Senior Demand Planner - Starboard Cruise Services

The Senior Demand Planner position plays a key role in attaining the company’s overall sales and profit objectives through developing sales demand plans and stock plans at the item and voyage level. Ensures these plans increase sales and stock efficiency while maintaining a compelling merchandise presentation at the voyage level. Responsible for the financial forecasting, purchasing, and overall inventory management across a global supply chain for a subcategory or group of programs pertinent to the Planning Manager’s scope of business. Develops annual location sales and stock plans to then identify an annual receipt plan by program/brand which is re-forecasted throughout the year during the monthly Open-to-Buy process. Works in collaboration with the Planning and Merchant team as well as Cruise Line Retail to achieve financial objectives areas of responsibility.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Location Supply Chain Management:

• Develop sales demand forecasts by style and location/voyage along with various stock variables such as method of replenishment, safety stock voyages-of-supply, vendor lead times, etc. in TXT demand planning system to yield an inventory/receipt plan, improving inventory efficiency by location to achieve desired financial sales, profit and cash objectives.
• Analyze and develop forecast data by reviewing historical sales trends and researching demand drivers.
• Collaborate with Planning, Merchandising, and Cruise Line Retail teams on promotional events/products to ensure alignment, delivering maximum sales potential
• Recommend adjustments to allocations/order by reviewing systems regularly
• Drive sales through focusing on best sellers via weekly analysis and monitoring of style/location in-stock variable/rates; partner with Planning Manager on opportunities to increase/decrease buy to improve efficiency and meet sales objectives while maintaining quality of inventory.
• Analyze projected ship inventory and receipt flow overtime to identify where adjustments are needed to optimize product flow in the most efficient manner
• Evaluate all reporting including potential lost sales, overstocks, gaps to brand/program display capacity, projected storage concerns, etc. and make decisions on appropriate actions such as adjusting order quantities, re-directing merchandise, requesting additional delivery or an air-shipment, canceling an order, etc.
• Observe and distribute discontinued and/or end of season merchandise and communicate findings/issues to Merchant and Planning Manager.
• Identify slow moving items/locations and make recommendations to markdown or modify the assortment/cluster to Merchant, improving efficiency and profitability
• Support new ships and new initiatives

Financial Management:

• Monitor, maintain and forecast sales, receipts, margin during the monthly Open to Buy process for a subcategory or group of programs.
• Present business results and forecast during formal review with management.
• Enlist support and alignment from Cruise Line Retail team on in-season sales forecasts & stock plan targets to capitalize on opportunities and minimize risk.
• Partner with Merchant in assortment development by providing mentorship on breadth of assortment by cluster, timing and cadence of deliveries, pricing, and markup, and mix of core vs fashion.
• Collaborate with Merchant on currency of inventory analysis, markdowns/clearance of aged stocks and financial validation and execution of merchandising initiatives.
• Find opportunities and make recommendations to further expand/fund programs or initiatives performing well and propose solutions for those that are under-performing.

Communication & Collaboration:

• Identify and communicate any style/program opportunities to the Merchant and Planning Manager. This includes making suggestions and sharing analysis to action Stock outs, fast/slow sellers, special event/itineraries, brand/assortment potentials.
• Lead weekly meetings with planning team to discuss strategies and priorities. Present all findings, suggestions, and business opportunities to the team.
• Ensure that all new merchandise allocation delivery dates are communicated to the planning and merchant team once merchandise is allocated.
• Review with Planning & Cruise Line Retail teams:
• operational sales and inventory targets, and the corresponding product flow, by ship, itinerary, and program/brand to ensure alignment.
• Analysis of sales trends to optimize inventory investments and drive sales.
• transition plans into a new assortment and/or new itinerary.
• exception-based reporting to identify projected low on-board stock levels, potential lost sales, low DC stock levels, overstocks, variance to fixture-fill, etc.
• Collaborate with Logistics on outbound product flow for enhanced speed-to-market initiatives.

Global Supply Chain Management (for a subcategory or group of programs):

• Review Operational sales and inventory targets, which drive replenishment and ordering, to ensure alignment with the top-line ship, itinerary, and program/brand targets
• Analysis of sales trends to optimize inventory investments and drive sales; provide projections to vendors
• Transition plans into a new assortment and/or new itinerary
• Exception-based reporting to identify projected low on-board stock levels, potential lost sales, low DC stock levels, overstocks, variance to fixture-fill, etc.
• Ensure that top items are in-stock across all locations, including the DC; communicate anticipated stock challenges to Merchandising and Cruise Line Retail

Education and Experience:

• 4 -6 Years of Experience
• Bachelor's Degree Required

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Prior experience in distribution, allocation, planning required
• MS Office with advanced proficiency with Excel including the use of pivot tables and formulas
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Excellent verbal and written communication, ability to work in fast paced environment, team player/ ability to work cross-functionally
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills; strong numbers aptitude and retail math proficiency
• High level of accuracy and strong attention to detail required

Decision Making: 

• Makes recommendations and decisions independently. Some managerial guidance provided. Relatively high level of individual problem solving ability required. May participate in some strategy development.

Other:
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
Some flexibility in hours is permitted, employee must be available during the “core” work hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday and must work 30 hours each week to maintain full-time status. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Physical Demands:
Office environment with frequent sitting, walking and standing, occasional climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching and balancing. Frequent use of eye, hand and finger coordination enabling use of office machinery. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies, up to 20 pounds. Oral and auditory enabling interpersonal communication as well as communication automated devise such as the telephone.

At Starboard Cruise Services and Onboard Media curating a vibrant world can only be accomplished by vibrant and diverse teams. We are committed to nurturing a workplace where you can feel safe to show up authentically and thrive while being uniquely you. Our North Star guides us to deliver equal employment opportunities for all individuals and to providing employees with an equitable work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We also aim to extend this commitment to the partners we work with and the guests we serve. We are constantly listening, learning, and evolving to deliver on these promises.

We believe our differences make us stronger and are curious to see you leverage your lived experiences to strengthen our team, our culture and your career. At Starboard Cruise Services and Onboard Media we take action so that no one is discriminated against because of their differences, such as age, disability (physical, mental or sensory), ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, religion, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, genetic information, family care status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. All employment decisions will be made based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications.

So come onboard with us and celebrate a culture that attracts top talent with shared values and forms the foundation for a great place to work.