Customer Logistics Vendor Management Inventory Manager
Job Location: Parsippany
Company description
Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella®, Tic Tac®, Ferrero Rocher®, Raffaello®, Kinder Bueno® and Kinder Surprise®. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 40,000 dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.
About the Role:
The Vendor Management Inventory (VMI) Manager is a part of the Ferrero Customer Logistics organization. The key role will help to create the VMI department by supporting the roll-out of the system, lead recruitment of a future VMI team and define the working agenda. It will play an important role on developing strategies that effectively lead and direct the VMI team’s management of Ferrero key customers. The VMI Manager will develop best practices that translate to cost savings by reducing customer returns & refusals, out of region shipments, and increasing overall Supply Chain efficiency. Savings via successful VMI are expected through truckload optimization and expert buying practices that ensure customer in-store product availability. This position requires the knowledge, experience, and ability to implement new VMI customers and maintain collaborative partnerships with direct customers and internal stakeholders.
The VMI Manager will work cross-functionally to ensure product availability and timely deployment. This position is also responsible for meeting customer inventory and service targets. The VMI manager and team are responsible for forecasting customer weekly replenishment needs, efficient purchase order cadence, while maintaining targeted inventory levels and overall support of customer every-day, seasonal, and promotional portfolio requirements.
Main Responsibilities:
VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory) is an inventory management system that allows Ferrero to actively monitor and maintain in-stock inventory levels of our key customers. VMI will manage order frequency and volume, mitigate out of stock risk, while optimizing supply chain efficiencies.
The VMI Manager will lead the collaboration strategy with VMI customers and will set the best practices to expand this initiative.
The role is Customer facing, managing the inventory position at Customer warehouses throughout the US. The role is responsible for meeting key Customer performance measures, while also delivering against Ferrero Supply Chain KPIs. This role reports to the Customer Logistics Director who supports the strategic implementation of VMI across key Customers. The VMI Manager is responsible for setting replenishment forecasting and has the authority to place customer purchase orders as needed.
The Customer Logistics VMI Manager is responsible for leading the execution of inventory replenishment and order execution. Key responsibilities include:
• Build up the VMI team in line with Supply Chain Strategic Plan and Customers objectives.
• Roll-out technology that will allow the team to deliver best in class results.
• Work with cross functional teams to ensure seamless replenishment execution
• Optimize cost savings via order/truckload/shipment saturation
• Deliver on Customer and Ferrero key KPIs of fill-rate & on time (OTIF) in conjunction with claims, returns, and refusal reductions
VMI Manager Accountabilities
• Develop strategies and processes that align with Ferrero’s VMI strategic direction
• Implement processes and procedures that deliver maximum sales revenue, minimum inventory interruptions, and optimal supply chain efficiencies via best-in-class order forecast, order saturation, and truckload optimization
● Manage a team of 1-3 Analysts in the short/medium term.
● Lead VMI order execution by preparing the weekly Exception Report and holding team meetings
● Holds weekly touch base meetings with Customer buyer. Prepares promotional order needs for Supply and Deployment teams.
● Works with supply chain, sales, and transportation teams to prioritize orders and ensure complete fulfillment for seasonal and everyday order volume
● Responsible for creating purchase orders to support customer inventory needs.
● Maintain accurate replenishment forecasts by analyzing sales data, monitoring inventory positions and customer (OTIF) performance levels
● Generate Supply Chain cost savings through order saturation (mix and volume) and truckload optimization
● Ensures optimal OTIF measures (On Time In Full) through best-in-class VMI systems processes. Works collaboratively with Supply Demand, Supply Deployment, Transportation, and Warehouse teams to ensure timely product availability
● Prepares a variety of reports using both SAP and designated VMI software tool. Is assigned to a team responsibility to support functional needs.
Who we are looking for:
• 5-7 Years Supply Chain / Customer Logistics / VMI (preferred)
• 5-7 Years of SAP/CRM
• 2-3 Years Team management / Team Development
• 2-3 Years Project Management
● Expertise with VMI, EDI
● Strong SAP / CRM Systems navigation experience
● Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel (VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables)
● Intermediate skills in preparing effective presentations with Microsoft PowerPoint
This role requires a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
How to be successful in the role and at Ferrero:
Consumers, quality and care are at the heart of everything we do. So, to be successful at Ferrero, you’ll need to be just as consumer and product centric as we are - dedicated to crafting brilliant results for consumers around the world.
Diversity Statement
Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.
Ferrero N.A. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.