Demand Planner (M/F)
The Oberalp Group is a management driven family business - a house of brands that creates high quality technical mountaineering products. We have 6 own brands Salewa, Dynafit, Pomoca, Wild Country, Evolv and LaMunt. As an exclusive partner of other brands in the sports sector we offer our entire know how in communication, sales and image building.
We are a team of more than 1000 employees in 11 countries worldwide – a group of adventurers and dreamers, mountaineers, looking for their next peak.
The Demand Planner is responsible for demand planning, forecasting, purchasing, inventory reporting, and pricing activities in support of the company’s goals. The Analyst will conduct these activities for the defined Oberalp brands and categories, including Dynafit, Salewa, Wild Country, and Pomoca. This position will maintain and update our product forecasting and pricing models, enter, and maintain the accuracy of all purchase orders, and be responsible for inventory accuracy and reporting. The purpose of this role is to work collaboratively with the Sales and Operations team to purchase the right product at the right time – with a constant focus on maximizing sales potential while managing inventory risk. This position will be integral to the structure and organization of the demand planning process from our seasonal forecasting calendar through to final delivery to the US and Canada.
Tasks & responsibilities
- Develop forecasts and purchases to ensure on-time delivery and the proper inventory quantity down to the sku level, work with the Operations team to determine sku-level purchase order quantities from top-line sales budgets
- Build and update complex Excel forecasting models to analyze demand data and inventory levels to plan production purchases for predetermined product categories for multiple rounds of forecasting for spring and fall seasons
- Participate in, contribute, and eventually lead regular forecast meetings with management, Sales, and Operations
- Analyze and determine purchase quantities against production requirements and changes (such as dropped styles, minimum purchase quantities, future excess/obsolete inventory, and factory purchase order changes) to achieve maximum sales while balancing inventory risk
- Support a cross-functional process to ensure that current and accurate information is used for demand forecasts
- Work with the Operations and Supply Chain Manager to create and update reports that track sales, inventory trends, and operational KPI’s
- Generate future stock-on-hand estimates for all categories for each round of forecasting
- Update and distribute excess and obsolete inventory reports on a regular basis
- Support with seasonal product pricing analysis. Maintain and update pricing models
- Manage all open purchase orders and buy plans to ensure that delivery timing and open-to-buy opportunities are accurate within the ERP system
- Assist the Supply Chain and Operations Manager in creating monthly and seasonal inbound and outbound forecasts to provide our 3PL partners
- Maintain up-to-date shipping cost estimates and average discounts by brand and category to inform margin calculations
- Identify and implement continuous process improvements for greater accuracy, more efficiency, and cost savings
Profile
- College degree in Business, Economics, or related field
- Three to five years of Forecasting or Demand Planning experience, preferably in the consumer products, ski, or outdoor industries
- Strong organizational and computer skills with a high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office. Experience in Microsoft Excel is essential, with a strong competence with Pivot Tables, Vlookups, formulas, and other advanced functions
- ERP experience is required; Microsoft Navision or Dynamics 365 experience is ideal
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and strong analytical skills with a mindset and passion to solve problems
- Time management skills, including the ability to work efficiently, prioritize projects, and be self-motivated, are expected. Taking initiative and making independent decisions when appropriate is essential
- Love of the outdoors. A specific passion for mountain sports such as backcountry skiing, climbing, and mountaineering is a plus
Workplace: Boulder (US)
Salary range: $65,000 - $80,000 with bonus opportunity
If you are interested to work in a challenging, international and dynamic environment then apply now!