Inventory Planner

We are seeking a highly skilled Inventory Planner to join our Orchard Brands team. As an Inventory Planner, you will be responsible for managing all aspects of inventory management, including pre-season planning, in-season forecasting, and inventory control.

• Manage department, category, and item-level demand and receipt plans.
• Create accurate item-level forecasts using historical data and inventory planning software.
• Reconcile item-level plans to meet category, offer, and seasonal budgets.
• Manage item-level forecasts to color/size (SKU) level based on history and comparable items.
• Present detailed item demand, margin, and receipt plans to senior leadership.
• Collaborate with Merchandising, Sourcing, and Transportation to identify opportunities to improve service and reduce costs.
• Use analytical skills to adjust and adapt forecasts and buy plans based on current and past business results.
• Deliver department goals, including catalog in-stocks, backorder levels, cancels, sold-outs, inventory turns, gross margin, and inventory sell-through percentage.
• Monitor catalog and internet results for forecast variances and update in-season demand plans accordingly.
• Review future omni marketing and catalog plans to determine appropriate inventory levels.
• Proof catalog copy for color, size, and pricing accuracy.
• Assign products and pricing to in-season sale books and online promotions.
• Evaluate overstock inventory levels and recommend in-season markdown pricing.
• Manage the purchase order lifecycle, including initial PO creation, cost and quantity maintenance, and delivery date monitoring.
• Communicate PO delivery variances to Merchandising and resolve issues with Sourcing, Transportation, and Domestic Vendors.
• Collaborate with Customer Service on phone upsell opportunities for excess inventory and substitutes for out-of-stock items.
• Perform ad-hoc reporting and analysis, as well as additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

• Associate or bachelor's degree in a related field or 3-5 years of related experience/training or a combination of education and experience in an omni-channel retail or consumer goods environment.
• Analytical thinker with strong attention to detail and retail math concepts.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Excel, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, and complex formulas.
• Experience with Direct Tech's Forecast 21 software, CWDirect, BI/Datamart, Access, and SQL a plus.
• Strong communication and presentation skills to represent the Inventory team.
• Proactive self-starter with the ability to work independently and prioritize multiple projects.
• Highly organized with the ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Bluestem Brands combines Fingerhut, a fintech company, and Orchard Brands, a direct-to-consumer retailer of fashion. Bluestem is headquartered in Eden Prairie, MN, and employs employees throughout the country.

Orchard Brands is a portfolio of four lifestyle apparel brands, including Blair, Draper's & Damon's, Appleseed's, and Haband. Orchard Brands provides lifestyle apparel through a diversified multi-brand portfolio, delivering a direct-to-consumer experience with exclusive fits, assortment, and value.