Head of Inventory & Supply Chain Planning

LeMieux; Southampton; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

LeMieux, based in Romsey (UK), seeks a Head of Inventory & Supply Chain Planning to own end-to-end inventory planning across wholesale and ecommerce. You will integrate demand forecasting, Open to Buy, and supply planning with Finance, Merchandising and Operations to optimise stock and cash flow.

In this role you will lead a planning team, drive forecast accuracy, and deploy systems to enable scenario planning and efficient inventory deployment across markets.

Qualifications

• Proven experience building or running a demand/supply planning function across multiple channels.
• Strong analytical and statistical forecasting skills.
• Experience establishing planning processes where none existed.
• Track record of SKU rationalisation or range simplification programmes.
• Comfortable improving reporting and data accuracy where systems and processes are immature.
• Strong track record working cross-functionally with Buying/Merchandising, Commercial, Operations and Finance.
• Systems experience (ERP or dedicated planning tools) preferred.
• Fluent in standard retail planning disciplines and terminology (OTB, WSSI, OTIF, NOS).

Responsibilities

• Lead the monthly demand planning process and improve forecast accuracy.
• Own the Open to Buy (OTB) and stock planning with merchandising collaboration.
• Convert forecasts into an integrated supply plan covering intake, despatch, NOS and seasonal ranges.
• Address capacity and labour needs for peak and seasonal launches.
• Coordinate inventory allocation across warehouses and regions.
• Facilitate the monthly S&OP and align plans with Finance budgets and cash flow.
• Report core KPIs and drive cross-functional actions to improve performance.
• Identify and implement forecasting and planning systems and tools.

Skills

Demand planning

Data analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Inventory optimization

Forecast accuracy

Tools

ERP systems

Planning tools

Job description

What You’ll Do

As the business has grown, we now have a large range being sourced from many suppliers across Asia that is being consolidated into Asian hubs before being shipped to the UK, the EU, and the USA, creating challenges and opportunities on availability and cost. This role is right at the very heart of ensuring that we have the right inventory, in the right place, at the right time, and at the best cost, to ensure our customers have a great experience.

The Head of Inventory & Supply Chain Planning will own the end-to-end inventory planning framework across every channel (wholesale and e-commerce) and market we sell to. The role will integrate demand forecasting, Open to Buy (OTB), supply planning and inventory deployment, working closely with Commercial, Merchandising, Supply Chain and Finance to ensure inventory investment is aligned to customer demand, financial plans and working capital targets. Planning and forecasting tools will need to be identified and implemented to support this and enable effective scenario planning.

• Lead the monthly demand planning process (value and volume), challenging sales forecasts by region and channel, ensuring NPD, marketing and promotional plans are incorporated, and driving improvements in regional forecast accuracy and forecast bias. This role will ultimately have a Demand Planner reporting into it. Regional Commercial Leads will own and sign off the demand forecasts.
• Own the Open to Buy (OTB) and stock planning process, working closely with Merchandising to translate range, buying, sales and trading requirements into an aligned inventory plan. Establish a regular OTB and stock planning cadence, ensuring decisions balance availability, inventory investment and working capital.
• Convert the demand forecast and OTB into an integrated supply plan covering: intake from factories; despatch from freight forwarder warehouses to receiving warehouses (UK, NL and USA); stock cover requirements for different product classifications (e.g. Never Out of Stock (NOS) and seasonal ranges); forecast and shipping variability; and the balance between cost efficiency (e.g. bulk shipments), availability, working capital and storage costs.
• Based on the demand forecast and conversion into a supply plan, work with supply colleagues to address on a rolling 12-month basis:
• How much warehouse capacity & labour is required, especially for peak and seasonal launches
• How much shipping capacity is required
• Own inventory allocation into warehouses and inventory balancing across sites, channels and regions, aligning the demand and supply plan with warehouse capacity, stock cover, NOS availability and shipping lead times.
• Facilitate the monthly S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) forum, formally reconciling the Commercial and Merchandising plans into the demand forecast, OTB and supply plan. Partner closely with Finance to ensure inventory plans are aligned to budgets, financial forecasts, cash and working capital expectations. Identify and drive resolution of supply, logistics, demand and financial risks, including supplier delays, raw material shortages, port congestion, route disruption, forecast error, stock obsolescence and excess working capital.
• Build a strong working partnership with Finance, ensuring demand, supply and inventory plans are fully integrated with financial forecasts and budgets. Provide forward visibility of inventory investment, stock cover, inventory turns, aged stock, provisioning, working capital and future cash requirements, with clear ownership of actions where performance is off plan.
• Own and report the core inventory and planning KPIs, providing clear visibility of performance and driving cross-functional actions to improve regional forecast accuracy and bias, OTIF delivery, NOS availability across regions, stock availability/service levels, stock cover, inventory turns, working capital efficiency, aged and discontinued stock, and inventory write-offs/provisioning.
• Identify and implement systems, tools and processes to improve and automate forecasting, OTB, supply planning, inventory visibility and scenario planning.

What You’ll Bring

• Proven experience building or running a demand/supply planning or inventory planning function across multiple channels, ideally combining wholesale and direct-to-consumer/ecommerce
• Strong analytical and statistical forecasting skills
• Experience standing up planning process and discipline where none previously existed — this is a build-and-fix role, not a green-field or already-mature process
• Track record running SKU rationalisation or range simplification programmes
• Comfortable improving reporting and data accuracy where systems and processes are immature, not just operating within an established one
• Strong track record working cross-functionally with Buying/Merchandising, Commercial, Operations and Finance, with the credibility to challenge assumptions, align financial and operational plans, and drive decisions and actions across functions
• Systems experience (ERP or dedicated planning tools) preferred
• Fluent in standard retail planning disciplines and terminology - including OTB, WSSI, OTIF and NOS - and comfortable owning and applying them from day one
• Demonstrable ability to lead and develop a planning team

Founded in 2006, LeMieux is the UK’s fastest-growing equestrian and lifestyle brand with a global presence. Driven by innovation and passion for horses and riders, we’re expanding our team based in our Romsey HQ and looking for exceptional people to join us on our journey.

We’re on a mission to be the most exciting equestrian brand on the planet. To get there, we need exceptional people who thrive in a fast-paced, creative environment and a culture that values innovation, collaboration, and problem-solving. Whether you ride or not, you’ll share our energy, determination, and obsession with delivering excellence for our community.

From financial security to time with your loved ones (on two legs or four), we continually invest in our employees.

We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to thrive. We believe that varied perspectives drive innovation and strengthen our team. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities - including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, and neurodiversity. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively promote an environment of respect, support, and opportunity for all. Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the application process.