About the company
Join an established international luxury house with a rich heritage and a strong presence in the Japanese market. The business combines exceptional craftsmanship, premium retail experiences and a growing focus on operational excellence.
The Japan organisation is entering an exciting period of development, with a leadership team committed to creating a more international, collaborative and self-directed culture. Employees work closely with colleagues across commercial, retail, finance and global headquarters functions, offering valuable exposure to a diverse and evolving business.
This is an attractive opportunity to join a respected luxury brand at a time when the supply chain function is being strengthened. You will have the opportunity to make a visible impact, shape new ways of working and contribute directly to continued business growth.
What the job entails
As Supply Chain Planner, you will join a growing supply chain function and take responsibility for supply planning and inventory management across Japan. This is a newly created position with a broad remit and the opportunity to establish and embed effective planning processes.
Working closely with Marketing, Sales, Finance and other internal stakeholders, you will develop supply plans based on sales performance, inventory levels, market trends and promotional activity. You will also collaborate with the international supply chain team to coordinate lead times and product availability.
A key priority will be to design, implement and continuously improve the local Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process. You will optimise inventory levels, manage stock-out and excess-inventory risks, support model-stock decisions and plan supply for new, seasonal, limited-edition and promotional products. You will monitor key performance indicators, provide reporting and recommend process improvements.
Key requirements
At least five years’ experience in demand planning, supply planning, inventory management or a closely related supply chain role.
Direct professional experience as a planner is essential; experience solely in merchandising without planning responsibility will not be suitable.
Strong knowledge of S&OP, demand forecasting and inventory management, supported by practical experience.
Experience developing supply plans using sales data, stock levels, market trends, promotional calendars and product launches.
Proven ability to manage product availability, replenishment, model-stock levels and the risks of shortages or excess inventory.
Strong analytical capability, with the commercial judgement to translate data into effective business decisions.
Excellent cross-functional communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to engage Sales, Marketing and Finance colleagues.
Ability to coordinate effectively with international supply chain teams and manage delivery timelines.
Fluent Japanese and business-level English.
Confident user of Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
Self-directed, proactive and comfortable building processes in a newly created role.
A constructive, adaptable approach and a track record of driving continuous improvement.
A stable career history and commitment to developing long-term expertise in supply chain planning.