Strategy Development: Develop and implement business-driving size strategies across ready-to-wear categories.
Preseason Planning: Build pre-season plans for existing inventory strategy initiatives and monitor weekly performance in-season.
Operations Partnership: Partner with fulfillment and operations teams to assess workload impact related to inventory strategy projects.
Size Planning Expertise: Leverage expertise in size planning to enhance the effectiveness of inventory strategies across all size-based businesses.
Profile Review: Review existing size profiles and develop recommendations to improve accuracy and efficiency across ready-to-wear lines.
Performance Analysis: Analyze location-level size-selling performance and update size profiles to maximize opportunities by store.
Merchant Collaboration: Collaborate with merchants to update and maintain the size profile library.
Training Leadership: Partner with learning and development teams to lead training sessions on size planning for entry-level merchants.

16. Inventory Planner Key Accountabilities

Inventory Distribution: Ensure appropriate distribution of inventory across stores based on sales performance and inventory availability.
System Configuration: Set up the auto-allocation system using suitable targets and numerical data.
Operational Coordination: Work with the store operations team to balance inventory requirements across the business and achieve all relevant KPIs.
Stock Consolidation: Identify and execute stock consolidations to ensure all products are sold out on time.
Price Optimization: Collaborate with the merchandising planning team to determine price amendments aimed at minimizing carried-over inventory.
Issue Resolution: Investigate store queries and provide effective solutions.
Data Analysis: Conduct relevant analyses to support informed decision-making.
Process Improvement: Support the continuous development of processes and procedures to drive innovation and efficiency across the department.

17. Inventory Planner Roles and Details

Operational Planning: Analyze and develop operational plans that support the achievement of defined business objectives.
Strategic Alignment: Conduct planning activities that ensure alignment between strategy and day-to-day execution.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Maintain continuous communication and collaboration with key stakeholders across departments.
Planning Support: Serve as a knowledgeable resource and point of contact for colleagues involved in planning processes.
KPI Management: Track and update planning key performance indicators to provide accurate and timely visibility.
Performance Reporting: Report performance trends and identify opportunities for improvement within operational workflows.
Problem Solving: Apply established procedures to solve problems while introducing new perspectives to enhance results.
Demand Interpretation: Interpret customer demand signals to assess capacity requirements and identify necessary adjustments.
Resource Optimization: Develop and implement solutions that optimize resource utilization and production flexibility.
Goal Alignment: Ensure consistent alignment between operational goals, inventory strategies, and manufacturing plans.

18. Inventory Planner Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Forecasting Management: Manage forecasting, planning, and replenishment activities for assigned supplier lines.
Inventory Alignment: Ensure inventory availability aligns with company objectives and customer demand.
Special Order Management: Oversee special order management to support sales and ensure timely purchasing of customer-specific items.
Demand Forecasting: Establish accurate forecasts by analyzing demand trends, sales history, and supplier performance.
Purchase Planning: Review system-generated purchase suggestions and place orders to maintain targeted inventory levels and fill rates.
Purchasing Efficiency: Monitor purchasing efficiency to balance cost control with service reliability.
Data Integrity Management: Maintain vendor and item data integrity within ERP systems by accurately managing vendor terms, discounts, and product attributes.
Data Consistency: Ensure data consistency to support smooth product flow across the supply chain.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with Product Managers, vendors, warehouse, and transportation teams to minimize acquisition and handling costs.
Stakeholder Communication: Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders on key operational matters.
Order Status Reporting: Provide updates on order status, supply issues, and replenishment actions.
Product Line Development: Support the growth and development of assigned product lines through close partnership with Product Managers.

19. Materials and Inventory Planner Duties and Roles

Order Processing: Create sales and purchase orders, process invoices, and receive POs in SAP.
Inventory Reconciliation: Reconcile finished goods and packaging inventory.
Packaging Coordination: Determine packaging requirements and coordinate shipments to manufacturers.
Manufacturer Communication: Communicate weekly with manufacturers and discuss issues or concerns.
Order Adjustment: Record damage adjustments and order changes.
Replenishment Management: Determine, issue, and adjust replenishment orders to support business needs.
Shipment Reporting: Send a weekly report of inbound shipments to distribution centers.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Quality, and Finance.

20. Inventory Planner Roles and Responsibilities

Inventory Forecasting: Responsible for forecasting and managing online retail inventory levels, including determining weekly inventory transfers and monitoring inbound shipments.
Safety Stock Management: Establish and maintain safety stock levels based on demand patterns, promotion plans, and supply chain lead times.
Inventory Performance: Meet or exceed departmental goals for inventory turns and inventory reduction.
Transfer Coordination: Coordinate inventory transfers with order management and freight teams to ensure timely execution.
Inbound Tracking: Track inbound receiving activities and submit tickets to resolve inventory discrepancies.
Supply Chain Planning: Develop a supply chain calendar in partnership with fulfillment, order management, and freight teams to support promotional initiatives.
Risk Mitigation: Identify potential bottlenecks or supply risks and recommend mitigation strategies to ensure inventory supply meets demand.
Stakeholder Communication: Communicate regularly with the business director regarding product portfolio status from a supply planning perspective.
Product Lifecycle Management: Coordinate product discontinuations and ensure the cleanup of obsolete materials and system data.
Transaction Accuracy: Ensure accuracy of inventory transactions and follow up on discrepancies between internal ERP systems and online retail inventory records.
Process Improvement: Support process improvement and operational excellence by reducing costs and lead times while optimizing inventory levels and achieving economies of scale.

