Inventory Analyst

Dedicated to telling stories and creating experiences, Indigo is always looking for bright, energetic and customer-focused people who can help bring our exciting mission to life in one of our more than 170 Indigo, Indigospirit, Chapters and Coles stores across Canada. We offer a variety of exciting opportunities at our retail stores, distribution centres, and home office for people who share our passions and want to be part of a dynamic and enriching culture.

WHO WE ARE

• We love books and all things beautiful
• We are Canada's Cultural Department Store
• Books are our heart and our soul and Great Books are JUST the Beginning…

We play by the following rules:

• We exist to add joy to our customers' lives each and every time they interact with us and our products
• Our job is to create joyful moments for our customers
• We treat each other the way we'd treat a valued friend
• We inspire each other to do our best work
• We seek to ignite creativity and innovation every day
• We give back to the communities in which we operate

MISSION

The Inventory Analyst, Print is responsible for managing omni-channel inventory to meet business performance goals and customer experience, and provide insight and analysis into the business. The analyst seeks to maximize product availability, minimize unproductive inventory, and improve margins.

KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

• Support sales of the storytelling
• Allocation analysis
• Article (ISBN) set up accuracy
• On time allocations
• Sell through targets
• Monthly story planogram readiness
• Forecast accuracy
• % in stock performance (Stores & DC)
• Inventory weeks of supply
• Returns rate
• Inventory productivity
• Store Help ticket within SLA
• Minimize UPS costs

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Functional

• Accurately allocate new books to anticipated customer demand, and forecast omni-channel customer demand
• Provide insights from analysis on inventory and business performance
• Review DC and store forecast exceptions to maintain forecast accuracy
• Manage and maintain SAP replenishment parameters at store, online, and DC level to ensure in-stock and weeks of supply targets
• Manage returns to meet Merchandise Category returns target
• Communicate effectively with other functional teams (e.g. Category Management, Store Operations, Distribution Centre)
• Work with vendors to ensure timely reorders/reprints of required inventory
• Resolve store-reported inventory problems within service level agreements
• Maximize margin and product availability through effective sourcing decisions
• Develop and improve functional processes and reporting
• 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 Management

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal:

• Category Managers
• Distribution Centre
• Retail Operations

External:

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

Work Experience / Education / Certifications

• 2-3 years of in-store experience at Indigo Books & Music comprising a thorough familiarity with store-level operations at leadership level, outstanding product knowledge and keen analytical insight into business operations
• Alternatively, qualified candidates may have 2-3 years of analytical experience with emphasis on inventory management (ideally in a retail environment) and should have knowledge of ERP systems (SAP)
• University/College degree in Business, Engineering, Math or similar program
• Excellent analytical, communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong user of MS Excel or MS Access
• Customer focused with a strong focus on teamwork
• Strong and creative problem-solving skills with a desire for continuous improvement

Additional Information

At Indigo, we are committed to our communities, our customers, and each other; together we can make a positive impact. We know that fostering diversity and inclusion brings out your full potential and creates a joyful and welcoming environment for everyone. We are driven to be an equitable employer, which highly values your diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We believe that you, in all your uniqueness, belong at Indigo. We welcome all applicants and encourage applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, a person of colour, LGBTQ2+ and people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request to individuals who self-identify as having a disability or special need. Please contact Human Resources at 1 *** (toll free) or *** if you require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment process.