Assistant Manager, Planning & Inventory - 1 year contract

WHO WE ARE 

Indigo is a physical and digital place inspired by and filled with books, ideas, beautifully designed lifestyle products, and the creative people who help make it all happen. We believe in real books, living life fully and generously, being kind to each other and to the environment, and that stories — big and little — connect us. Indigo is our customer's happy place — for joyful moments of discovery and to connect with people who share their passion for reading, their belief in ideas, and their commitment to making the world a better and more beautiful place. 

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES 

Our Mission is to inspire reading and enrich the lives of booklovers. As such, we believe in the power of people and their stories. We aim to attract top talent, nurture the potential of our employees, and create space for everyone to thrive. Our Guiding Principles are the few key ideas that are meant to influence everything we do, every day. 

• We Will Hire, Inspire, Promote and Retain the Best
• We Will Be Customer Centric
• We Will Be Entrepreneurial
• We Will Be Committed to Caring About Each Other, Our Communities, and Our Environment
• We Will Be Committed to True and Shared Value Creation
• We Will Be Systems Thinking, Data Driven and AI enabled 

MISSION

The Assistant Manager, Planning & Inventory develops a working knowledge of the planning function to help meet/exceed sales, margin and inventory turn targets. This role will be primarily responsible for the allocation and replenishment of merchandise and maintaining the integrity of inventory at store level, contributing to financial and inventory planning for their categories.

KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

• Sales & Net Margin
• Store stock levels and Weeks of supply
• EOM Inventory Levels
• Turns & NMROI
• HEAT ticket resolution

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Functional

• Manage replenishment orders
• Monitor store stock levels, adjusting allocations for performance trends and inventory levels to maintain target inventory levels
• Recommend re-orders based on sales, on-hand and support product exit strategies
• Perform analytics and reports to support Category/Planning team in understanding business performance
• Support Managers, Planning & Allocation in developing Merchandise Financial Plans and Open-to-Buy, managing allocation/replenishment and conducting business analysis
• Support the execution of markdowns to Master Data and to Retail
• Communicate with stores and DC regarding inventory and replenishment questions
• Promote teamwork within the Category and Planning teams through daily communication and interaction
• Share best practices and learning with peers
• Ad hoc reporting
• Works with a sense of urgency i.e allocation, identify opportunities based on sales trends
• Act as an advocate for the customer by placing them at the forefront of all decision-making and design processes
• Proactively identify and anticipate customer expectations and needs
• Embrace and seek out technology that creates high tech and high touch solutions for Indigo’s customers
• Challenge the status quo by consistently identifying areas for improvement, diagnosing issues and working to resolve them

People

• Collaborate with others to drive flexible and iterative solutions, quickly and easily
• Share technical knowledge with others and actively seek to learn from those more knowledgeable than yourself
• Help others see the impacts of their efforts and proactively engage other functions to get input
• Encourage others to freely share their point of view and be open to feedback

Cultural

• Model Indigo’s beliefs and convey a positive image in everything you do
• Celebrate diversity of thought and have an open mindset
• Take an active role in fostering a culture of continual learning, taking risks without the fear of making mistakes
• Embrace, champion and influence change through your team and/or the organization

SCOPE

Reports to: Manager, Planning & Inventory

Manager once Removed (MOR): Director, Planning & Inventory

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal:

• Planning & Allocation team
• General Merchandise team
• Distribution Centre
• Stores

External:

• N/A

Work Experience / Education / Certifications

• 1+ years Retail experience or equivalent business-related experience
• Bachelor’s degree in commerce or equivalent

Competencies / Skills / Attributes

• Detail oriented with strong analytical skill set, quantitatively oriented
• Understands retail and planning metrics
• Ability to learn new technical applications and tools quickly
• Affinity for products and interest in merchandise
• Ability to build and maintain productive and cohesive relationships with peers and cross-functional teams
• Demonstrate strong listening, written and oral communication skills and Leadership skill
• Ability to deal with change and uncertainty
• Demonstrate solid problem-solving skills
• Be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload to meet deadlines, multi-task and complete projects on time
• Demonstrate good organizational skills
• Able to - and influence peers effectively
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook

Other (travel, Bilingual, etc.)

• N/A 

This posting is for a current opportunity within Indigo

Indigo uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with certain aspects of the hiring process, such as screening and assessments. These tools support our team but do not replace human judgment. We are committed to using AI responsibly, fairly, and in compliance with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws. We regularly review these tools to help prevent bias or discrimination.

At Indigo, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility are core to our values. We integrate these principles into our training, policies, and hiring practices and continuously evolve to reflect the needs of the communities we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and lived experiences, including but not limited to individuals who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and persons with disabilities. If you require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at [email protected].