21. Inventory Planner Details and Accountabilities

Distribution Planning: Ensure optimal distribution of produced products to various European markets.
Demand-Based Planning: Create distribution plans based on actual demand, current stock levels, desired safety stock, and transportation or inbound/outbound limitations.
Service Optimization: Ensure a high service level, maximize product freshness, and minimize costs.
System Management: Work with the OMP planning system, ensuring all settings and master data are up to date and making necessary adjustments.
Stock Communication: Report and communicate accurately and proactively about stock availability across different markets while maintaining contact with internal stakeholders.
Issue Escalation: Escalate issues to the organization and implement corrective actions for improvement.
Priority Setting: Establish and apply priority rules for deployment planning.
Alert Monitoring: Monitor system alerts and identify effective solutions.
Performance Tracking: Track and report deployment planning metrics such as adherence to plan and average payload.
Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement in deployment processes by identifying, selecting, coordinating, and executing improvement projects.

22. Inventory Planner Overview

Sales and Inventory Planning: Develop top-down and bottom-up sales and inventory plans at the department and class level that align with divisional objectives.
Financial Reconciliation: Reconcile financial results from class to department to ensure accuracy and accountability.
Open-to-Buy Management: Manage open-to-buy and pricing activities throughout the season to support sales and margin goals.
Business Representation: Represent the style, class, department, and product perspective in key business meetings.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional peers to ensure consistency and transparency of information.
Performance Monitoring: Monitor business performance and make strategic adjustments to inventory and pricing plans.
Project Oversight: Oversee project execution within the assigned specialty area, ensuring alignment with business priorities.
Quality Assurance: Ensure all projects are delivered with high quality and measurable impact on performance.
Relationship Building: Develop and maintain strong cross-brand and cross-functional relationships to foster collaboration.
Analytical Insight: Leverage internal analytics and external market insights to influence decision-making.
Strategic Execution: Drive results through strategic planning, communication, and data-driven execution.

23. Merchandise and Inventory Planner Job Description

Demand Forecasting: Create accurate demand forecasts for designated customers and channels using both quantitative data and qualitative insights.
Market Analysis: Incorporate market trends, historical sales, and customer input to strengthen forecast reliability.
Forecast Performance Monitoring: Continuously monitor forecast performance against actual results and analyze variances to identify patterns and improvement opportunities.
Insight Reporting: Provide detailed insights on forecast hits, misses, and emerging trends to inform future planning.
Inventory Evaluation: Evaluate customer inventory positions to determine replenishment needs and prevent stock imbalances.
Supply Forecasting: Develop precise supply forecasts that ensure product availability while minimizing excess inventory.
Analytical Leadership: Partner with the Product Strategy Team to serve as the analytical lead for the assigned product portfolio.
Assortment Optimization: Support decisions on publication timelines and assortment optimization at the title and SKU levels.
Sales Collaboration: Collaborate with the sales team to uncover new sales opportunities and proactively address inventory challenges.
Logistics Coordination: Maintain close communication with third-party logistics partners to ensure timely order fulfillment and efficient delivery.
Returns Analysis: Monitor customer return activity and identify root causes driving high return rates.
Corrective Action Implementation: Implement corrective actions to maintain appropriate customer inventory levels and reduce future returns.

24. Inventory Planner Functions

Demand and Supply Planning: Develop demand and supply plans for assigned product lines across the network.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Facilitate meetings with sales and other internal stakeholders to ensure accurate demand and supply plans based on usage trends.
Supplier Management: Conduct regular meetings with key suppliers to ensure adherence to the supply plan and compliance with company standards.
Performance Tracking: Manage and track key performance metrics such as inventory turns and fill rates.
Root Cause Analysis: Perform root cause analysis on inventory or service failures and implement corrective actions.
Inventory Balancing: Identify potential product shortages or overstock situations and take corrective measures to balance inventory levels.
Master Data Management: Maintain accurate and consistent master data across all systems.
Risk Communication: Keep management and key stakeholders informed of potential issues or risks.
Cost Management: Understand and manage the total cost of ownership for assigned items.
Supplier Accountability: Hold suppliers accountable for meeting shipping, packaging, and labeling requirements.
Merchandising Coordination: Coordinate with the merchandising team to establish and maintain proper inventory buying parameters, settings, and reorder policies.
Customer Service Support: Support customer service needs related to order fulfillment and key account information.
Stocking Agreement Management: Review and update all stocking agreements to ensure alignment with operational and business objectives.

25. Inventory Planner Accountabilities

Order Management: Oversee the daily processing of customer orders from receipt through delivery at customer distribution centers.
Service Level Assurance: Ensure all deliveries meet agreed-upon service level agreements and timing requirements.
Demand and Supply Monitoring: Monitor demand and supply alerts generated by the Proactive Stock Management Tool (PSMT) and APO systems.
Alert Response: Respond promptly to alerts by taking appropriate corrective or preventive actions.
Stock Allocation: Make balanced stock allocation decisions that optimize overall business performance across all customers.
Database Management: Update the Order Management Database (OMDB) when demand variations occur that may cause low stock coverage or out-of-stock situations.
Shortage Mitigation: Collaborate with relevant teams to mitigate supply shortages resulting from sudden demand changes.
Supply Continuity Support: Provide support to ensure continuity of supply during high-demand or constrained inventory periods.
Quality Coordination: Coordinate with the Quality Assurance Manager to address supply and demand risks caused by quality issues.
Performance Analysis: Analyze key performance indicator reports related to customer service levels to assess performance trends.
Service Improvement: Implement corrective actions to enhance service quality and delivery reliability.

26. Inventory Planner Job Summary

Team Leadership: Manage and develop a team of allocators and analysts throughout the product lifecycle.
Skill Development: Enhance team members’ analytical skills by partnering with them on projects and key business initiatives.
Regional Strategy: Collaborate with district managers and stores to create and execute regional and store-specific strategies.
Communication Leadership: Lead district and store calls, presenting findings and insights to cross-functional teams.
Sizing Management: Refine sizing opportunities and maintain sizing files to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Sizing Strategy: Develop forward-looking sizing strategies for stores while leveraging omnichannel opportunities.
Inventory Partnership: Partner with the merchandise planning team on key inventory management for in-season top styles.
Cluster Planning: Lead quarterly cluster conversations for footwear, guiding the team to identify opportunities that inform future strategies.
Allocation Strategy: Collaborate with the store planning team to drive allocation strategies that align with sales plans.
Visual Merchandising Coordination: Work with visual teams to maximize window and key product presentations.
Wardrobing Optimization: Refine the wardrobing process through close collaboration with merchandising and store teams.
Allocation Forecasting: Guide the team in projecting weekly allocations to inform the distribution center of outbound workload requirements.
Logistics Alignment: Partner with the director on distribution center and regional calls to align inventory flow and logistics.
Operational Collaboration: Collaborate with operations teams to identify and act on ship-from opportunities.

27. Demand and Inventory Planner Responsibilities

Inventory Optimization: Ensure inventory levels across assigned EMEA product categories are optimized to achieve high customer service performance while minimizing working capital and operational costs.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with Product Line, Category Management, and Supply teams to effectively manage and control inventory.
Stock Management: Monitor excess and obsolete stock to maintain efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Service Tracking: Implement and maintain service loss tracking and reporting tools for visibility into customer service levels and inventory performance.
Strategic Insights: Provide insights into working capital results and forecasted inventory levels for strategic decision-making.
Impact Assessment: Assess operational and financial impacts of business changes and challenge actions that negatively affect working capital.
Event Monitoring: Track business-critical events such as product launches, operational restructures, or major promotions to anticipate inventory impacts.
Action Planning: Develop and execute action plans to minimize disruptions resulting from these key events.
Stakeholder Communication: Maintain regular communication with stakeholders regarding safety stock, cycle stock, and process stock levels.
Visibility Reporting: Provide clear visibility into inventory status across all relevant functions.
Liaison Management: Serve as the primary liaison between sales and supply planning teams to ensure clear and consistent communication.

28. Senior Inventory Planner Details

Collaborative Planning: Lead the collaborative planning process with Sourcing and Procurement.
Inventory Target Management: Develop and update inventory targets, including ABC patterns and product lifecycle codes, while monitoring inventory levels to optimize operations.
Safety Stock Planning: Create and maintain dynamic safety stock levels based on demand volatility and product lifecycle codes.
Demand Monitoring: Monitor and manage demand signals for key lifecycle codes such as surgical gloves, isolation gowns, and fit guard gloves.
Constraint Resolution: Identify long-term supply constraints and work with Supply Chain functions to resolve them.
Operational Efficiency: Support short-term operational efficiencies by monitoring backorders, capacities, and inventories to prevent supply interruptions.
Planner Training: Provide training and mentorship to planners on daily backorder and inventory status reporting.
Vendor Engagement: Lead weekly vendor engagement meetings to identify supply constraints and coordinate new vendor direct opportunities.
Vendor Onboarding: Conduct Vendor Direct kick-off meetings and manage onboarding for new vendors.
Product Lifecycle Coordination: Coordinate new product introductions, conversations, and discontinuations in collaboration with Value Analysis, Sourcing, Analytics, and Project Management teams.
Data Accuracy Management: Ensure MRP data accuracy to maintain a 97% fill rate and monitor substitution item stock for operational efficiency.
Performance Measurement: Measure and report key supply chain metrics, including forecast accuracy, on-time delivery, and inventory valuation, while identifying additional metrics to enhance overall supply chain performance.

29. Inventory Planner Duties

Purchase Order Management: Place purchase orders for both stock and non-stock merchandise.
Order Building: Build purchase orders in the order management system to ensure the supply pipeline fulfills forecasted demand while meeting vendor minimums.
Order Verification: Confirm that all purchase orders are received by vendors and verify the accuracy of merchandise details, pricing, and delivery dates in the enterprise system.
Inventory Adjustment: Review reports and action messages to address understock, overstock, and stockout situations, coordinating with vendors to make necessary adjustments.
Data Maintenance: Maintain accurate purchase quantities and due dates in the system.
Issue Resolution: Resolve shipping and receiving issues in collaboration with accounting and operations teams.
Sales Support: Respond to inquiries from the sales team regarding delivery dates and inventory levels.
Warehouse Coordination: Collaborate with sales representatives and warehouse teams to ensure returned or obsolete special items are removed from the warehouse within designated timelines.
Item Setup: Set up new special-order items in the ERP system, verifying specifications and cost accuracy.
Relationship Management: Maintain positive working relationships with colleagues and vendors to support smooth operations.
Urgency and Communication: Work with a sense of urgency while maintaining clear and proactive communication with all stakeholders.
Purchasing Analysis: Analyze historical data and trends to make informed and strategic purchasing decisions.

30. Inventory Planner Tasks

Inventory Monitoring: Monitor inventory levels across all European distribution centers.
Stock Level Planning: Collaborate with the supply planner to establish appropriate stock levels.
Process Improvement: Implement process improvement initiatives in the inventory management system and related business processes to increase efficiency, reduce operating costs, and enhance inventory accuracy.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Develop strong working relationships with local operations teams and the global order fulfillment organization.
Shortage Escalation: Escalate material shortages to management promptly.
Expiration Management: Monitor product expiration dates in local distribution centers and customer sites.
Ad Hoc Analysis: Create ad hoc analyses to identify and respond to emerging and future business trends.
Inventory Analysis: Analyze inventory patterns to reallocate and rebalance excess stock across distribution locations.
Inventory Allocation: Determine optimal inventory allocation to ensure product availability and minimize waste.

31. Inventory Planner Roles

Production Planning: Create a monthly production plan at the SKU level based on forecast and inventory targets and execute buy, including utilizing the Core Replenishment Modeling tool.
Intake Analysis: Prepare and analyze weekly intake reports to identify any delivery and/or quality issues as they relate to vendor and transportation.
Issue Resolution: Work on issue resolution and execute the determined course of action.
Late Goods Reporting: Prepare a monthly late goods list for review to identify any shortfalls in meeting customer demand for the month, allowing sales to assess shipping estimate issues.
Fill Rate Reporting: Report on Fill Rate with detailed explanation of the variance to target and recovery plan for deficit fill rates.
Customer Service Analysis: Identify customer serviceability issues for the month-end sales report.
Size Outage Reporting: Produce weekly Size Outage Reports and conduct reviews to determine if air transportation is required for timely customer delivery.
Global Communication: Maintain effective and clear daily communication via email with the overseas offices.

32. Inventory Planner Additional Details

Inventory Coordination: Coordinate with Supply Plus organizations and hospital functional areas to facilitate planning, replenishment, and maintenance of safety and cycle stock levels of inventory.
Bulk Buy Management: Coordinate bulk buys and lead system-wide discussions supporting utilization management efforts.
Inventory Optimization: Maintain or reduce inventory levels as agreed by leadership through detailed data analysis.
Parameter Adjustment: Recommend and adjust planning parameters to achieve inventory reductions while minimizing the risk of supply disruptions.
Safety Stock Evaluation: Evaluate safety stock levels and analyze the financial impact of increasing or decreasing safety stock at both hospital and system levels.
Strategic Planning: Participate in overall Distribution Strategy sessions and contribute to long-term planning decisions.
Inventory Analysis: Provide analysis and insights on inventory strategy and planning by leveraging knowledge from the healthcare provider and supplier sectors nationwide.
Network Allocation: Allocate inventory across the network, prioritize inventory to achieve target SLAs, and advise on tactics to mitigate risks and minimize the impact of supply disruptions in the market.

33. Inventory Planner Essential Functions

Process Alignment: Ensure all supply planning and inventory management processes are executed in alignment with the S&OP framework and company standards.
Operational Execution: Support the achievement of overall business goals through consistent and compliant operational execution.
Production Planning: Plan and schedule production activities for the tolling operation within the savory business segment.
Schedule Coordination: Maintain accountability for coordinating tolling schedules that meet both demand and capacity requirements.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate with key stakeholders, including product managers, business line managers, purchasing, tolling managers, and sales teams.
Cross-Functional Alignment: Facilitate cross-functional alignment by gathering critical inputs and achieving consensus on production and supply plans.
Master Data Management: Own and maintain essential master data elements such as material masters, routings, MRP settings, and safety stock parameters.
Data Accuracy: Ensure data accuracy and consistency across multiple supporting systems, including SAP and OMP.
Project Participation: Actively participate in new project implementations to enhance supply chain efficiency and system capabilities.
Project Reporting: Provide timely feedback on project progress against planned objectives, focusing on quality and execution timelines.
Continuous Improvement: Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen the overall supply planning and inventory management framework.

34. Inventory Planner Role Purpose

Replenishment Planning: Own inventory replenishment planning for products and materials.
S&OP Participation: Participate in the monthly Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
Supply Planning: Provide supply planning inputs and recommendations for finished goods and work-in-progress products.
Forecast Development: Use demand planning forecasts and planning parameters to develop replenishment forecasts for contract manufacturers.
Procurement Planning: Determine product purchases that consider operational, product, and financial factors.
Supplier Management: Co-manage supplier relationships to ensure on-time and accurate production and delivery.
Working Capital Optimization: Optimize working capital costs of raw materials, components, and finished goods in alignment with supply chain initiatives, the S&OP process, and company profitability goals.
Material Availability: Ensure the availability of raw material and component inventory to support production requirements.
Performance Tracking: Maintain and track supplier performance metrics.
New Product Collaboration: Collaborate with Product Development, Project Management, and Sales to launch new products and packaging for eCommerce and wholesale customers.
Supply Issue Resolution: Resolve supply issues to minimize disruptions to customer service.
Inventory Reconciliation: Collaborate with Accounting on inventory reconciliation and adjustments.
Financial Collaboration: Collaborate with Finance on inventory cash flow projections and planning.

35. Inventory Planner General Responsibilities

Supply Chain Leadership: Guide and support the organization in achieving key corporate initiatives through supply chain metrics, including service levels, forecasting accuracy, inventory optimization, turns, and financial goals.
Continuous Improvement: Leverage enterprise tools and systems to drive continuous improvement, implement strategic inventory initiatives, and enhance the performance of demand planning and inventory strategy functions.
Inventory Monitoring: Proactively monitor inventory levels, forecasts, order cadences, seasonality, and the potential impact of supply chain disruptions.
Data Analysis: Utilize data analysis to support the achievement of supply chain organizational goals and objectives.
Analytical Insights: Apply data and analytics to identify value-added opportunities for specific initiatives and projects related to inventory, ROI, turns, cost to serve, and other key deliverables.
Functional Expertise: Provide functional expertise in people, process, technology, and analytics to support all business units across the enterprise.
Strategic Guidance: Offer strategic guidance based on analytical data results, measuring progress, and recommending optimal use of people, processes, and technology in varied business scenarios.
Performance Improvement: Assist in identifying underperforming areas of the business and help develop strategies to improve performance and outcomes.
Partnership Management: Manage and maintain successful partnerships with subsidiaries to enhance customer service effectiveness.
Executive Support: Support and provide ad hoc data analysis for key executives to inform decision-making and strategic planning.

36. Inventory Planner Key Accountabilities

Inventory Management: Maximize customer service levels by managing inventory of imported, manufactured, and traded goods across assigned sites and product ranges.
Service Level Fulfillment: Ensure excellent customer service by fulfilling service level agreements for make-to-order items.
Financial Optimization: Contribute to financial performance by optimizing freight spend, warehouse efficiency, total inventory, and slow-moving stock through effective sourcing and location decisions.
Inventory Strategy: Implement strategies to achieve optimal inventory targets and improve stock turns.
Order Replenishment: Order and replenish the SKU portfolio while maintaining accuracy in stock orders.
SKU Planning: Build and optimize SKU planning models based on requirements and supply constraints such as minimum order quantities and lead times.
Site Review: Conduct regular site reviews to determine which SKUs should be stocked at specific plants.
Stock Level Adjustment: Perform minimum and maximum stock reviews and implement necessary adjustments.
Master Data Management: Maintain a thorough understanding of material master data, bills of materials, routings, plant extensions, purchasing information records, and source lists.
S&OP Collaboration: Collaborate in the sales and operations planning process to support special projects, including new product launches, product upgrades, site relocations, and supply chain footprint optimization.
Supplier Collaboration: Work with external suppliers to maximize inbound delivery performance across the end-to-end supply chain.
Invoice Management: Manage vendor invoicing efficiently to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
Freight Optimization: Optimize and manage inbound freight costs to improve overall supply chain performance.

37. Inventory Planner Roles and Details

Inventory Optimization: Optimize inventory levels by balancing product programs, vendor experience, operational flexibility, and cost effectiveness.
Forecast Analysis: Analyze the root causes of significant forecast variances to continuously improve part availability.
Risk Mitigation: Mitigate inventory risks by managing dependencies across multiple teams, clearly communicating expectations, and ensuring alignment.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with supply chain and program teams, including logistics, demand planning, managed dealer inventory, sales, marketing, and customer service, to continuously enhance the customer fulfillment experience.
Process Improvement: Lead and support the implementation of productivity and process improvements, including Kaizen and Six Sigma initiatives.
Supplier Performance Management: Identify underperforming suppliers and lead corrective action meetings to ensure adherence to supplier performance guidelines.
Expediting Management: Work with suppliers to expedite parts and minimize stock-outs at distribution centers.
Task Prioritization: Prioritize responsibilities to complete tasks efficiently while maintaining high-quality standards.
Supplier Communication: Manage supplier understanding and utilization of systems and reports to ensure accurate and effective communication.

38. Inventory Planner Responsibilities and Key Tasks

KPI Management: Monitor, report, and take all necessary actions to improve and achieve targets for fill rate and inventory turns KPIs.
Demand Forecasting: Generate and update demand forecasts for 400+ SKUs by reviewing sales history, upcoming marketing promotions, seasonality patterns, and new product introductions.
Supply Planning: Develop supply plans in coordination with the Marketing and Product Development teams to ensure successful launches of new products.
Purchase Order Management: Prepare and place purchase orders to overseas vendors and track production status to ensure on-time shipment.
Inventory Monitoring: Monitor inventory levels and expedite orders.
Order Allocation: Allocate master purchase order quantities to each fulfillment center across North America and coordinate with vendors’ container plans to maintain proper inventory balance across the distribution network.
Transportation Coordination: Partner with the Ocean Transportation team to ensure all necessary information is updated for shipments to depart and arrive on time.
Vendor Collaboration: Collaborate with overseas vendors to identify opportunities to reduce supply lead time and improve on-time shipment performance.
Payment Tracking: Keep track of vendor payments.
Process Improvement: Contribute to projects aimed at improving internal processes, systems, and tools as a subject matter expert.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with other departments to ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction for products.

39. Inventory Planner Duties and Roles

Material Planning: Determine material quantities, delivery requirements, and flow schedules using bills of materials and production schedules or forecasts.
Production Coordination: Assist the production manager in planning internal and partner production, clearly communicating quantities and delivery timing needs to the inventory coordinator and buyer.
Inventory Verification: Confirm inventory levels before production based on existing stock, outstanding orders, and delivery dates to ensure production starts as scheduled.
Order Tracking: Monitor and track the delivery timing of all production material purchase orders.
Schedule Adjustment: Receive production updates or changes, review material inventory and delivery dates, and provide scheduling options to the production manager.
Flow Scheduling: Develop material flow schedules for partner goods moving to internal and off-site warehouses, and communicate these schedules to ensure all raw and packaging materials are available for uninterrupted production.
Usage Agreement Management: Develop usage agreements for common-use components between internal and partner customers, ensuring mutually beneficial arrangements.
Warehouse Management: Manage off-site warehouse inventory for both internal and partner customers.
Inventory Reconciliation: Oversee inventory reconciliation between enterprise systems, barcode systems, off-site warehouses, and partner systems.
Data Accuracy Management: Provide direction and ensure reconciliation and posting of all partner inventory information are completed accurately and on time.
Supply Chain Management: Manage the supply chain for key materials, including creating, submitting, and managing purchases and deliveries.

40. Inventory Planner Roles and Responsibilities

Stock Transfer Management: Manage transfer of stock between supplier sites based on the project transfer plan, including raising Oracle transfer orders for movement, liaising with freight providers to ensure stock availability for orders, and troubleshooting short or over deliveries.
Inventory Reporting: Generate and review daily inventory availability reports.
Inventory Reconciliation: Reconcile the daily closing inventory between the two sites.
Cross-Functional Coordination: Liaise with customer service and sales operations to ensure product availability.
Inbound Prioritization: Instruct warehouse operations and logistics on inbound receipt priorities to ensure product availability for sales orders.
Replenishment Management: Manage product replenishments to satellite DCs in EU countries.
Stock Level Monitoring: Review, monitor, and adjust inventory levels to minimize out-of-stock risk to sales.
Project Reporting: Provide the Project Team with weekly completed transfers versus the project transfer schedule.
Variance Analysis: Detail the root causes of variances and propose revised schedules.
Shipment Review: Review incoming shipments with Distribution Planning against the project transfer plan.
Report Generation: Generate reports.

41. Inventory Planner Details and Accountabilities

Promotional Planning: Participate in cross-functional promotional reviews to gather information on upcoming inventory requirements.
ETA Management: Provide accurate estimated arrival times for materials and communicate potential risks.
Inventory Tracking: Maintain a weekly inventory tracker to support accurate and timely data transmission.
Material Coordination: Communicate required material arrival dates based on promotional ship schedules and obtain details on supply sources, transit modes, departure and arrival timelines, and any additional domestic stock movements necessary to position inventory within the 3PL network.
Logistics Collaboration: Collaborate with external domestic and global transportation and logistics providers to obtain container arrival estimates, prioritize unloading and forwarding at ports, and address operational or transit delays.
Inter-DC Coordination: Work with deployment teams, distribution centers, and domestic transportation to coordinate inter-DC stock movements that cover promotional inventory shortages or damages.
Issue Resolution: Resolve carrier and inventory receiving issues for third-party logistics sites.
Post-Promotion Reconciliation: After promotional periods, reconcile inventory within the 3PL network, including managing damaged stock disposition, dismantling underutilized promotional displays, and transferring excess stock back into the distribution network for resale.
Inbound Monitoring: Monitor all inbound inventory into the 3PL network and mitigate excess by canceling or rerouting unnecessary shipments, coordinating with transportation teams and freight forwarders to redirect loads at port.

42. Inventory Planner Overview

Floorset Planning: Determine appropriate floorset levels for specified classifications using parameters such as store size, presentation quantities, projected and actual sales volume, index, store location, and store design.
Preseason Planning: Plan preseason sales volume by week, channel, and store by department, factoring in all variances from prior history that may impact business performance.
Sales Tracking: Create and maintain detailed weekly class dollar and unit sales at the channel and store level.
Store Clustering: Develop and maintain store volume clusters to support merchandise and inventory planning processes.
Size and Pack Strategy: Create and manage seasonal size profiles and pack strategies to guide allocation processes.
Inventory Replenishment: Oversee the replenishment of store inventory levels based on incoming shipments, maintaining well-balanced inventory proportional to sales by channel and store.
System Utilization: Utilize and optimize allocation and planning tools and reporting systems such as JDA Allocation, Allocation Planning, Island Pacific, and Cognos.
In-Season Projection: Develop in-season location projections by department, class, channel, and store to maintain balanced inventory aligned with sales potential, maximizing revenue while minimizing transfers and markdowns.
Allocation Strategy: Review allocation strategies for replenishing store inventory, accounting for substitutions, shortages, seasonality, and limited store buys, and make recommendations to optimize sales.
Performance Analysis: Continuously analyze unit performance and sales trends across style, size, color, price, floor presentation, and marketing by channel, store, and region.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional partners, including merchandise planners, buyers, and assistant buyers, to provide strategic recommendations and corrective actions.
Size Distribution Management: Manage the distribution of size purchases to ensure stores are appropriately serviced based on customer demand.
Prepack Optimization: Optimize prepack purchase strategies to minimize markdowns and accelerate speed to market.

43. Inventory Planner Job Description

Loss Mitigation: Assist in developing loss mitigation strategies for inventory held in facilities, third-party locations, and during transport.
Stock Level Analysis: Analyze and determine appropriate stocking levels based on geographical distribution and demand patterns.
Inventory Solution Development: Collaborate with supply chain area leads and business unit operations teams to define, develop, and implement scalable and cost-effective inventory management solutions.
Excess Reduction: Support excess and obsolete inventory reduction initiatives through the design and development of inventory and cost reporting tools.
Requirement Planning: Identify and document future inventory management requirements to align with evolving business needs.
PFEP Support: Assist with data collection, segmentation, and analysis to support the plan-for-every-part (PFEP) program.
Lifecycle Planning: Develop procurement, logistics, and storage channel plans covering the entire lifecycle of company and third-party inventory to maximize cost efficiency.
Cost Methodology Development: Create and document methodologies for cost-scoring each phase of the PFEP channels.
Process Documentation: Monitor, define, and document inefficiencies and exceptions within PFEP channels.
Data-Driven Recommendations: Develop data-driven recommendations for PFEP channel modifications to address or mitigate cost and time inefficiencies across the material lifecycle.
Anomaly Analysis: Analyze and investigate data anomalies affecting inventory availability and propose corrective actions.
Remediation Planning: Contribute to remediation planning in collaboration with supply chain area leads and business unit operations teams.
Process Improvement: Explore and enhance inventory management processes and system functionality to drive cost reduction across the supply chain.
Cost Optimization: Recommend and develop alternative cost-saving solutions using supply chain software expertise, industry best practices, and data analytics tools.

