Manager, Inventory Management (12 Month Contract)

Who we are

lululemon is a yoga-inspired technical apparel company up to big things. The practice and philosophy of yoga informs our overall purpose to elevate the world through the power of practice. We are proud to be a growing global company with locations across North America, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, and Asia. We owe our success to our innovative product, our emphasis on our stores, our commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we get to make in every community we are in.

About this team

Inventory Management (IM) is responsible for the optimization of Full Price & MD inventory availability across our mainline retail network in order to drive revenue, reduce costs & grow profitability. Our goal is to match demand with supply wherever the guest chooses to shop by having the right product in the right place at the right time. This role is focused on our North American & European Businesses. We are looking for a driven and proficient leader with strong communication skills with the ability to bring multiple partner groups into action.

A day in the life:

Reporting to Director, Store Planning, IM & NSOAR, this position is leading the optimization of inventory availability to guests in order to drive revenue, reduce costs and optimize profitability by best meeting demand with supply across the NAE network.

• Be a confident leader for Retail Inventory within the business with the ability to communicate to multiple partner groups: large/small, senior/entry level, written & verbal
• Develop & deliver Annual, Monthly & Weekly Inventory strategies by Country/Division in partnership with the Director: Store Planning, IM & NSOAR
• Influence depth and outbound decisions at the pod level, acting as a conduit between Retail and Merch Planning as well as outbound forecasting to Network Planning and DC partners.
• Collaborate with and enroll multiple cross-functional partners (incl. Managers & Directors) in establishing the right inventory levels to support their businesses whilst also meeting overall business goals.  Key partners for this role include: Merchandise Planning, Retail Ops and Global Fulfillment
• Stay agile and be in weekly communication with cross functional partners on progress towards optimal inventory levels and influence actions being taken to support their business
• Instigate powerful analysis and develop new tools & processes that highlight opportunities to achieve optimal inventory placement across the network
• Lead and develop a team of Inventory Management analysts

Qualifications:

• College Certificate or University Degree Required
• At least 3 years' experience in Planning & Allocation with a multinational retailer (of which at least 1 at Manager or Senior Planner level)
• Experience of working in an agile trading environment, where priorities & strategies are regularly needing to be re-assessed
• Proven collaborative & influencing skills, particularly in a cross-functional setting
• Very strong Excel skills

Must haves:

• Acknowledges the presence of choice in every moment and takes personal responsibility for their life.
• Possesses an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovates to achieve great results.
• Communicates with honesty and kindness, and creates the space for others to do the same.
• Leads with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is bigger than the fear of failure.
• Fosters connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships.
• Integrates fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka doesn’t take themselves too seriously.