Planning Manager

Position Summary:

The Planning Manager is a leadership role responsible for the overall strategy, direction, and execution of the inventory planning function across all stocked product categories, including Wallcovering, Fabric, Furnishings, and carpet. This role is accountable for leading the team, developing world-class demand forecasts, optimizing inventory investment and ensuring product availability to support sales growth and maximize working capital efficiency. The Manager drives continuous improvement in planning processes and tools, manages key vendor relationships strategically, and serves as the primary liaison between Planning and senior leadership from Procurement, Category Management Team (CMT), Sales, and Operations. Expect high-level strategic thinking, decisive team leadership, and ultimate accountability for overall inventory health.

Key Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Inventory Planners and Senior Planners.

• Set team strategy, goals, and priorities, and monitor progress toward overall inventory objectives.

• Oversee performance management, coaching, and training of team members, fostering a culture of high performance and accuracy.

• Responsible for distributing information to the team from upper management.

Inventory Strategy & Demand Planning

• Responsible for setting and maintaining the overall inventory investment strategy across all assigned product categories.

• Direct the development of robust, rolling demand forecasts using advanced historical sales data (30/60/90-day trends), seasonal patterns, and project pipeline inputs.

• Establish, audit, and maintain core inventory parameters (reorder points, safety stock) across the team to minimize risk and optimize working capital.

• Proactively monitor and manage inventory health metrics, including aged inventory exposure, stockout risks, and overstock situations.

Supply Chain & Vendor Management

• Oversee the strategic partnership with key wallcovering, fabric, and furnishing vendors to secure supply and negotiate optimal production schedules and order quantities.

• Lead the coordination with Purchasing teams to determine buy quantities, replenishment timing, and mitigate high-risk supply disruptions.

• Directly manage the review of supplier performance for delivery and service level, implementing necessary improvement plans.

• Manage inventory exposure across key mills and suppliers.

Reporting, Analysis & Process Improvement

• Design, develop, and maintain advanced inventory performance dashboards and weekly health reports for senior leadership.

• Oversee the monitoring of forecast accuracy and bias across the team, implementing corrective actions to forecasting models and planning tools.

• Identify, champion, and implement strategic improvements to planning tools, processes, and reporting capabilities across the organization.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as the primary inventory planning partner to the Category Management Team (CMT) to align buying strategies and uphold product & vendor goals.

• Partner with sales teams to incorporate customer demand insights and upcoming project requirements.

• Collaborate with warehouse and operations teams to manage stock allocation and replenishment, including coordinating transport of goods.

• And other duties as assigned.