Job DescriptionThe Director- Global Diamond & Materials Planning role leads end-to-end planning for precious stones (diamonds, gemstones) and precious metals to ensure the right quantity, timing, quality, and cost to meet business demand. Accountable for planning governance and decision cadence (including S&OP), the Director partners closely with Manufacturing, Industrial Planning, Inventory Planning, Procurement/Sourcing, Product Development, and Finance to balance demand and supply, optimize inventory and working capital, and protect service levels. The role drives continuous improvement in planning processes, data, and tools while building team capability and cross-functional alignment across the materials value chain.
Key Responsibilities- Own the end-to-end plan for diamonds/gemstones and precious metals, spanning supply strategy, acquisition timing, production requirements, and inventory optimization.
- Design and maintain planning governance, decision rights, calendars, and standard work; lead a robust monthly S&OP cadence to review demand, supply, inventory, capacity/constraints, and procurement/production plans.
- Partner with Industrial Planning to translate business demand into acquisition requirements and timing, including scenario planning for constraints and lead times.
- Collaborate with Inventory Planning to manage demand changes and service-level targets; run exception management and adjust plans based on risks/opportunities.
- Partner with Finance to inform precious metal exposure management and hedging decisions aligned to sourcing and production plans.
- Optimize inventory and working capital by setting targets (e.g., months of supply, safety stock, excess/obsolete) and driving cross-functional actions to reduce excess and mitigate stock-at-risk.
- Influence material choices in new product development by identifying opportunities to consume excess inventory and by communicating purchase/obsolescence risk early.
- Partner with Procurement/Sourcing on supplier strategy, negotiation inputs, allocation decisions, and disposition plans for excess or non-conforming materials.
- Drive cross-functional alignment to integrate materials planning across stones and metals, ensuring decisions are synchronized from sourcing through manufacturing and distribution.
- Own reporting and analysis to provide visibility to demand vs. supply, inventory health (MOS/excess/obsolescence), purchases, WIP, and key constraints; translate insights into clear decisions and actions.
- Lead continuous improvement across planning processes, data quality, and tools (ERP/MRP, analytics, automation) to improve forecast accuracy, inventory turns, and decision speed.
- Lead, coach, and develop the planning team, including hiring, performance management, capability building, and succession planning.
Key StakeholdersIndustrial Planning; Manufacturing; Inventory Planning; Procurement/Sourcing; Merchandising & Category teams; Product Development; Finance; Operations/Distribution; Quality; and external suppliers/partners.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, Analytics, or related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred).
- 10-15+ years of progressive experience in supply planning, inventory planning, demand/supply balancing, or category planning, including people leadership.
- Experience planning in complex, constrained supply environments (e.g., long lead times, commodity/assortment constraints, or multi-tier supplier networks).
- Strong analytical and financial acumen with the ability to translate data into actions that improve service, cost, and working capital.
- Fluency with planning and analytics tools (ERP/MRP, APS, BI/reporting platforms, advanced Excel); demonstrated experience improving master data and automating reporting.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills; comfortable influencing decisions across functions and levels.
- Demonstrated ability to build inclusive, high-performing teams; commitment to DEIB. Proven ability to thrive in and build new processes within a dynamic, evolving environment.
The hiring range for this position ranges from $165,495 - $210,000. The rate of pay offered will be dependent upon candidates' relevant skills and experience. Management is also eligible for bonus.
