• Manager, Planning, Too Faced

    The Estee Lauder Companies (Irvine, CA)


    Manager, Planning

    Job Summary

    Experienced retail business manager with expertise in retail category strategy, forecasting, inventory planning, and stock negotiations. Accountable for delivering gross shipment goals and minimizing returns. Partners with Account Leads to define and refine monthly and annual targets across retail, shipment, and net sales. Provides strategic insights to leadership through quantitative analysis and works closely with Demand Planning and Supply teams to align inventory with business needs.

     

    Primary Metrics: Gross shipments, returns, weeks of supply (WOS), turn rate, counter service level, inventory accuracy, and gross-to-net performance.

    Key Responsibilities

    Retail Sales Forecasting & Planning

     

    Own retail forecasting for Ulta and Target across core, innovation, and promotional categories

     

    Collaborate with Account Management, Demand Planning, and Sephora partners to align monthly, SKU-level plans across brick-and-mortar, dotcom, and Canada

     

    Analyze POS data weekly and adjust forecasts based on performance trends, inventory, and retailer input

     

    Purchase Order Management & Shipment Tracking

     

    Track Ulta purchase orders weekly against internal forecasts; flag risks, timing changes, or shipment gaps

     

    Partner with Supply Chain on fill rates, delivery timelines, and inventory flow

     

    Monitor Sephora order health; coordinate with field and merchants to resolve risks proactively

     

    Inventory Health & Door-Level Analysis

     

    Review WOS by SKU and door type (e.g., 2 Bay, 3 Bay, Tower) to manage stock levels across core and promos

     

    Identify overstock or slow-movers; recommend mitigation tactics like markdowns or stock swaps

     

    Support seasonal resets and gondola updates with door-level distribution planning

     

    Gross-to-Net & Financial Planning Support

     

    Lead contra and markdown budgeting for Ulta and Target; partner with Finance and Account teams on forecasting

     

    Estimate RTVs, testers, and sampling needs to align with topline targets and shipment plans

     

    Business Reporting & Recaps

     

    Create weekly reports tracking POS, shipments, inventory, and forecast performance

     

    Deliver seasonal post-mortems and retail recaps to guide future planning

     

    Build tools to assess promotional effectiveness, forecast accuracy, and innovation results

     

    Retailer Collaboration & Cross-Functional Partnership

     

    Serve as lead forecaster for Sephora business reviews

     

    Participate in Sephora planning meetings alongside Account Management to present forecasts, inventory status, and key drivers

     

    Coordinate cross-functionally with Demand Planning, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure transparency and execution

    Qualifications

    Qualifications

    + 4+ years in retail sales planning, demand planning, or sales operations; prestige beauty or Sephora experience preferred

    + Proficient in Excel and retail math; familiarity with SAP, Power BI, or Anaplan a plus

    + Strong understanding of Sephora’s planning frameworks and inventory dynamics

    + Strong analytical skills with confidence in interpreting POS, WOS, and gross-to-net data

    + Clear communicator with ability to present insights and drive alignment across teams and retailers

    + Exceptionally organized, detail-driven, and able to manage multiple priorities

    + Open to occasional travel for key retail meetings and field visits

    Equal Opportunity Employer

    It is Company's policy not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender identity or gender expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition as defined by applicable state or local law, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. The Company will endeavor to provide a reasonable accommodation consistent with the law to otherwise qualified employees and prospective employees with a disability and to employees and prospective employees with needs related to their religious observance or practices. Should you wish to apply for this position or any other position with the Company and you believe you require assistance to complete an application or participate in an interview, please contact [email protected].