Role OverviewThe Director of Inventory Management owns and leads the full inventory function, including Demand Planning, Purchasing, Allocation, and Liquidations. This role is accountable for building a high-performing team, driving inventory productivity, and ensuring the right product is in the right place at the right cost.
This position connects day-to-day operational discipline to the company's financial objectives and serves as the primary inventory leader within Maxwood's cross-functional leadership team.
What Success Looks LikeSuccess in this role will be measured by the ability to:
- Drive inventory turns toward company targets and actively reduce excess working capital tied up in inventory.
- Build, develop, and retain a high-performing inventory team across Demand Planning, Purchasing, Allocation, and Liquidations.
- Achieve and sustain in-stock rate targets on top revenue-driving SKUs across all DTC channels and fulfillment destinations.
- Maintain Open-to-Buy discipline aligned with cash flow and inventory investment targets established by Finance and leadership.
- Reduce aged, slow-moving, and overstock inventory as a percentage of total inventory value through proactive management and structured liquidation execution.
Responsibilities- Own the inventory function end-to-end, from demand signal to final disposition, providing clear strategic direction and operational accountability across Demand Planning, Purchasing, Allocation, and Liquidations.
- Lead, develop, and retain team members across all four inventory functions; establish clear expectations, conduct regular performance conversations, and build a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
- Set and manage Open-to-Buy budgets in collaboration with Finance and leadership; ensure purchasing decisions reflect inventory turn targets, cash flow constraints, and business priorities across all brands.
- Establish and maintain a structured inventory health review cadence; use segmentation data to identify and resolve overstock, slow-moving, and aged inventory positions before they become financial liabilities.
- Serve as the primary inventory liaison to Marketing, Merchandising, Product Innovation, Finance, and Operations; align planning decisions with assortment strategy, promotional calendars, and financial targets.
- Own and continuously improve the reporting and analytics infrastructure for inventory; ensure leadership has timely, accurate visibility into in-stock rates, inventory turns, aged inventory, GMROI, and Open-to-Buy status.
- Partner with Operations and 3PL/Logistics teams on inbound shipment timing, warehouse allocation, and inventory deployment across fulfillment destinations; optimize placement to minimize cost and transit time.
- Lead a structured liquidation program for slow-moving and aged inventory; maximize recovery rates while freeing warehouse capacity for productive, turning inventory.
- Drive continuous improvement in planning tools, systems configuration, and documented processes; advance team capabilities and reduce reliance on manual workarounds across all inventory functions.
- Identify, communicate, and resolve supply and inventory risks proactively; ensure leadership is never surprised by a stockout, overstock exposure, or supplier disruption.
Requirements- Demonstrates knowledge of and supports company-wide vision, values, standards, policies, procedures, and confidentiality requirements.
- Bachelor's degree or higher in Supply Chain, Business, Operations Management, Finance, or a related field (advanced degree preferred).
- 8-12 years of progressive experience in inventory management, demand planning, or supply chain leadership, with at least 3 years in a people management or team leadership role.
- Direct-to-consumer e-commerce or omnichannel retail experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams across multiple inventory functions, with a track record of building culture, managing performance, and retaining talent in high-accountability environments.
- Strong strategic and financial acumen with the ability to connect inventory decisions to P&L outcomes, including gross margin, GMROI, and working capital efficiency, and communicate those connections to senior leadership.
- Hands-on experience with inventory planning software such as StockIQ, Netstock, Blue Yonder, or similar platforms.
- Deep understanding of inventory planning concepts including Open-to-Buy (OTB), inventory turns, GMROI, months-on-supply (MOS), safety stock, ABC/XYZ segmentation, and in-stock rate measurement.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and experience building, interpreting, and presenting Power BI dashboards or similar reporting tools.
- Comfortable operating at both the strategic and tactical level while leading multiple inventory functions.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, influence without direct authority, and drive results across stakeholder groups.
- Thrives in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment with evolving priorities, organizational structure, and systems.
Benefits- 401(k) with Company Match
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Paid Time Off
- Flexible Schedule
LocationThis position is based in our headquarters on Daniel Island in Charleston, SC (29492).
Department Operations Locations HQ
