Americas Inventory Planner: Demand & Forecast Lead

Clarksoutlet; Needham (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Clarksoutlet is seeking an Inventory Planner Womens to lead seasonal inventory forecasting from launch to end‑of‑life. You will align inventory decisions with budgets and forecasts, and work cross‑functionally to support business performance.

You will drive demand planning, oversee purchase plans, and maintain consensus forecasts at the article level. This role requires strong analytical skills, Excel expertise, and collaboration with planning teams across the organization.

Qualifications

• Experience in footwear demand and supply planning.
• Knowledge of multiple business models including Retail and Wholesale.
• Proven ability to forecast and manage inventory within budgets.

Responsibilities

• Lead seasonal inventory forecasting across three seasons.
• Collaborate with Wholesale and Retail Planning to align demand and supply.
• Develop time‑phased demand plans and manage POs and SKU profiles.
• Monitor inventory and adapt to market trends during forecast cycles.
• Ensure data integrity in SAP and related systems.

Skills

Forecasting

Inventory planning

Demand management

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Excel proficiency

Problem solving

Tools

SAP

Demand Manager

MFP

Business Objects

Power BI

D360

Job description

INVENTORY PLANNER WOMENS - Needham, MA.

Analyze and execute inventory forecasts across three seasonal cycles, managing products throughout their lifecycle to ensure optimal inventory levels. Partners with Finance and cross-functional teams to align inventory investments with company budgets while maximizing sales opportunities and minimizing excess inventory risk.

What You'll Do:

• Collaborate with Wholesale and Retail Planning teams to support demand forecasts and create a supply forecast that fits within company receipt budget and factory capacities while considering factory lead-time.
• Maintain Demand Manager Planning System consensus forecast at an article level which sends time phased Available to Promise signal to Customer Service and a Factory Purchase Plan signal to Supply Chain.
• Analyze historical inventory cycles and distribution channels.
• Adapt and react to market trends during each biweekly forecast/purchasing cycle.
• Review demand forecast reports at account and channel distribution levels.
• Deliver to Supply Planning monthly factory purchase plans for current buying season that fit within factory capacity and targeted receipt plans.
• Support new ideas, processes, and be open to change as we find better ways to reduce inventory while still servicing our customers and aligning to company receipt plans.
• Share best practices and communicate information as needed.
• Responsible for executing monthly factory purchase order placement including:
• Creating monthly purchase orders and managing SKU profiles.
• Analyzing customer orders at the SKU level to ensure proper inventory balance and agreement with the consensus forecast.
• Plan and execute Direct Ship PO process in collaboration with customer service and supply planning.
• Bundle by factory, container minimums and account transit times.
• Support pre‑season planning by maintaining time‑phased, program‑level inventory placeholders.
• Develop historical, time‑phased demand plans within the Demand Planning System to support seasonal Assortment Plan targets and inform preliminary capacity requirements for Supply Planning.
• Partner cross‑functionally in weekly supply reviews with Supply Planning, Demand Allocation, and Inventory Planning teams to identify and address demand‑supply mismatches and drive continuous improvement.
• Monitor in season available inventory to ensure targeted stock and replenishment styles reflect correct available picture in SAP, while working with cross functional teams to trouble shoot CTP pictures.
• Responsible for ensuring the integrity of the data in the system including buffer stock setting, color/size/width profiles, planning, forecasting, and product life cycle flags to support seasonal assortment plans.

What You'll Bring:

• Experience in footwear demand and supply planning, merchandising, buying
• Knowledge of different business operating models – Retail, Franchise, Factory, MCR, Wholesale
• Successful Demand and Supply Planning, Buying, and Merchandising experience
• Experience in key distribution channels – wholesale, retail, franchise and digital
• Understanding of overall business operations and supply chains
• Strong organizational skills to coordinate feedback from a variety of sources
• Practical understanding of demand planning and inventory management processes
• Strong computer skills including the following tools:
• Advanced Microsoft Excel (statements, linking, pivot tables, etc.)
• Data warehouse/data mart query and report development tools
• Ability to analyze trends and use that information to effectively plan and forecast
• Strong analytical and verbal skills
• Strong decision-making skills
• Demonstrated expertise in planning systems and analytics platforms (SAP, Demand Manager, MFP, Business Objects, Power BI, D360)
• Commercial Awareness
• Analytical/ highly numerate and able to identify key information
• Ability to problem solve and manage conflict situations
• Excellent interpersonal and motivational skills
• Team player, goal oriented
• Ability to analyze, interpret and act on market intelligence
• Commercial skills to maximize opportunities that ari
• Customer Focus
• Delivering Results
• Planning and Organizing

About Clarks

Clarks, based in Somerset, England, has been at the forefront of innovative shoemaking since its foundation in 1825, when brother James and Cyrus Clark made a slipper from sheepskin off cuts. At the time it was ground-breaking: a combination of invention and craftsmanship that has remained at the heart of what the brand does now. In the Clarks archive of more than 22,000 pairs that have sparked revolutions and defined generations. From the original Clarks Desert Boot, first designed by Nathan Clark and Launched in 1950, to the iconic Wallabee, each design has an instantly recognizable signature that makes it unmistakably Clarks. Thisseason, we're proud to introduce the Clarks Collective: five incredible activists championing authentic social change. From mental health awareness and LGBTQ+ rights to greater racial equality, these trailblazers are committed to creating a brighter future for us all-bringing to life Clarks' new global campaign, for the World Ahead. Through spotlighting their stories and supporting their chosen charities and initiatives, we're ready to lead the way. After all, we're the originators, not imitators. It's who we are, who we've always been. And to change the world of tomorrow, we're doing things differently today.As a global employer, Clarks is committed to embracing diversity throughout our workforce by creating an inclusive environment that reflects the many cultures and locations where we work. We strive to create a productive environment which everyone has an equal chance to succeed at all levels through the organization. We will not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, disability, marital status, color, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment', complying with local legislative requirements.

Actual compensation within a pay range will be based on factors including but not limited to a candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, performance, Clarks’ business needs, internal equity and any statutory obligations.The pay range for this role may be modified by Clarks at any time in the future.