Position Summary
The Supply Chain Planning Manager is responsible for ensuring the right materials and finished goods are available at the right time and cost to support company growth and customer demand. This role oversees demand forecasting, inventory planning, vendor coordination, and purchase order management across raw materials, packaging components, and finished fragrance products.
The ideal candidate will bring strong analytical thinking, vendor negotiation skills, and operational discipline to ensure reliable supply while optimizing inventory levels and working capital.
Key Responsibilities
Demand Planning & Forecasting
- Develop and maintain monthly and quarterly sales forecasts based on historical sales, promotions, product launches, and seasonality.
- Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to refine demand projections.
- Translate forecasts into material and production requirements.
Inventory Planning & Management
- Monitor inventory levels across raw materials, packaging components, and finished goods.
- Maintain appropriate safety stock levels to prevent stockouts while controlling excess inventory.
- Provide regular reporting on inventory health, stock risks, and recommended replenishment actions.
Procurement & Purchase Order Management
- Create and manage purchase orders for raw materials, fragrance oils, bottles, pumps, caps, labels, cartons, and other packaging components.
- Track open purchase orders and ensure on-time delivery from suppliers.
- Maintain clear visibility into inbound inventory and expected arrival timelines.
Vendor & Supplier Management
- Negotiate pricing, lead times, and terms with domestic and overseas suppliers.
- Build strong relationships with key vendors to improve reliability, cost, and service levels.
- Monitor supplier performance and address quality or delivery issues proactively.
Production Planning Support
- Align inbound material availability with production schedules for filling, packing, and fulfillment operations.
- Work closely with operations leadership to ensure production runs are properly supplied.
Reporting & Business Insights
Provide regular reporting to leadership on:
- Inventory levels and turnover
- Open purchase orders
- Supplier performance
- Forecast accuracy
- Cost trends and savings opportunities
- Recommend purchasing strategies based on demand trends and sales projections.
Process Improvement
- Identify opportunities to improve planning processes, forecasting accuracy, and supplier performance.
- Implement systems or tools that enhance visibility across inventory, purchasing, and demand planning.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, or related field preferred.
- 5+ years of experience in supply chain planning, procurement, or inventory management.
- Experience working with overseas vendors and international sourcing strongly preferred.
- Experience in consumer packaged goods (CPG), beauty, fragrance, or similar manufacturing environment preferred.
Technical Competencies & Tools
The ideal candidate will have experience or proficiency in the following tools and systems to enhance visibility, planning accuracy, and operational efficiency:
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems
- Experience using ERP systems to manage purchasing, inventory, and supplier records (e.g., NetSuite, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar).
- Ability to manage item master data, bill of materials, and inventory transactions within ERP systems.
Demand Planning & Forecasting Tools
- Experience with forecasting software or demand planning tools such as Netstock, Forecast Pro, Anaplan, or similar.
- Ability to develop statistical forecasts and adjust projections based on market insights and promotions.
Data Analysis & Reporting
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, forecasting models, data analysis, and scenario planning.
- Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or similar business intelligence tools for supply chain reporting and dashboards.
- Ability to analyze large datasets and translate insights into purchasing and inventory strategies.
Inventory Optimization Tools
- Familiarity with inventory planning concepts such as safety stock modeling, reorder points, lead time variability, and inventory turnover analysis.
- Experience using inventory optimization software or modules within ERP systems.
Procurement & Vendor Management Systems
- Experience managing vendor communications, pricing structures, and purchase orders through digital procurement systems.
- Familiarity with supplier scorecards, cost tracking, and contract management tools.
Collaboration & Workflow Tools
- Proficiency with collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, or similar tools for cross-functional communication.
- Experience using project management or workflow tools such as Asana, Monday.com, or Smartsheet to manage supply chain initiatives.
Key Success Metrics
- Inventory turns and working capital optimization
- Forecast accuracy
- On-time supplier delivery
- Reduction in stockouts or production delays
- Cost savings through vendor negotiations and purchasing strategy
