Inventory Planner — Equity + Fast-Paced Retail Impact

Grocery Outlet Inc.; Emeryville, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Bonus Program

Equity

401(k) Profit Sharing

Job summary

Grocery Outlet Inc. seeks an Inventory Planning professional to manage the health of inventory across stores and warehouses.

This hands-on role requires quick decision making, strong analytical skills, and close collaboration with store operators, buyers and distribution centers to optimize code life and turns. You will forecast demand, monitor OTB plans, and support new store openings while maintaining profitable merchandise allocation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and/or minimum of 2 years of relevant experience
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Proficient in MS Office and advanced level in Excel preferred

Responsibilities

• Provide analysis (units, sales, and margin) for SKU’s, programs, categories, and recommend corresponding strategies to maximize revenue and turn goals
• Manage departmental financial plans, Open-to-Buy, and analysis at the department, category and SKU level
• Assures the most appropriate inventory levels through careful planning and analysis of demand, usage, forecasts, industry trends
• Responsible for forecast accuracy on sales dollars, ads and case projections
• Present analytics and reports to various levels of management
• Manage inventory at warehouse level and make decisions on inner warehouse product transfers as needed
• Creates and generates daily/weekly/monthly aging reports for all buyers as needed
• Forecast and review Made-to-Order items and manage in-stock levels with buyers
• Assist buyers with updates on potential inventory or code date issues on all products
• Understanding of general transportation modes, pricing, and business practices
• Implement through allocation, the company’s Treasures Hunt philosophy and merchandise assortment strategy through effective execution of product allocation
• Execute category/sub-class trends regionally and identify specific merchandise needs through knowledge of regional and climatic characteristics
• Understands impact of seasonality and in/out items and develops control/allocation process
• Responsible for building an appropriate inventory mix to support new store openings
• Responsible for assisting and educating operators in achieving profitable results in sales, merchandising and inventory management
• Responsible for continuing to raise the level of standards of performance insuring proper representation of inventory
• Manage order flow quantities to support sales, inventory, margin, DC space plans, etc.
• Understand and execute appropriate distribution of products and maintain proper turn
• Act as an integral partner and maintain relationships with Store Operators, Sales & Merchandising, Vendors, and Distribution Centers
• Develop profitable plans and entrance and exit strategies with merchandising for seasonal and transition seasonal programs
• Develop in season pricing strategies with appropriate margin for discontinued inventories

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Multitasking

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Excel

MS Office

Job description

Grocery Outlet Inc. seeks an Inventory Planning professional to manage the health of inventory across stores and warehouses.

This hands-on role requires quick decision making, strong analytical skills, and close collaboration with store operators, buyers and distribution centers to optimize code life and turns. You will forecast demand, monitor OTB plans, and support new store openings while maintaining profitable merchandise allocation.