Demand & Inventory Planner II-Apparel

Mountain Hardwear is a leading supplier of high end mountaineering, camping and backpacking equipment and clothing. Many high-altitude mountaineers, alpinists, ice climbers, big-wall enthusiasts and other hard-core outdoor adventurers make Mountain Hardwear their gear of choice.

This job description is not meant to be an all inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.

Position Summary:Develop forecasts for each hierarchical level in assigned product categories using consensus seasonal estimates, monthly demand curves, historical sizing, and color sales histories.Improve forecast process to increase accuracy of forecasts and decrease lost sales and closeouts.Make buy decisions and manage inventory levels to optimize risk and customer satisfaction both domestic and global.Manage category buy process.Analyze future time-phased inventory levels and production sales forecasts.Develop and maintain inventory levels in the planning system.Create and maintain Master Production Schedule.

Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities:

DEMAND PLANNING:
Participate in product line development meeting and provide support for product line analysis by presenting recommendations based on historical sales figures.Collect and adjust consensus forecast for initial season estimate six months before production by working directly with Sales Reps, Sales Management, and Merchandising.Develop a time-phased finished goods forecast of monthly demand.Perform maintenance of time-phased forecast in the forecasting model as needed.Determine level of forecast confidence based on feedback from Sales Reps and Customers, and order quantities.Communicate level of confidence at review meetings.Organize and run the forecast review meeting, present updated forecasts to senior management from Planning, Sales, and Merchandising, to solicit information and discuss recommended changes.

INVENTORY PLANNING:
Coordinate the process involved in placing the “buys” with the liaison offices and work closely with the subsidiary offices and international planning department to ensure that minimum production standards are maintained.Maintain style, color and size forecasts in the forecasting requirements planning models.Monitor and update forecast accuracy and make adjustments to the seasonal buy plan to optimize risk and product availability.Create and maintain Master Production Schedule (MPS) and communicate significant changes to the manufacturing Support Specialist for data entry and liaison office to manage the relationship with the factory.Track excess product, closeouts, and speculative inventory against inventory plan and communicate the availability of product to sales.Perform other related duties as assigned.
REQUIREMENTS
Job Scope:
Job is frequently varied and often includes new or unique work assignments involving a moderate to high degree of complexity.Variety is seen in working with various product lines and functional areas.Complexity is found in optimizing a number of factors involved with production planning and multiple conflicting priorities.Work is checked or verified by results.Decisions are made within general department policy constraints.Errors in judgment result in poor delivery, lost sales, excess inventory, closeouts, and reduced profits.

Supervisory Responsibility:
This position has no supervisory responsibility.

Interpersonal Contacts:
Interactions with others focus on information exchange and problem solving.Contacts usually contain confidential/sensitive company information.Communication often involves subjects of a technical nature.Incumbent usually initiates contacts on his/her own with 50% being by phone/email and the remainder via face-to-face interaction.

Specific Job Skills:
Experience with Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access preferred; Ability to read, write, and speak English including speaking to groups of varying sizes; Physical ability to use the telephone, computer hardware/software including keyboard.Incumbent must be proactive and assertive in follow-through along with strong analytical and problem solving skills. Previous work with other cultures in a business setting and understand the need for cultural sensitivity is a plus.Experience with the production process, demand planning, production planning, inbound and outbound logistics, Materials Requirements Planning (MRP), JIT, and related information systems.

Education & Experience:
Bachelors Degree in Business, Economics, Operations Management, or equivalent work experience.Six to eight years experience in operations management, planning, or distribution OR equivalent work experience.Apparel industry and/or international business work experience desirable.Job Conditions:
Job may require hours that may exceed 8 hours per day and/or 40 hours per week to complete priory projects.Job pressure exists in the balancing of a variety of projects, and numerous simultaneous deadlines.Exposure to a computer CRT, and sitting for extended periods.

Interested parties should email or fax cover letter and resume, including salary requirements, with “JP063-CB” as the reference in the header to: [Click here for email] / Fx: 510-558-2986