What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Inventory Strategy position at Banana Republic?
About the Role
The Director of Inventory Strategy is a key leadership role responsible for developing and executing strategies that optimize inventory levels, improve supply chain efficiency, and support business growth across all channels. This role partners cross-functionally with Inventory Management, Merchandising, Brand Ops, Product Management and Data Science to ensure that inventory investment aligns with customer demand, company goals and financial performance.
The scope of this role spans both Banana Republic and Banana Republic Factory Store brands across the North America Omni markets and channels.
What You'll Do
Strategic Planning:
- Serve as a thought leader to develop and implement a comprehensive inventory strategy that supports business objectives
- Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor inventory health and assess benefit realization of key strategies
Forecasting & Planning Alignment:
- Collaborate with Inventory Management, Merchandising and Product Management to promote accurate demand forecasts and assortment strategies
- Guide inventory buys and replenishment plans to align with sales forecasts and inventory budgets
Inventory Optimization:
- Lead initiatives to reduce excess and obsolete inventory, improve turns, and minimize stockouts
- Evaluate inventory policies, lead times, and safety stock levels to maximize speed and responsiveness
- Partner with Inventory Management teams and Brand Ops to evaluate cross-channel inventory transfers (both fungible and VAS)
- Evaluate size offering across categories and channels to inform opportunities to invest or divest in sizes
- Serve as a thought leader to inform both pre-season and in-season pricing decisions
- Collaborate with technical and change management teams to support IM transformation initiatives
Data & Analytics:
- Leverage BI and advanced analytic tools to assess performance, identify trends, and inform decision-making
- Oversee the development of dashboards and reporting tools to track business performance and inventory KPIs
Cross-functional Leadership:
- Partner with Finance, Brand Operations and Technical Teams to align inventory strategy with enterprise systems and financial planning
- Influence senior leadership with data-backed recommendations on inventory related decisions
Team Development:
- Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing team of inventory strategists
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation
Who You Are
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, or related field
- 10 years of progressive experience in inventory management, demand planning, or supply chain strategy
- 5 years in a leadership or executive role with direct oversight of strategic planning and team management
- Deep understanding of inventory planning systems
- Strong analytical and decision-making skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management abilities
