Associate Inventory and Procurement Manager

Associate Inventory and Procurement Manager

Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Classification: Full-Time Salaried, Exempt

Compensation: Aligned to Company and Applicant Expectations 

Reports to: Director of Operations

ABOUT US:

The Darling Effect is a young, energetic company offering a fresh perspective on the products we use and wear daily. At The Darling Effect, we bring the season’s trendiest gift and lifestyle products to life with enhanced design, creating items that inspire and delight.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

The Darling Effect is seeking an analytical, detail-oriented, and strategic Associate Inventory and Procurement Manager. As a key player in supply chain management, this individual will be responsible for forecasting, purchase order management, and inventory control to ensure the smooth flow of product and materials within the organization.

In this elevated role, the Associate Inventory and Procurement Manager will lead and mentor Inventory Coordinator(s).  Their expertise will be crucial in optimizing inventory levels, maintaining data accuracy, minimizing costs, and strengthening the efficiency and scalability of our procurement and inventory processes as the business continues to grow.

WHAT YOU'LL DO AS AN ASSOCIATE INVENTORY AND PROCUREMENT MANAGER:

Procurement & Supplier Management

• Oversee all procurement activities from requisition through purchase order placement, ensuring cost-effective and timely acquisitions.
• Identify and deliver cost savings through supplier negotiation, payment terms, order quantities and freight.
• Coordinate inbound shipments with suppliers, freight forwarders and the warehouse to make sure products arrive on time and are received accurately.
• Track open purchase orders and shipment status, and update teams proactively on delays and their effect on inventory and launches.
• Calculate and monitor landed cost (product, freight, duties and fees) to support accurate pricing and margin decisions.
• Partner with Accounting on reconciling purchase orders, receipts and invoices to ensure accurate payment and cost records.

Inventory Planning & Optimization

• Monitor and manage inventory levels to balance availability, working capital, and warehouse efficiency.
• Own inventory accuracy across all locations and systems by overseeing a regular cycle count program and annual physical counts.
• Investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies, find their root causes, and put corrective actions in place to prevent them from recurring.
• Review and approve inventory adjustments, keeping clear documentation and audit trails.
• Track and report shrink, damage and inventory adjustment trends, and partner with Operations on prevention.
• Build proactive reporting and controls that catch inventory issues before they affect fulfillment, sales or financial reporting.
• Develop strategies to minimize excess or obsolete inventory while preventing stockouts.
• Utilize data-driven analysis to identify improvement opportunities and establish best practices for inventory control.

Forecasting

• Translate demand forecasts into purchasing plans, including reorder points, safety stock levels and order quantities based on supplier lead times and minimum order requirements.
• Track forecast accuracy and bias by item and category, and use the results to improve future forecasts.
• Build forecasts for new products, seasonal items and promotions, with input from Sales, Marketing and Product Development.
• Lead a regular demand review (monthly or seasonal) to align Sales, Operations and Finance on forecast changes, risks and inventory plans.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Build and maintain a regular inventory and procurement dashboard covering forecast accuracy, inventory accuracy, supplier on-time delivery, stockouts and excess inventory.
• Analyze inventory health with metrics such as sell-through, weeks of supply, inventory turnover and aging, to flag slow-moving or at-risk inventory.
• Set baselines and improvement targets for key KPIs, and report progress to leadership regularly.
• Produce supplier scorecards that track on-time delivery, fill rate, lead-time accuracy and quality issues.
• Make sure reports draw on accurate, consistent data across Plytix, the ERP/WMS and sales channels.
• Maintain visibility into cost trends, supplier performance, forecast accuracy, and inventory accuracy.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead, train, and support Inventory Team ensuring clear priorities, efficient workflows, and alignment with company objectives.
• Provide clear communication and visibility across departments on inventory and procurement-related initiatives.

Process Improvement & Compliance

• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives to streamline procurement and inventory processes.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, ethical standards, and applicable regulations.
• Proactively identify risks in the supply chain and develop strategies to mitigate them.

QUALIFICATIONS

• 3-5 years of progressive experience in inventory management, procurement, or supply chain operations. (Required)
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, business administration, logistics, or a related field. (Required)
• Experience leading or mentoring direct reports, with a collaborative leadership style.
• Advanced Excel skills; experience building and analyzing reports, dashboards, and data models.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a strong command of data-driven decision-making.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills for cross-functional and supplier collaboration.
• Experience with ERP/WMS systems and product information management tools (PIM).
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and adaptable to a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to stand, walk, use hands to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb and balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, talk, and hear.
• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs