What are the responsibilities and job description for the Inventory Planner - West Elm position at West Elm?
Who we are:
Born in Brooklyn. At home in the world. West Elm has been helping customers express their personal style at home since the launch of our first catalog in 2002. Our home base is nestled down under the Manhattan Bridge in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, right above our flagship store. We are a dynamic, fast-paced brand with an exciting growth strategy. We value imagination, diversity and giving people the opportunity to explore, grow and shape our future. We look for innovative, smart and hard-working individuals who enjoy creative thinking and ingenuity. Help us carry out our mission of being a source of inspiration to our customers, creating a global community and tirelessly seeking ways to evolve our brand.
The Merchandise Planning organization is responsible for the strategic planning of inventory positions to drive sales, manage inventory turn, and deliver profit objectives. Inventory leaders are innovators, optimizers and problem solvers who are constantly seeking opportunities to move the business forward. We seek a candidate who loves using data to tell the story and a team player who goes above and beyond. The role is within one of the most complex and high-visibility categories, offering exposure to leadership and opportunity to have a big impact. The successful candidate will be curious, motivated and will think outside the box, challenging the status quo.
Essential Functions:
- Plan and manage a department through the entire product life cycle:
- Create pre-season plans
- Present plans at investment review
- Manage monthly open to buy forecasts to drive sales and margin
- Manage inventory levels and turn targets
- Forecast and review buys and replenishment by SKU to maintain optimum inventory flow
- Utilize the planning software to forecast sales and manage replenishment
- Partner with the Inventory Distribution team to develop allocation strategies and with E-commerce team on site merchandising opportunities
- Identify potential inventory liabilities and take action to maintain inventory targets
- Build a team relationship with Merchant counterparts and partner to develop financial merchandise plans by department
- Identify opportunities to drive the top line
- The ability to analyze the business day to day through reading and reacting to trends, and communicate actions to take
- Develop and provide appropriate business analysis to influence purchases and assortment strategies
- Be an integral partner with Visual, Store Operations, Sourcing, and the Distributions Centers
- Act like an owner, being the expert on everything relating to the sales, inventory and margin of your department
In addition to your day-to-day responsibilities, planners are encouraged to take on stretch assignments that expose you to other divisions and afford you a more well-rounded perspective. We value internal associates and invest in their growth, bringing opportunities for lateral moves and promotions to larger departments.
- Have a desire and willingness to work collaboratively in a group
- Have an innate willingness to dig in and contribute with your team
- Are driven and motivated by the possibilities ahead
- Are a true business owner, comfortable with decision making and taking calculated risk for the benefit of your business
- Think innovation is critical in a business environment and support others in creative thinking
- Pride yourself on the quality of work and are a stickler for the details
- Naturally challenge yourself and others to grow.
Qualifications:
- 2-5 years planning and distribution experience
- Strong business acumen, financial analysis, and technical skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment
- Superior written, communication, presentation, and listening skills
WSI will not now or in the future commence an immigration case or "sponsor" an individual for this position (for example, H-1B or other employment-based immigration)
The expected starting pay range for this position is $80,500.00 -$105,000.00. Applicable pay ranges may differ across markets. Actual pay will be determined based on experience and other job-related factors permitted by law. In addition to competitive pay, compensation may include a variety of other components like benefits, paid time off, merit, and bonus opportunities.
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Founded in 1956, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is the premier specialty retailer of high-quality products for the kitchen and home in the United States. Our family of brands are Williams Sonoma, Williams Sonoma Home, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn teen, pottery barn kids, Rejuvenation, Mark & Graham, west elm, or Outward. These brands are among the best known and most respected in the industry. We offer beautifully-designed, stylish and functional products for every area of the home, including the kitchen, living room, bedroom, home office, closet, laundry room and even outdoor spaces. We've seen some big changes since our first brick-and-mortar store opened more than half of a century ago. What hasn't changed is our passion for high-quality products, functional design, outstanding customer service, and enhancing the lives of our customers and the communities where we operate. Today, we're a multi-brand, multi-channel, global enterprise supported by state-of-the-art technology and some of the most talented teams in retailing - and we're always looking for new energy and ideas.
Salary : $80,500 - $0