44. Category Inventory Planner Functions

Inventory Strategy Management: Build and manage complex and effective inventory strategies that align with the company’s financial objectives.
Cross-Functional Liaison: Serve as a liaison between planning, supply planning, and inventory management to develop delivery plans and flow forecasts.
Issue Resolution: Collaborate with the inventory management lead and other category inventory managers to resolve product shipment delay issues.
Exception Management: Recommend exception management activities to address supply and demand imbalances.
S&OP Reporting: Prepare country-level sales and operations planning reports and recommend profitable inventory decisions.
Regional Planning Support: Provide critical support for regional sales and operations planning preparation.
Supply-Demand Alignment: Align supply and demand weekly to maintain balance and responsiveness.
Inventory Efficiency: Manage inventory units and value to ensure efficiency and financial alignment.
Process Improvement: Drive initiatives to improve overall inventory health and effectiveness.
Risk Mitigation: Mitigate supply and shipment risks to maintain performance below target thresholds.
Inventory Reduction: Reduce excess and obsolete inventory and minimize aging stock through proactive management.
Product Lifecycle Management: Recommend product closeouts based on lifecycle and performance analysis.
Production Coordination: Provide net requirements to supply planning to ensure timely production sizing and fulfillment.
Inventory Optimization: Collaborate with supply planning to define and implement inventory optimization initiatives with clear requirements.
Affiliate Coordination: Coordinate off-cycle affiliate requests and requirements to support agile regional operations.
Service Level Management: Ensure achievement of service level and fill rate targets through proactive planning and execution.

45. Inventory Planner Accountabilities

Inventory Investment Management: Manage inventory investment in alignment with established fill rate objectives for each supplier.
Supply Planning: Provide both short- and long-term aggregate requirements to suppliers through monthly supply plans.
ABC Ordering Management: Implement and maintain ABC ordering logic and philosophy across all existing and new suppliers.
Volume Review: Review supplier ABC volumes at least semi-annually and record the latest updates.
Replenishment Ordering: Issue inventory replenishment orders to both internal and third-party suppliers.
Issue Escalation: Inform the immediate supervisor of all critical issues, including sourcing changes, developing problems, supplier concerns, and any out-of-the-ordinary situations.
Backlog Management: Replenish past-due units and lines to maintain zero backlog across all suppliers.
Supplier Compliance: Ensure supplier adherence to assigned due dates.
Order Management: Manage replenishment orders by expediting or de-expediting products and keeping system dates current.
Planning Accuracy: Maintain 100% accuracy of all distribution requirements and planning ordering parameters.
Lead Time Management: Keep lead times realistic and current, incorporating all relevant factors such as freight and system constraints.
Freight Optimization: Integrate freight options into supplier replenishment cycles and lead times to reduce transportation costs in collaboration with logistics, suppliers, and distribution centers.
Data Accuracy: Maintain accurate SKU-level records for inventory parameters in planning systems.
Demand Collaboration: Communicate SKU-level problem areas to demand planning and provide realistic adjustment requests.
Product Availability: Ensure new product availability aligns with the required need dates.
Cross-Department Communication: Communicate supply issues to relevant departments and personnel, including customer service and distribution, to ensure effective coordination and operational continuity.

46. Maintenance Inventory Planner Job Summary

Material Ordering: Order materials to support the daily maintenance department needs, including parts for down equipment, planned repairs, and upgrades.
Order Tracking: Provide regular tracking updates and clear communication regarding parts orders.
Material Research: Research and cross-reference materials required for maintenance activities by reviewing drawings, vendor information, and collaborating with skilled trades.
Vending Support: Support parts vending units and manage assigned business segments.
Data Management: Perform data entry for spare parts, new inventory additions, and bill of materials updates.
Purchase Order Monitoring: Monitor purchase orders to ensure they remain current, properly funded, and aligned with operational requirements.
Work Order Analysis: Review and analyze inputs such as maintenance work orders to assist in meeting internal customer needs.
Customer Fulfillment: Participate in activities that fulfill customer expectations, including creating part masters and maintaining accurate asset BOM data.
Policy Maintenance: Maintain valid part order policies, safety stock levels, issue codes, and commodity codes to ensure data accuracy within product structure files.
Inventory Control: Review inventory minimum and maximum data to maintain proper inventory levels.
Lead Time Evaluation: Evaluate component lead times to align with current inventory and production requirements.
Discrepancy Resolution: Collaborate with maintenance planning and supervision to resolve discrepancies in lead times with manufacturing or suppliers.
Shortage Prevention: Prevent anticipated shortages by utilizing shortage reports and implementing corrective actions such as expediting, material transfers, or substitutions.
Due Date Accuracy: Monitor and maintain purchase order due dates to ensure accuracy and validity.
Project Material Strategy: Assist in developing project material strategies to minimize inventory investment while maximizing turns and reducing excess or obsolete inventory.
Asset Management: Manage asset status within the enterprise asset management system and ensure record accuracy.

47. Inventory Planner Responsibilities

Third-Party Inventory Management: Manage all third-party produced items stored at and shipped from the plant cluster.
Physical Inventory Oversight: Oversee the execution of the plant’s physical inventory to ensure completeness and accuracy.
Warehouse Inventory Control: Manage plant and local outside warehouse inventories, maintaining data integrity and alignment between systems and physical counts.
Non-Saleable Product Management: Report and manage the disposition of non-saleable products both in-house and within the surrounding area.
KPI Reporting: Gather and compile data to generate reports on shipping and receiving activities for KPI tracking, management operations reviews, and stakeholder updates.
Efficiency Analysis: Conduct ad hoc analyses on warehouse efficiency, including velocity slotting and flow optimization, and implement improvements.
Cycle Count Management: Manage cycle counts, reconciliation, and reporting according to the established schedule.
Discrepancy Resolution: Perform inventory adjustments after investigating discrepancies identified in the handheld system.
Shipment Coordination: Coordinate with plant personnel to schedule shipments into and out of the facility, including stock transfers and outbound goods to customers or other company locations.
System Improvement Participation: Participate in system improvement reviews and provide timely feedback on operational challenges.
Demand Planning Liaison: Act as a liaison between the plant and demand planning to efficiently resolve issues.
Operational Reporting: Generate daily, weekly, and monthly reports as directed by plant management, including activity summaries, issue logs, shipment counts, short shipment tracking, and on-time accuracy.
Fulfillment Coverage: Provide coverage for the customer fulfillment coordinator during absences.
Warehouse Organization: Collaborate with facilitators and material handlers to maintain warehouse organization, ensuring FIFO practices and efficient product movement.
Contract Packager Coordination: Manage third-party inventory requirements for contract packagers and other production facilities.
Operational Optimization: Organize and adjust daily operations to streamline build-to-order pallet processes and improve fulfillment efficiency.

48. Inventory Planner Details

Inventory Strategy Development: Partner with merchandising, merchandise planning, and vendors to develop and implement inventory strategies that maximize sales and inventory productivity for assigned categories.
In-Stock Management: Maintain and manage appropriate in-stock positions and inventory levels across stores and SKUs.
Forecasting and Replenishment: Create accurate SKU forecasts, track purchase orders, manage order creation, and maintain inventory system parameters for each category to execute replenishment strategies.
KPI Achievement: Achieve and sustain target in-stock levels, vendor fill rates, and planned inventory turns.
Category Strategy Execution: Execute category strategies in collaboration with wholesale customers, stores, and field leadership.
System Utilization: Utilize inventory systems to support sales plans, provide accurate lost sales data, generate order forecasts, and manage allocations.
Product Lifecycle Management: Support and monitor new item introductions throughout the product life cycle, including end-of-life management to ensure efficient sell-through.
Replenishment Adjustment: Monitor sales and receipt forecasts to ensure accurate replenishment, adjusting promptly to trends or business changes to enhance sales and inventory productivity.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Foster cross-functional collaboration to drive improvement in key performance metrics across the business.
Seasonal Inventory Management: Manage seasonal inventory flow, transitions, and resets with oversight.
Field Collaboration: Collaborate with field teams to ensure effective execution and resolve operational issues.
Program Management: Manage stock and replenishment for both seasonal and replenishment programs by reviewing daily orders, tracking purchase orders, identifying in-stock drivers, and aligning with business teams on key actions to support availability and turnover.
Process Improvement: Identify process challenges and improvement opportunities to review with leadership.

49. Inventory Planner Duties

Demand Forecast Management: Maintain the demand planning system consensus forecast at the article level, generating time-phased available-to-promise signals for customer service and factory purchase plan signals for the supply chain.
Inventory and Channel Analysis: Analyze historical inventory cycles and distribution channel performance.
Forecast Collaboration: Collaborate with wholesale and retail planning teams to support demand forecasts and create supply forecasts aligned with company receipt budgets, factory capacities, and lead times.
Market Responsiveness: Adapt and respond to market trends during each bi-weekly forecast cycle.
Forecast Review: Review demand forecast reports at both account and channel distribution levels.
Factory Planning: Deliver monthly factory purchase plans to supply planning that align with factory capacity and targeted receipt plans for the current buying season.
Continuous Improvement: Support continuous improvement initiatives to reduce inventory while maintaining customer service levels and alignment with company receipt plans.
Preseason Planning: Support pre-season planning by maintaining time-phased program-level placeholders.
Historical Planning: Within the demand planning system, create historical time-phased plans to support seasonal assortment totals and provide preliminary capacity requirements to supply planning.

50. Inventory Planner Tasks

Cross-Functional Supply Review: Participate in weekly cross-functional supply reviews with supply planning, demand allocations, and inventory planning teams to identify and resolve demand-supply mismatches.
Inventory Monitoring: Monitor in-season available inventory to ensure targeted stock and replenishment styles accurately reflect availability in enterprise systems.
Data Integrity Management: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot capacity-to-promise data and ensure data integrity across systems.
System Maintenance: Maintain data accuracy in the planning system, including buffer stock settings, color/size/width profiles, forecasting, and product life cycle flags to support seasonal assortment plans.
Communication and Best Practices: Share best practices and communicate key updates.
Purchase Order Management: Execute monthly factory purchase order placements, including creating and managing purchase orders and SKU profiles.
Order Analysis: Analyze customer orders at the SKU level to ensure proper inventory balance and consistency with the consensus forecast.
Offline Order Management: Manage offline purchase orders efficiently.
Direct Ship Planning: Plan and execute direct ship purchase order processes in collaboration with customer service and supply planning, bundling orders by factory, container minimums, and account transit times.

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