Senior Manager, Inventory Management & Planning APAC

Role Purpose

The Regional Head of Inventory Management & Planning is responsible for leading inventory strategies, optimizing inventory planning processes, and enhancing Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) across the region. This role focuses on managing an extensive SKU portfolio of over 85,000 items, specifically within the B2B e-commerce space for industrial and manufacturing parts in the distribution industry. The position ensures seamless inventory availability across regional and local distribution centres (DCs) in the APAC, regional and local supplier networks, and Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) programs while driving cost efficiency and continuous improvement. Will manage direct & indirect teams of planner, inventory control, liason & VMI.

What you'll be doing:

Inventory Strategy & Optimization:

• Develop and implement regional inventory strategies to manage a diverse SKU portfolio, ensuring availability while minimizing excess and obsolete inventory.
• Define inventory policies, including safety stock levels, reorder points, and replenishment strategies tailored to industrial and manufacturing part supply chains.
• Align inventory management strategies with e-commerce B2B business needs and distribution industry requirements.

Inventory Planning & Forecasting:

• Oversee demand & supply planning, inventory planning processes in the APAC to maintain optimal stock levels across regional & country DCs to support APAC market.
• Collaborate with Global inventory planners, category management teams, and commercial functions to improve forecast accuracy for high-SKU-count environments.
• Implement advanced analytics and predictive models to enhance inventory planning efficiency.

S&OP Leadership:

• Lead the regional Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, aligning supply chain functions with demand planning and financial objectives.
• Work closely with sales, finance, and operations teams to ensure inventory strategies support revenue growth and service levels.
• Identify and mitigate potential supply-demand imbalances, leveraging insights from B2B e-commerce sales patterns.

Inventory Solutions & Process Improvements:

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives for inventory planning and management, focusing on high-SKU-count optimization.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies, tools, and automation solutions to enhance inventory visibility and efficiency across global DCs and regional/local suppliers.
• Develop and enhance Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) programs to improve inventory turnover and customer satisfaction.

Performance Management & Cost Control:

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to inventory turnover, service levels, and cost efficiency in a high-SKU-count industrial parts environment.
• Conduct root cause analysis on inventory discrepancies and drive corrective actions.
• Implement cost-saving initiatives while ensuring service excellence in global and regional distribution operations.

Quality, Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure inventory management practices comply with regulatory requirements and corporate policies across global DCs and regional/local sourcing networks.
• Conduct audits and risk assessments to identify and mitigate inventory-related risks.
• Develop and enforce policies for slow-moving and obsolete inventory (SLOB) management, with a focus on high-SKU-count distribution.

People Management & Leadership:

• Lead and mentor team members assigned to each function, ensuring alignment with global, regional and market objectives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including sales, category, logistics, customer service, to support business growth.
• Develop training programs to enhance the skills of the team members development.
• Establish controls and reporting to ensure high performance with ability to provide leadership and direction.

How you make a difference in this role

You make a difference by leading and optimizing inventory strategies to ensure seamless availability of over 85,000 SKUs across regional and local distribution centres. You drive continuous improvement initiatives, enhance Sales & Operations Planning and implement advanced analytics to improve forecast accuracy and inventory efficiency, ultimately supporting revenue growth and customer satisfaction.

About you:

Essential Skills & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in inventory management, supply planning, and S&OP leadership, preferably in the distribution industry.
• Proven track record in leading regional inventory initiatives, improving planning accuracy, and implementing inventory solutions for high-SKU-count businesses.
• Experience in B2B e-commerce supply chain operations for industrial and manufacturing parts.
• Strong experience with demand planning tools, ERP systems, and supply chain analytics.
• Expertise in managing global supply networks, including local and regional suppliers, global DCs, and VMI programs.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive collaboration across departments.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Certification in APICS (CPIM/CSCP) or similar supply chain certifications.
• Experience with AI-driven forecasting, machine learning, and automation in inventory planning.
• Strong understanding of supply chain digitization and inventory optimization technologies.
• Regional or global supply chain experience in a multinational environment.

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