Supply Planning Manager

Peter Millar

$95K — $115K *
Retail & Consumer Goods
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years in purchasing, planning, or supply chain roles; retail experience is a plus.
  • Bachelor's in Supply Chain or related analytical field.
  • Expertise in managing supply for seasonal or fast-moving products.
  • Deep understanding of inventory dynamics and purchasing strategies.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills for complex analysis and automation.
  • Familiar with data visualization tools like Power BI or Tableau.
  • Experience with planning and forecasting systems.

Responsibilities

  • Own budget setting, in-season reforecasting, and inventory planning.
  • Develop exception management tools for forecast changes and inventory risks.
  • Drive solutions to mitigate risks in collaboration with internal teams.
  • Ensure supply plans align with capacity constraints and financial goals.
  • Monitor adherence to inventory KPIs such as in-stock rates and turns.
  • Oversee factory capacity planning from strategic volume to execution.
  • Convert demand forecasts into actionable purchase orders.

Benefits

  • Opportunity for continuous improvement and process optimization.
  • Collaborative work environment across cross-functional teams.
  • High level of autonomy and ownership in decision-making.
  • Access to advanced analytics and planning tools.
  • Engagement in projects that shape business evolution.
Full Job Description
The Supply Planning Manager is responsible for transforming demand forecasts into executable supply and purchasing strategies that optimize product availability, inventory investment, and financial performance. Operating at the center of cross-functional collaboration, the role partners closely with Demand Planning, Merchandising, Production, Operations, and manufacturing vendors.

This individual owns end-to-end supply planning from budget planning, in year reforecasting, factory capacity planning through purchase order execution and fulfillment center receipt. They make key tradeoff decisions related to buy timing, order phasing, chase strategies, MOQs, lead times, and inventory targets to balance service levels, inventory productivity, and financial objectives. They are an active business parter with demand planning to achieve business operational objectives.

The Supply Planning Manager also champions continuous improvement through process optimization, automation, analytics, and reporting. They must develop scalable planning capabilities that improve decision quality, operational efficiency, and business agility.

The ideal candidate is a highly analytical, results-oriented supply chain professional with strong business acumen, exceptional problem-solving skills, and a passion for continuous improvement. They thrive in entrepreneurial environments, effectively navigate complexity and uncertainty, and leverage data, systems, and cross-functional relationships to drive informed decisions and operational excellence.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Planning, S&OP, and Execution
  • Own budget setting, in-season reforecasting, and inventory planning for assigned categories
  • Build exception management tools and processes for forecast changes, inventory risk, and capacity constraints
  • Drive proactive risk mitigation through resolution with internal partners
  • Ensure plans meet capacity constraints, financial targets (OTB, inventory turns), and timing requirements (in DC / ex-factory).
  • Monitor and drive adherence to inventory KPIs including in-stock rates, turns, excess, and allocation efficiency
  • Partner closely with Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain teams to align supply plans with business priorities
  • Lead assigned areas of the S&OP supply review
  • Independently develop clear summaries and recommendations that support timely, data-driven decision-making

Capacity Planning
  • Own the factory capacity planning process from mid-term strategic volume planning through purchasing execution
  • Responsible to build and maintain capacity plans incorporating forecasts, OTB targets, and production constraints
  • Align purchasing strategies with vendor capacity, lead times, and internal timelines
  • Track readiness for launches, campaigns, and peak periods, proactively communicating risks, delays, or constraints
  • Develop and enhance capacity planning tools and dashboards (Power BI, Excel).

Purchasing & Buy Execution Leader
  • Convert demand forecasts into executable purchase orders aligned to business and inventory targets.
  • Manage tradeoffs (buy early, hold, phase, chase) based on demand signals, capacity, and financial impact.
  • Ensure purchases stay aligned to OTB targets and time-phased buying plans.
  • Partner with production teams on MOQs, lead times, and material availability to support execution.
  • Collaborate with vendors and internal partners to ensure timely and accurate PO execution.
  • Ensure strong alignment with essentials buyers to maintain factory capacity & inventory flow
  • Support air/sea decision-making based on forecast changes, marketing needs, and cost implications.

Process Improvement, Systems & Analytics
  • Identify, prioritize, and implement process improvements that reduce lead times, increase flexibility, improve service levels, and minimize waste
  • Design and implement tools, automation, and data flows to improve planning speed, accuracy, and decision quality
  • Develop strong working knowledge of ERP, WMS, and planning systems to support scenario analysis and execution
  • Create and maintain SOPs and work instructions for all assigned processes
  • Participate in projects and key initiatives as business needs evolve


COMPETENCIES
  • Strong ownership and results-oriented mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
  • Highly analytical, with the ability to synthesize complex and changing data into actionable insight
  • Ability to make timely, data-driven decisions grounded in supply chain expertise
  • Comfortable operating in environments with evolving systems, imperfect data, and shifting priorities
  • Strong operational discipline, accountability, and follow-through
  • Excellent communication, collaboration, and time management skills
  • Continuous learner who adapts quickly to new tools, systems, and business needs
  • Strong pattern recognition and innovation mindset, with a bias toward simplification and scalable solutions
  • Proven ability to build clear, executive-ready reporting and visualizations


DESIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
  • 7+ years of experience in purchasing, planning, inventory, supply, production, or supply/demand planning roles; consumer brand or retail experience preferred
  • Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Industrial Engineering, Statistics, a related analytical field or equivalent business experience
  • Experience managing purchasing or supply for seasonal, promotional, or fast-moving product categories
  • Strong understanding of inventory dynamics, vendor lead times, and purchasing strategies
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including modeling, analysis, and automation (not just static reporting)
  • Experience with data analysis and visualization tools such as Power BI or Tableau; DAX, SQL, or scripting experience a plus
  • Experience working with planning and forecasting systems, with the ability to operate effectively both within and outside those tools

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!

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