Director of Inventory Management @ XLP

Director of Inventory Management

Reports To: VP of Supply Chain Direct Reports: Yes Status: Full-Time Salaried Division: Supply Chain

Job Purpose:

The Purchasing Manager is responsible for leading the purchasing and inventory planning functions to ensure the right inventory is available to support customer demand while achieving service-level, inventory investment, and financial objectives.

Reporting to the Vice President of Supply Chain, this role directly manages the Buyer team and oversees purchasing, inventory planning, forecasting, budgeting, purchase order management, and supplier performance. The Purchasing Manager will translate demand forecasts and inventory requirements into actionable purchasing plans while ensuring purchases remain aligned with established budgets and inventory targets.

This position requires an experienced people leader with strong analytical and financial capabilities who can balance product availability with inventory productivity and working capital.

Key Job Responsibilities:

· Lead and manage the Buyer team, establishing clear expectations, priorities, and accountability.

· Oversee purchasing activities and ensure purchase orders are submitted accurately and on schedule.

· Manage inventory planning and replenishment to support customer demand and service-level objectives.

· Ensure purchasing decisions align with demand, inventory requirements, supplier lead times, order frequency, and inventory targets.

· Monitor inventory availability, fill rates, turns, days of supply, and overall inventory investment.

· Identify potential inventory shortages and excess inventory and drive corrective actions.

· Continuously improve purchasing and inventory planning processes, controls, and automation.

· Develop and manage purchasing forecasts based on projected sales, COGS, inventory requirements, seasonality, supplier lead times, and business initiatives.

· Manage purchasing activity against established budgets and forecasts.

· Translate annual and monthly inventory objectives into actionable purchasing plans for the Buyer team.

· Monitor actual purchases and inventory performance against budget and forecast, identify variances, and implement corrective actions.

· Evaluate changes in demand and sales forecasts to determine their impact on future purchasing and inventory requirements.

· Provide regular reporting and visibility to the Vice President of Supply Chain regarding purchasing performance, inventory investment, and forecasted requirements.

· Own the end-to-end purchase order management process and ensure Buyers proactively manage open orders.

· Monitor open and past-due purchase orders and drive resolution of supplier delays, shortages, and other exceptions.

· Establish and monitor supplier performance expectations, including lead time, fill rate, order accuracy, and delivery performance.

· Ensure supplier lead times, order frequencies, minimums, and other purchasing parameters are appropriately maintained.

· Partner with suppliers and internal teams to improve product availability and supply reliability.

· Identify opportunities to improve inventory productivity while maintaining appropriate service levels.

· Develop and execute strategies to reduce excess, slow-moving, obsolete, and unproductive inventory.

· Identify purchasing practices or planning parameters contributing to excess inventory and implement corrective actions.

· Partner with Merchandising and suppliers on inventory returns, cancellations, product transitions, and other inventory reduction opportunities.

· Ensure the Buyer team understands the financial and operational impact of purchasing decisions.

· Coach, develop, and manage the performance of the Buyer team.

· Establish and monitor Buyer KPIs, including:

-Distribution center in-stock and fill rate

-Purchasing versus budget and forecast

-Supplier lead times and fill rate

-Purchase order submission and order frequency

-Inventory investment and productivity

· Build a culture of accountability, proactive problem-solving, analytical decision-making, and continuous improvement.

· Partner with Merchandising, Finance, Operations, Distribution, and other functions to achieve inventory and service objectives.

Requirements:

· Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Finance, or related field preferred.

· 10+ years of progressive experience in purchasing, supply chain, inventory management, replenishment, or demand planning.

· 5+ years of people management experience, preferably leading Buyers, purchasing professionals, inventory planners, or other supply chain teams.

· Demonstrated ability to coach and develop employees, manage performance, and establish accountability.

· Experience managing purchasing and inventory within a multi-location distribution or retail environment strongly preferred.

· Strong knowledge of purchasing, inventory planning, replenishment, forecasting, budgeting, supplier management, and purchase order management.

· Strong financial and analytical acumen, including an understanding of COGS, inventory investment, working capital, inventory turns, and days of supply.

· Strong proficiency with ERP, purchasing, inventory planning, Excel, and analytical/reporting tools.

· Strong leadership, communication, organizational, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Environmental/Occupational Health and Physical Requirements:

In a typical 9-hour workday, employees are expected to adapt to a fast-paced work environment and can spend extended periods at a computer. Occasional lifting of 50 lbs. or more may be necessary to fulfill job responsibilities.

XL Parts and The Parts House (TPH) a Marubeni Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment is contingent upon a successful background check and drug screen that meets the Company's guidelines for employment.