Job Title: Supply Chain & Inventory Planner
Location: Head Office, Basildon, Essex
Reporting To: Director
Employment Type: Full-time
About the Role
We are seeking a commercially minded, proactive Supply Chain & Inventory Planner with strong initiative to take ownership of our stock forecasting, factory reordering, and freight management.
At the core of our brand USP is our customer promise: maintaining excellent product availability so popular lines are never out of stock, while managing inventory efficiently to prevent overstocking and warehouse clutter. In this role, you will run the numbers daily, set precise reorder triggers, and place purchase orders directly with our manufacturing partners across Asia. While our internal logistics team handles physical container offloading and customs clearance, you will negotiate ocean freight rates, track inbound shipments, and partner with freight forwarders to ensure containers ship on the most optimal schedules.
Key Responsibilities
- Stock Availability & Balance (Core Focus): Drive our key USP by maintaining optimal stock cover - ensuring core bestsellers are never out of stock while keeping inventory lean to prevent overstocking and tied-up capital.
- Data Analysis & Stock Planning: Daily monitoring of sales velocity, stock turn, and inventory health. Calculate accurate reorder points, safety stock levels, and lead-time buffers across all product ranges.
- Factory PO Management: Calculate order requirements and issue Purchase Orders (POs) directly to Asian suppliers. Monitor production timelines, factoring in factory lead times, annual Asian holiday closures, and Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs).
- Freight Rate & Schedule Optimisation: Negotiate competitive ocean freight rates with freight forwarders and work with them to secure the most optimal shipping schedules to prevent delays. Track inbound shipments from Asian ports to destination ports.
- Container Load Optimisation: Mathematically pack 40ft High Cube containers to achieve maximum cubic metre (CBM) utilization, balancing weight, volume, and product mix to minimise shipping costs per item.
- Process Improvement & Initiative: Continuously evaluate current inventory processes, stock turnover rates, and reporting tools, introducing proactive ideas to streamline inventory flow and optimize systems.
- PO Financial Tracking: Track landed costs (FOB price, freight rates, duties) and monitor supplier payment schedules to ensure purchasing aligns with cash flow budgets.
- Stock Health & Discontinuation: Identify slow-moving inventory early and collaborate with management on promotional strategies or markdowns to clear slow lines.
Candidate Requirements
- Experience: 2 years of hands-on experience in inventory planning, stock control, or purchasing within a retail, e-commerce, or wholesale business. Experience with Asian import supply chains is essential.
- Mindset: Proactive with genuine initiative - someone who actively looks for ways to optimise processes, improve stock health, and drive efficiency.
- Analytical Skills: Strong MS Excel skills (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, forecasting formulas) with a proven track record of converting raw sales data into actionable reorder schedules.
- Container Math: Practical understanding of CBM calculations and container volume constraints.
- Commercial Acumen: Confidence in negotiating shipping rates with freight forwarders and managing supplier relationships.
Benefits
- Staff discount across all store locations
- Private Healthcare
- Employee Discount Platform
- A collaborative and supportive team culture
- Casual Dress
- Company Events
- Company Pension
- Career growth opportunities as the business expands
Pay: £30,000.00-£37,500.00 per year
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Private medical insurance
- Store discount
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Basildon SS14: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Language:
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (preferred)
Work Location: In person
