Inventory Planning Manager

Job description:

Position Summary

The Inventory & Planning Manager owns the full lifecycle of inventory strategy and product operations across all channels including E-Commerce, Wholesale, and Dropship.

This role is responsible for inventory forecasting, open-to-buy planning, channel allocation, margin protection, and product data integrity, while also ensuring the operational execution of inventory processes including product setup, launch readiness, QC tracking, and inventory accuracy.

The Inventory & Planning Manager serves as the central operational bridge between Product Development, Marketing, Warehouse Operations, and Leadership, ensuring inventory decisions support both revenue growth and operational efficiency.

This role combines financial inventory planning with hands-on operational oversight of product and inventory systems.

Core Responsibilities: Inventory Forecasting & Financial Planning

*If you have a strong background in financial planning and not as much in inventory we still encourage you to apply.

Build and maintain the company’s Open-to-Buy (OTB) inventory model

Forecast demand by:

• SKU
• Style
• Size
• Channel (DTC, Wholesale, Dropship)

Analyze:

• Sell-through trends
• Weeks of supply
• Reorder timing
• Historical product performance

Provide leadership with buy recommendations for each season and ensure inventory investments align with revenue targets and cash flow goals.

Monitor aged inventory and recommend markdown, liquidation, or promotional strategies when needed.

Channel Allocation Strategy

Determine and manage inventory allocation across:

• Shopify (DTC)
• Wholesale accounts
• Dropship platforms

Continuously adjust allocations based on performance data to:

• Prevent stockouts
• Avoid overselling
• Protect wholesale relationships
• Maximize sell-through across channels

Product & Inventory Operations Management

Own the operational execution of inventory and product data across all platforms.

Responsibilities include:

• Product SKU setup and maintenance
• Shopify product creation and inventory mapping
• External platform product data accuracy
• Managing product variants and SKU architecture
• Supporting combined listings where applicable
• Ensuring upsell and cross-sell configurations are correct
• Maintaining product and inventory data integrity

This role ensures all product information flows accurately from development through launch across every channel.

Launch Readiness & Product Lifecycle Support

Oversee the operational readiness of product launches including:

• Product setup in Shopify and external platforms
• Inventory readiness and SKU accuracy
• Pre-launch inventory verification
• Alignment with marketing launch calendars
• Coordination with warehouse for product availability

Ensure product launches are operationally prepared and inventory systems are fully aligned before go-live.

Inventory Accuracy & Quality Control Oversight

Oversee the processes that ensure accurate inventory and product quality.

Responsibilities include:

• Monitoring inventory discrepancy resolution
• Reviewing QC defect logs and trends
• Coordinating structured inventory counts
• Ensuring inventory adjustments are documented and resolved
• Supporting warehouse during scheduled high-volume periods when needed

The role ensures inventory systems reflect true physical inventory and product quality insights.

Production & Buy Planning Support

Partner with founders and product development leadership on seasonal production planning.

Responsibilities include:

• Reviewing historical performance prior to placing production orders
• Modeling reorder timing
• Identifying product risk or overexposure early
• Supporting buy decisions with financial modeling and performance data

Inventory Reporting & Leadership Insights

Develop and present a weekly inventory health dashboard to leadership.

Reporting includes:

• Inventory turns
• Sell-through rates
• Forecast variance
• Channel allocation performance
• Open-to-buy availability
• Aged inventory exposure
• Inventory tied-up cash analysis

Provide leadership with clear visibility into inventory performance and risk exposure.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

This role works closely with:

Product Development

• SKU architecture
• product lifecycle planning

Marketing

• Product launch timing
• promotional strategy
• Shopify product presentation

Warehouse Operations

• Inventory accuracy
• shipment readiness
• count verification

Leadership

• Buy planning
• financial inventory strategy
• margin protection

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Forecast variance %
• Inventory turn rate
• Stockout rate
• Aged inventory %
• Open-to-buy accuracy
• Launch readiness accuracy
• Inventory discrepancy resolution time
• Channel allocation accuracy
• Gross margin protection
• Cash tied up in inventory

Required Skills & Experience

• College Degree
• Strong inventory planning or merchandise planning experience 1-3 years
• Advanced Excel / spreadsheet modeling
• Open-to-Buy planning experience
• Retail or e-commerce inventory planning background
• Shopify product management experience
• Understanding of SKU architecture and variant structures
• Strong operational organization and attention to detail
• Ability to analyze data and translate insights into decisions
• Clear communication with leadership teams
• Experience coordinating cross-department operations