WHO WE ARE:

Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today.

MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Develop the regional demand plan for specific product categories at style level, considering volume, value and SKU requirements.

• Highlight risks and opportunities to the business and work collaboratively to implement those changes.
• Support the Senior Demand Planners as Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) Champion. Assist with S&OP implementation activities, ensuring that S&OP process steps are in alignment with corporate processes.
• Participate, where needed, in consensus meetings with members of the organisation, to align on monthly and/or quarterly style level forecasts, to be used for business planning across short, medium and long term horizons.
• Handle inventory for the subsidiary businesses for specific categories, to meet inventory turns, product obsolescence and availability targets.
• Manage inventory replenishment forecasts to support retail development.
• Assess supply and resolve and/or highlight problems within the organisation.
• Support the business by developing insights that provide the organisation with high value information with respect to their consumers, customers, product assortment and the financial health of the business.
• Maintain a continuous improvement approach, particularly with regards to the overall demand planning and S&OP processes, through the definition and implementation of standard methodologies, related tools and reporting capabilities.

Planning

• In conjunction with the EMEA Category Manager/Senior Demand Planners develop long term (3 years+) category level plans.
• Develop rolling a 3-year category/model sales plan (units, gross/net revenue). Analyse plans versus OGSP targets, identify gaps and issues.

Forecasting

• Develop 18-month sales forecast by style considering market data, Sales input and OGSP.
• Develop ad hoc long term project forecasts as required.
• Track and report forecast movements versus plan/target.
• Improve ongoing forecasting accuracy.
• Ensure production requirements are met.
• Timely bridge plans (forecast versus target.
• Range review/drop decisions in season.
• Develop replenishment forecast/plan for agreed styles on a weekly/monthly basis.

Inventory Management

• Control category/business Open To Buy and highlight any potential issues to the business.
• Identify excess/redundant inventory and ensure action plans are in place to liquidate.
• Manage subsidiary inventory levels to support agreed plans (availability and stock turn).
• Deliver pull forward target.

Purchasing/Supply Planning

• Develop 18-24 month purchase forecast by style/model ensuring production and inventory targets are met.
• Determine purchase quantities to satisfy expected customer demand whilst adhering to inventory turns, availability targets and/or allocation volumes.
• Communicate buy/no buy decisions to business.
• Work with Operations team to supervise critical projects/models and highlight risks to category plan to prompt mitigating actions.

Reporting

• Report of purchase decisions and impact upon availability/customer orders.
• Forecast analysis for category and/or EMEA business.
• Availability reporting - clearance and regular.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS:

• Experience in Demand, Supply, or Sales Planning.
• University degree and relevant professional experience.
• Strong understanding of sales channels, planning processes, purchasing, lifecycle management, and supply chain operations.
• Skilled in resolving conflicts, prioritizing multiple partners, and navigating challenging priorities.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and social skills.
• Comfortable working in fast-paced environments with shifting priorities and tight deadlines.
• Proficiency in additional European languages is a plus.

Please refer the Job description for details