Inventory Planning Analyst

Summary:

The Inventory Planning Analyst is a highly analytical and process-driven role that is responsible for leveraging Armada’s Inventory Management System (IMS) and Business Intelligence (BI) applications to develop and implement department-specific analytics, solutions, and process refinements. This individual will be responsible for identifying and rectifying opportunities for continuous improvement within the Inventory Management department. In conjunction, the Inventory Planning Analyst will develop and document consistent functional best practices and standard operating procedures (SOPs), as well as conduct related training for Supply and Demand Planners. As a subject-matter expert (SME) in Inventory Management, this individual will represent the department in cross-functional project teams working with, but not limited to, Information Technology (IT), Project Management Office (PMO), and Client Experience (CX) teams. Projects may include inventory planning-focused initiatives to drive efficiencies and progress within the Inventory Management department, across Armada departments in enterprise projects, and/or in innovations for Armada’s clients. As a resident super-user of Armada’s IMS and BI tools, this individual will serve as the first-line-of-defense for system-related questions or issues and play a major role in the planning, testing, and rollout of technical implementations and upgrades.  This individual will also support Managers, Demand Planners, and Supply Planners as deemed necessary to drive favorable departmental results. 

Responsibilities:

Inventory Management and Business Intelligence Systems

• Demonstrate a highly proficient knowledge and use of Armada’s IMS and Business Intelligence (BI) applications
• Leverage Demand Planning, Supply Planning, and technical expertise to act as “super-user” and “first-line-of-defense” for all systems tied to the Inventory Management function, most notably the IMS and BI applications
• Independently assess, troubleshoot, and resolve system and data issues, partnering with department resources and IT as needed
• Play a lead role in system upgrades and implementations, including partnering with third-party solution architects, developing testing scripts, conducting system testing, documenting training materials, and leading associated training sessions for all business users
• Utilize Business Intelligence tools and associated skillsets to build reports and drive required analysis
• Partner with BI Developers to build and enhance reports and dashboards that advance the department’s analytical capabilities
• Leverage advanced Microsoft Excel functionality to manipulate and analyze data between systems
   

Inventory Management Functional Responsibilities

• Translate data into information and continuous improvement recommendations, and present findings and proposals to the leadership level that drive efficiencies, improved performance, and reduction of cost and/or effort within the Inventory Management team
• Gather and document requirements for improvements as identified through scoping meetings with members of the Inventory Management team
• Build and maintain project plans to develop and implement scalable, sustainable processes, tools, and templates that enable the Inventory Management team to consistently and quickly deliver results
• Document functional best practices, develop SOPs, and maintain up-to-date organized documentation
• Collect and monitor data and metrics to report on improvement results to department leadership
• Develop a deep understanding of department goals and key performance indicators (KPIs), and support Inventory Management leaders in driving strategic departmental evolutions
• Utilize Supply Planning and Demand Planning expertise to assist in leading the Inventory Management team through enterprise initiatives (i.e. new warehouse openings, system implementations/upgrades, new client onboarding, and development of inventory planning innovations)
• Lead training sessions for process improvements, system implementations, new hire/intern onboarding, and routine training topics
• Demonstrate a high degree of organization and clear communication when leading projects
• Demonstrate a high degree of motivation to achieve personal results
• Utilize PowerPoint, Teams, and other associated tools/technology to successfully lead meetings and presentations
• Provide out-of-office coverage or act as an additional resource for Supply Planning and/or Demand Planning, when necessary

 Cross-Functional Department Collaboration

• Support highly collaborative working relationships within the Inventory Management team across Supply Planners, Demand Planners, Analysts, and Managers
• Represent the Inventory Management department as a collaborative liaison and maintain strong synergistic relationships with other departments including, but not limited to, IT, PMO, CX and Engineering to drive projects and initiatives

•  Interact with clients during the development and implementation of Inventory Management-specific processes, initiatives, and innovations

• Coordinate efforts across multiple Armada disciplines when assessing requirements and driving results

•  Support PMO with requirements gathering and project plan development for enterprise projects
•  Partner with Finance, IT, and auditors to provide supporting data and process documentation for internal and external annual audits

• Provide insights and data to support financial budgeting processes and operational warehouse capacity reviews
• Demonstrate a high degree of confidence and collaboration with internal and external stakeholders

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This role has no direct supervisory responsibilities. However, indirect supervision and leadership development opportunities exist:
• Provide support to Demand and Supply Planners in the manner of systems knowledge, inventory analytics, process expertise, and client advocacy
• Provide department-wide system training as needed for Business Intelligence tools and the IMS
• Assume position to lead others without authority when developing and implementing inventory management processes, programs, and initiatives
• Supervise Interns and/or temporary staff, as needed

 
Qualifications:

Education and experience requirements

Minimum:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or other relevant field
• 2-5 years of experience in inventory planning, supply chain management, or business analytics
• 2-5 years of experience using an advanced planning system (i.e. Blue Yonder, SAP, Logility, Kinaxis)
• Proven track record of success in a Supply Planning or Demand Planning role
• Strong analytical abilities, organizational skills, and attention to detail
• Self-directed, self-motivated, action-oriented, and results-driven
• Innate ability to think critically, see opportunities, and optimize work processes – finding ways to simplify, standardize, and automate
• Excellent problem-solving ability with demonstrated experiences of managing with facts, not emotion
• Ability to operate in an ambiguous environment with constantly changing priorities – can prioritize, coordinate, focus, and follow through
• Ability to collaboratively organize and lead a team, via managing without authority
• Ability to train others on complex and detailed technical material

Preferred:

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, or willingness to earn certification within 1 year
• APICS or similar supply chain certification
• MBA or advanced degree
• Experience in inventory planning specific to redistribution, perishable items, promotional items, and international suppliers/customers

• Experience in both Supply Planning and Demand Planning
• Proven experience in managing projects
• Experience with Inventory Management System and/or ERP system implementations

Language and technical skills requirements

 Minimum:

• Excellent organization skills, able to develop and implement logical, methodical execution plans for large groups
• Strong verbal and written communication, listening, presentation, and interpersonal skills to interact cross-functionally with different levels of the organization (entry-level to Director-level) and external clients

• Understanding of common Demand and Supply Planning, Logistics, Warehousing, and Supply Chain terms, concepts, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Experience and understanding of ERP systems, Inventory Management Systems, and data warehouses
• Proficient use of Business Intelligence applications to pull data, build reports and make business decisions/recommendations (i.e. IBM Cognos, Microsoft PowerBI, Tableau)
• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications (i.e. Teams, Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneNote), especially advanced Excel formulas

Preferred:

• Experience as a super-user or functional analyst of Blue Yonder Demand and Fulfillment applications
• Experience using Oracle JD Edwards ERP
• Familiarity with SQL or similar coding languages

Physical demands and work environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Work is usually performed in an office environment with normal noise levels. Involves prolonged sitting and computer usage.
• Business travel will be on an as-needed basis to visit technology service providers, warehouses, clients’ headquarters, and/or in-person training courses; expectation is less than 5%.
• Off-hours work may be required on an as-needed basis, particularly during system upgrades, implementations, or outages; expectation is 1-4 times per year.

Disclaimer

This job description is not intended, and should not be construed to be, an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job.  It is intended, however, to be an accurate reflection of those principal job elements essential for making decisions related to job performance, employee development and compensation.  As such, the incumbent may perform other duties and responsibilities as required.  Its contents imply no contractual obligation and may be changed by the company at any time.