Inventory Planner

Wine Enthusiast Companies is a Certified B Corporation and the ultimate source of innovation and information around wine. Founded in 1979 by Adam and Sybil Strum, the family‑owned company is composed of Wine Enthusiast Commerce and Wine Enthusiast Media. Wine Enthusiast Shop provides premium wine‑lifestyle products, reaching millions of consumers globally via direct mail, an e‑commerce site, and a business‑to‑business division. Wine Enthusiast magazine is an award‑winning print publication and online resource that showcases wine news, food trends, and more than 25,000 ratings and reviews annually. Wine Enthusiast events include the annual premier Wine Star Awards gala. In 2024, the company launched a travel division, which includes the Tasting Room Directory and Cork+Compass Travel. Together, Wine Enthusiast Companies is the indisputable hub for everything wine. We bring wine to life. Your Role in Our Journey Wine Enthusiast is looking for an Inventory Planner. We value imagination, diversity and giving people the opportunity to explore, grow and shape our future. We look for innovative, smart, hardworking individuals who enjoy creative thinking and ingenuity. The inventory planner is focused on driving sales and profit for the company by optimizing inventory levels by SKU across our distribution network. Developing, monitoring, and adjusting minimum inventory levels as well as purchases are the primary responsibility of this role. The inventory planner will work closely with the Sr. Director of Inventory Planning and Merchandise managers to develop a product/sales point of view which will inform inventory direction. Additionally, this person would be accountable for ensuring that life cycle analysis of inventory is managed, and recommendations made for liquidations either through reduced price sale or write‑off. Key Responsibilities Inventory Management Forecast SKU level demand for stocked products. Set, monitor and adjust minimum inventory levels by SKU to achieve sales, inventory turn and fill rate objectives. Collaborate cross‑functionally with merchandise and sourcing partners to develop SKU plans, review current trends and meet seasonal calendar due dates. Initiate replenishment and initial stock purchase orders. Ensure accuracy of inventory and forecasting data. Monitor and act on (stocking) backorders, late orders, and other inventory issues. Analyze historical data and current trends to identify sales and inventory opportunities and risks for assigned categories and SKUs. Recommend actions to optimize inventory turn and margin based on current trends, and report open to buy status to B2B partners each month. Propose inventory investments in key brands to improve customer experience, drive sales and profit. Identify underperforming inventory and partner with merchandisers and marketing to drive liquidation strategies. Communicate with vendors as necessary. Own item creation and purchase order process for Wine Express. Operations & Warehouse Communications Collaborate across the organization to ensure inventoried products are prepared and available for sale. Communicate cross‑functionally to ensure seamless receipt of goods, including communicating with suppliers, freight forwarders and customs brokers. Manages inventory and web posting portion of outlet process, helping to drive success of program. Qualifications 2+ years’ experience in retail inventory management. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience with planning systems. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. Strong organizational and time‑management skills. Strong quantitative analytical skills with a technical understanding of retail math and inventory management concepts. The ability to summarize data logically and communicate information and recommendations clearly to all appropriate contacts. Team player, comfortable in building effective cross‑functional relationships with business partners. Problem solving and critical thinking skills to strategically manage and drive positive financial results for assigned categories. Flexibility to work in a fast paced, changing environment with multiple priorities. Passionate and accountable for delivering a high standard of results, competitive. The perspective to think globally and strategically and make objective decisions in the best interests of the business and customer. Proactive and persistent in addressing challenges and in developing innovative processes and solutions. Comfortable presenting to executive management. A working knowledge of world class supply chain practices, strong analytical capabilities, and business savvy. Preferred Qualifications Inventory planning: 2 years preferred. This position offers a flexible hybrid schedule, requiring employees to be onsite at our Valhalla, NY headquarters twice per week , with Tuesday designated as a required in‑office day. Our Commitment to You Unlimited PTO, Full Medical, Dental and Vision benefits, 401(k) Match, FSA & Dependent Care FSA, Flexible Work Environment, Pet Discount Plans, Employee Discount, Onsite Gym, optional Wine Tasting Class participation, Flexible Schedule, Dynamic and Collaborative work culture. Our Commitment to Inclusion & Equity At Wine Enthusiast, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and do not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. As part of our commitment to fair hiring practices, we have adopted “ban the box” policies to provide individuals with criminal records a fair chance at employment. We consider all applicants on their merits and qualifications, considering their ability to perform the job. The pay range for this role is: 60,000 - 70,000 USD per year (200 Summit) #J-18808-Ljbffr