Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Fulfillment Planner

🎯 Role Definition

As a Fulfillment Planner, you are the architect of our product flow and the guardian of our customer promise. This pivotal role sits at the heart of our supply chain, ensuring that the right products are in the right place at the right time to meet and exceed customer expectations. You will leverage data-driven insights and strong collaborative relationships to forecast needs, manage inventory across multiple locations, and orchestrate a seamless fulfillment process from supplier to end customer.

This role requires a strategic thinker with a passion for solving complex logistical puzzles. If you thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and are driven to make a tangible impact on operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, this is your opportunity to build a rewarding career with a forward-thinking team.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Supply Chain Coordinator
Inventory Analyst
Logistics Analyst

Advancement To:

Senior Fulfillment Planner
Supply Chain Manager
Demand Planning Manager

Lateral Moves:

Demand Planner
Procurement Specialist
Logistics Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and maintain robust supply plans and inventory targets for assigned product categories, ensuring alignment with sales forecasts and customer service level agreements (SLAs).
Monitor, analyze, and manage inventory levels across a multi-echelon distribution network, executing stock transfer orders (STOs) to optimize balance and prevent stockouts or excess.
Analyze demand signals, historical sales data, and market intelligence to generate and continuously refine short-term and long-term fulfillment forecasts.
Act as a key participant in the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, collaborating closely with Demand Planning and Sales teams to align supply capabilities with the consensus demand forecast.
Place, manage, and expedite purchase orders with domestic and international suppliers, ensuring on-time delivery, accurate quantities, and adherence to company standards.
Serve as the primary operational contact for resolving all supply-related disruptions, including production delays, transportation exceptions, customs holds, and quality control issues.
Proactively identify potential supply chain risks (e.g., supplier capacity, geopolitical issues, logistics bottlenecks) and develop effective contingency and mitigation plans.
Utilize the company's ERP/MRP system to meticulously manage planning parameters, execute transactions, and ensure high data integrity for items, orders, and inventory records.
Track, measure, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs), including In-Stock Rate, On-Time In-Full (OTIF), Inventory Turns, Backorder Rate, and Forecast Accuracy.
Lead recurring operational meetings with logistics and warehouse teams to coordinate inbound receiving priorities, outbound order fulfillment, and special handling projects.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the fulfillment planning function, identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service through process and system changes.
Manage the strategic allocation of constrained inventory across various sales channels, regions, or key customers based on established business rules and priorities.
Coordinate with Product Management and New Product Introduction (NPI) teams to successfully plan for new product launches, including initial inventory builds and pipeline fill strategies.
Conduct thorough root cause analysis for service failures, stockouts, or inventory discrepancies, implementing sustainable corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
Optimize the end-to-end flow of goods from suppliers to distribution centers, constantly evaluating and recommending improvements in transportation modes, carrier performance, and lead times.
Oversee elements of the reverse logistics process, including planning for the disposition of customer returns and managing the lifecycle of refurbished or non-conforming inventory.
Reconcile inventory data between the ERP system and Warehouse Management System (WMS) to ensure system synchronization and physical inventory accuracy.
Develop and present monthly and quarterly supply review summaries for leadership, highlighting performance trends, risks, opportunities, and key decisions.
Partner with the Procurement and Sourcing teams to provide forward-looking forecasts, communicate supplier performance feedback, and collaborate on long-range capacity planning.
Analyze and manage slow-moving and obsolete (SLOB) inventory by developing and executing disposition strategies to minimize financial write-offs.
Support promotional events and seasonal demand peaks by planning and executing inventory pre-builds and coordinating fulfillment priorities with Marketing and Sales.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to provide insights for critical business decisions.
Contribute to the organization's supply chain technology strategy and roadmap by identifying needs and opportunities for improvement.
Collaborate with business units and IT to translate data and process needs into functional requirements for system enhancements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies for supply chain systems or analytics projects.
Mentor and train junior members of the supply chain team on best practices, systems, and processes.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

High proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics).
Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, complex formulas, and data modeling.
Experience with Advanced Planning Systems (APS) such as JDA/Blue Yonder, Kinaxis, or o9 Solutions is highly preferred.
Deep understanding of core inventory management principles (e.g., Safety Stock, EOQ, Reorder Points, ABC Analysis).
Thorough knowledge of supply chain concepts like DRP (Distribution Requirements Planning), MRP (Material Requirements Planning), and S&OP.
Experience using data visualization tools like Tableau or Power BI to build insightful dashboards and reports.
Foundational SQL skills for querying databases and performing data analysis.
Working knowledge of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and their integration with planning systems.
Proven ability to perform root cause analysis using structured methodologies (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone).
Familiarity with statistical forecasting methods and their application in a business environment.

Soft Skills

Exceptional analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills.
Superior communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
Strong collaboration and cross-functional partnership abilities.
Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to data accuracy.
Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
A proactive, results-oriented mindset with a strong sense of ownership.
Strong negotiation and influencing capabilities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master’s Degree or a professional certification such as APICS (CPIM, CSCP) or similar.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics
Business Administration
Operations Management
Industrial Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-5+ years of direct experience in supply planning, inventory management, or a related fulfillment role.

Preferred: Experience in a high-volume industry such as CPG, e-commerce, retail, or manufacturing is highly desirable. Proven success in a multi-site distribution environment is a significant plus.