Job Details
** Inventory Specialist**
**Job Category****:** INVENTORY **Requisition Number****:** INVEN002584 Showing 1 location **Job Details**
**Description**
**Be a part of the GROWING workforce at Oriental Trading Company, a Berkshire Hathaway Company!**
Recognized as a Top 50 Internet and a Top 50 Catalog Retailer, we promote fun in how we take care of our employees, empower our employees to take care of our customers, and trust our customers to take care of spreading the word. Everything else simply takes care of itself.
As our **Inventory Specialist**, you will be responsible managing heavy SKU count of assigned group of items in accordance to Open to Buy to maintain appropriate stock levels necessary to fulfill customer demand. Assists in forecasting unit needs, determines order quantities and needed receipt dates, and places purchase orders as needed. Achieves annual inventory turn and fill rate goals. Maintains an adequate supply of all business unit products to ensure sufficient inventory levels are maintained and products are not over or under stocked Provides management with reports and requested information accurately and by times expected.
**General Summary of Purpose:**
Manages heavy SKU count of assigned group of items in accordance to Open to Buy to maintain appropriate stock levels necessary to fulfill customer demand. Assists in forecasting unit needs, determines order quantities and needed receipt dates, and places purchase orders as needed. Achieves annual inventory turn and fill rate goals. Maintains an adequate supply of all business unit products to ensure sufficient inventory levels are maintained and products are not over or under stocked Provides management with reports and requested information accurately and by times expected.
**Principal Duties and Responsibilities:**
**Essential Functions**
- Achieves goal fill rate, inventory turn, and total inventory level on an assigned group of products offered for sale at any business unit. Utilize established processes and tools, including but not limited to EBM Report and Forecast 21, to analyze inventory levels and place initial orders, reorders and revisions needed to fulfill anticipated customer demand. Establishes consistent processes among Inventory Specialists.
- Maintains knowledge of specific vendors regarding vendor lead time and minimum order quantities both in and out of products peak selling season.
- Monitors inventory levels for Top 2500 items, places buys and/or expedite shipments with appropriate urgency to ensure never out status is maintained on Top 2500 items at all times; achieves budgeted fill rate on Top 2500 items.
- Determines buy quantity and issues purchase orders as needed; approves buy quantity up to approval limits. $10M-$20M annually. Manages open purchase order file to ensure inventory and receipts are in line with Open to Buy plans.
- Identifies potential out of stock items and determines need to expedite upcoming shipments; executes request for air freight to ensure shipment receipt as needed.
- Communicates issues, problems and opportunities to Inventory Supervisor and Inventory Manager in a timely manner.
- Works closely with Fun Express personnel on their programs to ensure orders are placed in a timely manner. Analyzes all requests for appropriateness.
- Actively participates in weekly Inventory Specialist meetings with the Merchandise, Sourcing, Packaging/QC teams to ensure necessary topics and issues are discussed and resolved appropriately.
- Solicits help from the Merchandising team as needed regarding service related issues, potential overstocks, quality related issues, or other merchandising issues as they arise. Implements agreed upon course of action.
- Ensures scarce product is allocated according to company guidelines. Includes jobber safety and restrictions.
- Maintains consistent and professional communication with Merchandise team, Merchandise Planning, Imports, Sourcing, Packaging Q/C, vendors, and other areas to ensure appropriate actions are taken regarding merchandise topics and issues.
- Works with other Inventory Specialists to ensure in-stock on components of all combos or kits. Ensures all systems are flagged to handle correctly.
- Abides by all policies and procedures of Oriental Trading Company.
- Maintains regular, predictable attendance.
- Must be able to attend face to face meetings on short or little advance notice.
- Work requires in-person collaboration among colleagues and contractors.
**Marginal Functions**
- Performs other duties and projects as assigned
**Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities**
* Ability to gain strong knowledge of product and vendors to perform job satisfactorily
* Ability to develop basic understanding of Forecast 21 software and other systems as become available to accomplish responsibilities
* Proficient with a PC, AS400, spreadsheet and word processing programs.
* Strong written and verbal communication skills.
* Strong organizational and analytical skills and detail oriented.
* Ability to work under pressure with a large degree of independence.
* Must have the initiative to think through problems and implement effective solutions.
* Ability to analyze financial data and develop recommendations based on the data analyzed. Ability to communicate those recommendations in a clear concise manner to those affected.
* Ability to prioritize workload and accomplish all projects by the assigned due dates and anticipate upcoming needs.
* Above average interpersonal and communication skills both verbal and written. Ability to communicate at a level appropriate to the audience (which can vary considerably).
**Education**
* Associates degree in accounting or business or equivalent combination of education and experience.
**Experience**
* Prefer 2 years experience in a similar capacity
**Equipment Utilization**
Computer, Copier, Phone, Fax
**Description of Working Conditions**
Work takes place in a typical office environment that may require sitting for extended periods of time and/or frequent use of finger dexterity.
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All work and no play just isnt our style. Join us today!
Oriental Trading Company (a Berkshire Hathaway company) is the nations largest direct retailer of value-priced party supplies, arts and crafts, toys and novelties, and a leading provider of teaching supplies and affordable home dcor and giftware. Founded in 1932 by a Japanese American, the Oriental Trading' history of fun spans the better part of the last century. Today, Oriental Trading offers more than 60,000 products to individuals, teachers, schools, churches, businesses and nonprofits. With a corporate vision to Make Life More Fun, Oriental Trading spreads joy and smiles to millions each year through a robust family of brands; orientaltrading.com, Fun Express, MindWare, SmileMakers, Morris Costumes and halloweenexpress.com.
EOE
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