Inventory Manager

SUMMARY:
The Inventory Manager controls the Grocery replenishment function for all banners for a selected group of vendors and is responsible for managing inventory valued at an average of $280,000,000 annually.  The incumbent is accountable for meeting service level and inventory turn objectives in multiple distribution centres.  The incumbent is responsible for managing a large portfolio of products through multiple week timelines to satisfy the needs of several diverse merchandising programs and must have the ability to control inventory and maintain an acceptable service level to the stores in multiple distribution centres.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Analyzes and forecasts product requirements using system recommendations, promotions, and stock on hand.
• Constructs orders to maximize the Distribution Centre efficiency and supplier distribution allowances (for full truck, full pallet, full layer).
• Ensures all data management pertaining to forecasts, product and vendor attributes are maintained
• Monitors inventory levels and inventory movement using system or manual inventory tracking and anticipates or reacts to shortages and overstocks immediately.
• Analyzes warehouse in-stock to determine actions needed to improve in-stock levels
• Anticipates and reacts to emergency product shortages with vendors and Distribution Centres
• Schedules product deliveries into the Distribution Centre with vendor and Distribution Centre personnel.
• Expedites orders to ensure that product is received when it is scheduled.
• Analyzes data to anticipate future needs
• Tracks promotions by analyzing customer information and formulates recommendation to improve processes for the next activity
• Maintains ordering criteria such as consumption, MRP and forecast profiles, supplier lead times, rounding profiles, etc. in SAP
• Identifies product overstocks to Category Managers and jointly develops plans to eliminate.
• Works with vendors to continually improve the logistics process in order to reduce distribution costs and/or inventory levels.
• Investigates inventory management incidents in order to verify and resolve complaints
• Identifies issues and maximizes data availability (SAP/EXE/Witron/BW) to make recommendations that will benefit both our internal and external customers
• Works with Distribution, Transportation and Vendors to co-ordinate flow of goods through the network

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Post Secondary Education, preferably specializing in Supply Chain
• 1-3 years of grocery retail experience or grocery replenishment experience
• Superior time management, priority management and organizational skills
• Possess a great sense of urgency
• Ability to think and respond quickly, and adjust schedules and operating plans in response to unplanned events
• Attention to detail
• High stress tolerance
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Self motivated
• Ability to build strong vendor partnerships and drive high order fill rates through effective collaboration and strategic communication, ensuring on-time delivery
• Merchandising and/or food store experience is an asset
• Knowledge of SAP an asset
• Excellent computer skills in Excel, Word, Outlook
• Power BI experience is an asset

COMPLEXITIES:
The Grocery Replenishment Department is under significant pressure to perform and meet expectations in an extremely stressful environment.   Managing a large buying portfolio is very demanding.  The use of tools offered in the system to effectively manage the workload within required timelines is necessary to ensure all daily processes have been completed.  This role requires the incumbent to have a superior ability to plan, organize, direct, manage, and evaluate inventory and implement the inventory management policies of the organization.  Job functions must be completed within an often hectic and ever changing complex environment.  Task completion in a timely fashion is imperative despite numerous interruptions caused by phone and/or other inquires.  The Inventory Manager must scrutinize information received from Merchandising on a daily basis.  Promotional history used for forecasting in SAP is corrupt in many instances and as a result Inventory Managers must use their overall knowledge of the products and portfolio to manually devise a forecast outside of the automated system capabilities.  The job requires a superior ability to manage a large portfolio of products in multiple distribution centres through multiple week timelines to satisfy the needs of multiple diverse merchandising programs.

RELATIONSHIPS:
Provides results to and receives direction from Grocery Replenishment Specialist, Senior Inventory Manager and Director.  Communicates verbally and through correspondence on a regular basis with Category Management, Merchandising, Distribution Centre, Store Services and Private Brands personnel across all banners.  Communicates verbally and through correspondence on a regular basis with vendors.

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