Inventory & Vendor Operations Manager

Company Description Milano Jewelry is a direct-to-consumer retail jewelry brand with over 40 stores across the Caribbean, Mexico, and Alaska. Headquartered in New York City’s Diamond District, Milano combines manufacturing and retail operations to deliver high-quality jewelry at competitive, duty‑free prices. The company’s vertically integrated model removes intermediaries, allowing customers to benefit from significant savings without compromising on craftsmanship or service. Milano is known for its focus on value, customer experience, and consistent quality across all locations. Role Description This is a full-time, on-site role based in New York City for an Inventory & Vendor Operations Manager. The role involves overseeing day-to-day inventory control, including stock planning, tracking, reconciliation, and reporting across multiple locations and product lines. The manager will coordinate with vendors and internal stakeholders on purchase orders, delivery schedules, quality checks, and cost negotiations to ensure timely and accurate replenishment. Responsibilities include optimizing inventory levels, reducing stockouts and overstock, maintaining accurate data within inventory management systems, and implementing process improvements. The role also includes monitoring vendor performance, resolving operational issues, preparing regular performance and inventory reports, and collaborating closely with merchandising, finance, logistics, and retail teams. What you’ll do: Vendor management Lead and manage a team of 2–3 vendor managers, setting priorities, reviewing performance, and developing team capability Serve as the primary point of escalation for vendor relationships, negotiating terms, resolving disputes, and maintaining strong supplier partnerships Evaluate vendor performance against agreed KPIs including delivery accuracy, lead times, and product quality standards Onboard new vendors and maintain up-to-date vendor profiles, pricing agreements, and compliance documentation Product distribution & inventory operations Oversee end-to-end product distribution from sourcing receipt through allocation and transfer to retail locations in NYC and the Caribbean Develop and maintain optimal stock levels across all store locations to minimize stockouts and excess inventory Coordinate with store managers and buying teams to align inventory distribution with sales trends and seasonal demand Ensure accurate and timely product entry into the POS system (JewelMate/JMWIS), maintaining data integrity across all SKUs, styles, and vendor records Conduct regular cycle counts and reconcile physical inventory against system records Reporting & analysis Produce regular inventory reports including sell-through rates, aging stock, vendor fill rates, and distribution summaries Partner with the data and finance teams to surface inventory insights via Power BI dashboards Identify trends and make data-driven recommendations to improve inventory turnover and reduce shrinkage Support month-end and year-end inventory close processes in coordination with the accounting team Qualifications Strong inventory management skills, including demand planning, stock analysis, and reconciliation across multiple locations. Experience in vendor management and operations, including vendor coordination, performance tracking, negotiations, and issue resolution. Proficiency with Excel or similar tools and familiarity with ERP or inventory management systems; comfort working with data and reports. Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and time-management skills, with attention to detail and process orientation. Effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across merchandising, finance, logistics, and retail teams. 5+ years in retail, jewelry, luxury goods, or a similar multi-location business is preferred. Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. #J-18808-Ljbffr