Purchasing & Inventory Manager na Real Flame Company Inc

Description

Why Work for Us?

Real Flame® is a market-leading fire feature manufacturer with prominent, growing brands that specialize in enhancing the comfort and livability of indoor & outdoor spaces. Our products include indoor electric fireplaces, outdoor fire tables, wood-burning fire pits, patio furniture and accessories. We sell across North America through outdoor independent retailers, on-line home décor & DIY partners, and high-end specialty retailers. We are a fast-growing business and a leader in the industry. Founded over 25 years ago, Real Flame® products can now be found in hundreds of thousands of homes across North America. We welcome you to join our collaborative team!

Location: 19116 Spring St., Union Grove, WI

Position Summary

Reporting to the VP of Merchandising & Strategy, the Purchasing & Inventory Manager will oversee the planning, purchasing, and inventory management functions that directly influence the company’s ability to meet financial goals and deliver customer satisfaction. In this dynamic role you will build and execute brand category plans, analyze historical data to forecast demand, and lead deployment strategies that ensure the right products are in the right place at the right time. Managing multiple seasons simultaneously, you will provide actionable insights into current results and recommend strategic actions that drive profitable sales and efficient inventory turnover. 

This multi-faceted role requires extensive cross-functional partnerships. You will be the key point of contact for forecasting and pricing for the Sales team, Sourcing team, and factory partners both domestically and abroad. You will also be responsible for owning the inventory and space budget at multiple 3PL locations to optimize costs and be a key partner to DC Manager to coordinate inbound shipment schedule and collaborate on space optimization and peak-season planning. In this role, you will also lead, coach, and develop a team of direct reports to optimize performance across all purchasing and inventory processes.

Essential Functions

Purchasing/Inventory

• Create and manage product sales, cost, inventory, and margin plans at the category, class, and item level and be accountable for buying decisions within purchasing budget
• Create, maintain, and review monthly Open-to-Buy with leadership team to measure progress on sales, margin, and inventory plans along with 6–12-month future forecast
• Use data analytics to assess the impact of sales and inventory variances to plan and dynamically shift forecasts to maintain efficient stock levels while maximizing sales and margin outcomes to meet and exceed budget
• Negotiate, expedite, delay, cancel, or re-order inventory as necessary
• Track inventory movement and storage space and systematically introduce and guide promotional and price change opportunities to optimize sales, inventory, and margin
• Analyzes future marketing plans to determine appropriate levels of inventory for each item, overstock situations to establish seasonal sales prices and evaluates/determines demand targets for assortment plan development
• Provide monthly inbound container plan annually for P&L input based on category plans and projection analysis roll-up
• Responsible for continuous improvement mindset regarding purchasing, inventory management, and pricing systems, processes, and ERP tools

Sales Team Collaboration

• Determine 3-tiered product list-prices (FOB, Drop/Ship, Retail Truckload) annually to maximize sales and margin
• Communicate discontinued and slow-moving products and determine pricing levels for sales team to implement to deplete inventory
• Assist in determining base promotional discount level by month at the item level based on inventory levels and sales needs
• Pre-align with sales team on promotional items so that inventory can be pre-positioned accordingly to maximize sales
• Assist in sales analytics and reporting when needed

Sourcing Team Collaboration

• Provide rolling 12-month production forecasts by factory to Director of Global Sourcing and directly to Real Flame factory partners overseas
• Partner with Director of Global Sourcing to determine freight forwarder strategy to ensure Real Flame is always securing the best import freight rates balanced with optimal speed and access to vessels
• Oversee communication of direct reports with Sourcing team regarding factory forecast requests, freight-forwarder issue/actions, and other logistical or inventory related topics

Domestic Factory Collaboration

• Provide annual purchase plans/forecasts for domestic factories, in addition to a dynamic 6-month forecast so that factories can properly buy parts with proper lead times to meet purchasing demand
• Oversee weekly scheduling meetings to hold factory partners accountable on delivery dates and determine action plans for any potential delays

Distribution Center/3PL Collaboration

• Create reporting capabilities to give DC partner visibility to inbound shipments up to 4 months
• Include DC partner in OTB reviews to give rolling 6-12 month sales/inventory outlook 
• Inform DC partner on all topics that could impact space allocation at the DC including discontinued/slow-moving products, new item launches, and overall customer choice count

Requirements

• Exceptionally detail-oriented
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Passion for structure and organization
• Ability to adapt quickly to a rapidly changing business environment
• Strong problem-solving skills with a solutions-oriented mindset
• Curiosity and a passion for sales analytics, inventory planning, and strategic pricing
• Advanced/Expert in Microsoft Office Products
• Execute multiple projects in tandem, and prioritize regularly based on changing business needs
• Occasional visits to local factory and distribution center

Education and Experience

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in inventory planning/management or purchasing required
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, retail, supply chain, economics, or finance is preferred 
• Strong foundation of analytical skills
• Previous experience with developing and maintaining sales and inventory plans
• Previous experience in collaborating and influencing cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated experience in turning off-line tools into integrated Systems preferred
• Net Suite Forecasting and Analytics experience preferred
• AI Analytics experience preferred

Physical Demands

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Requires the ability to read written instructions, reports, and other documentation 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
• The employee frequently is required to talk or listen
• Required to use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms 
• Must be able to lift-up to 25 pounds at times

Work Environment

• Collaborative office environment   
• In-house collaboration with Sales, Global Sourcing, Distribution Center, and Domestic Factory teams
• Flexible work arrangement policy in place to accommodate needs to work outside of the office environment

 Benefits

• Health, Dental and Vision plans are available
• We provide a generous health reimbursement when you reach your out-of-pocket health insurance deductible
• 401(k) Matching: Company matches for participating employees up to 4%
• We offer paid holidays and generous paid time off to support work-life balance
• Disability and Life insurance options available
• Enjoy the convenience of receiving your pay on a weekly basis
• Profit Sharing: Available for eligible employees
• Team Events: We celebrate our employees’ dedication through social gatherings
• Employee Recognition: We celebrate and acknowledge the hard work and achievements of our team members
• Training and Development: We offer opportunities for continuous learning and professional growth

To all recruitment agencies: Real Flame® & KSP Group, Inc. affiliates does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs or phone calls. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to our careers email addresses, Real Flame® or KSP Group, Inc. affiliates employees or any other company location. Real Flame® & KSP Group, Inc. is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.