Inventory Planner

Job Description

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?

In this position...

The ambition of the Global Licensing & Merchandising Team is to strengthen Ford’s position as a lifestyle brand by delivering engaging, quality, and relevant products & experiences our customers love. As we target future growth, our success will be driven by expanding the global reach of our branded merchandise in our Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Retail business. We are looking for disruptors, individuals who are not afraid to push past the norm and are comfortable working in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment. The Inventory Planner position is a new role on the DTC Retail team that will be responsible for driving Retail Sales and Gross Margins of the DTC businesses (i.e., e-Commerce, Retail Activations, Brick & Mortar and Events) by maintaining inventory levels, building assortment plans, and managing ordering processes with suppliers. To be successful, this individual must demonstrate flexibility and excel in a changing environment.

Responsibilities

What you'll do...

• Business Acumen – Achieve key metrics, including revenue & profit targets; Manage inventory levels for DTC e-Commerce sites, Retail Activations, Brick & Mortar and Events businesses; Create assortment plans and place Purchase Orders with licensees and vendors.
• Partner Management – Work collaboratively across internal & external teams – including agencies, operators, fulfillment partners, licensees and vendors – to plan, manage and track the sales, orders, inventory levels, turnover, and margins of the DTC business across e-Commerce, Retail Activations, Brick and Mortar and Events businesses
• Project Management – Deliver multiple projects across the diverse businesses simultaneously; manage forecasts and POs to have merchandise available for brand activations, brand collabs, new launches, retail activations, events, and brick & mortar stores.
• Analysis – Conduct analysis to drive business decisions.
• Market Insights and Global Trend Analysis – Understand consumer insights and market trends driving customer demand for branded merchandise.
  
  
  

Qualifications

You'll have...

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Inventory planning management experience (5-7 years minimum).
• Partner / Vendor management experience (5-7 years minimum).
• Experience achieving revenue targets and managing financial forecasts and open-to-buys.
• Experience in establishing inventory management tools and processes preferred.
• Strong project management experience and history of successfully delivering complex projects on time and under budget.
• Prior Retail Industry and Inventory Planning experience preferred.
• Global experience preferred.
  
  
  

Even better, you may have...

• Analytical Skills – Ability to successfully analyze, forecast, and manage the needs of the business.
• Collaboration Skills – The ability to work collaboratively, seeking to understand and working to provide a robust solution across multiple teams and business partners.
• Relationship Building – The ability to build effective working relationships both internally & externally.
• Strong Focus on Excellence – The ability to own the problem, define the solution, and deliver exceptional results.
• Strategic Thinking – The ability to think strategically and devise / implement strategic business plans.
• Partner Management – The ability to drive business execution across agency partners, operators and suppliers.
• Project Management Skills – The ability to manage and deliver multiple complex projects simultaneously
• Learning Mindset – An interest in learning from other organizations, taking in new information from the automotive and other industries, including knowledge of merchandise and consumer trends.
  
  
  

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.
  
  
  

For a detailed look at our benefits, click here:

2024 New Hire Benefits

This position is a salary grade 8.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.