Retail Business Services, ranked No. 25 on Fast Company’s 2022 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators, is the services company of leading grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA, currently providing services to five omnichannel grocery brands, including Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. Retail Business Services leverages the scale of the local brands to drive synergies and provides industry-leading expertise, insights and analytics to local brands to support their strategies. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we foster a community of belonging where everyone is valued. For more information, visit https://www.retailbusinessservices.com.

The Analyst II Forecast position will manage system demand forecasts and plan for all assigned products with up to 10,000 SKUs across all stores at item/warehouse/store/day combination using statistical-based forecasting tools. The demand forecast and plan will be integrated into different legacy systems to drive store and warehouse replenishment as well as support for vendor collaboration, display optimization, promotion optimization and promotional/events planning. Responsible for maintaining and managing forecast master data, seasonality, association of products to events and life cycle of the product line assigned.

This position will work closely with In Stock Analysts and Demand Systems Specialists to review sales trends and implement parameters to support seasonal / transitional strategies as well as advanced statistical forecast accuracy analysis to reduce system forecast error and avoid manual forecast adjustments. This position will understand the future variability that impacts product movement - from increasing efficiencies, impacting the greater network, troubleshooting root causes and supporting procurement streams (diverting, forward buy, efficiency programs).

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for ensuring Forecast & Replenishment (F&R) system forecast accuracy for assigned product line

• Use advanced statistical forecast accuracy analysis to reduce system errors and avoid manual forecast adjustments.
• Resolve forecasting exceptions and perform daily root cause analysis of underlying issues in order to improve forecast accuracy for promotional and turn product.
• Manage all Relex (F&R system) daily, weekly, monthly forecast workflows resulting in reduced systemic forecast error.
• Partner with In Stock Analysts and Demand System Specialists to align trends and strategies in support of forecast accuracy.
• Provide a forecast to vendor partners (private brands team)

• Complete sales correction trouble shooting and analyze where the effective corrected sales are coming from, when necessary, i.e., which sales correction type is the effective one (stockout, campaign or manual correction).
• Collaborate with Category teams on Ad promotions, special programs and holidays
• Review Store and Distribution Center baseline forecasts and BIAS and troubleshoot any forecasts with low forecast accuracy or BIAS.
• Review and, if necessary, update master data and/or parameters for Product that will be terminated.
• Follow-up on and review the forecast for new store locations.

Knowledge:

• Demand management practices
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel and Access
• Working knowledge of Supply Chain processes
• Relex knowledge preferred

Skills:

• Oral and written communication skills
• Basic to intermediate Excel skills
• Presentation skills
• Experience applying and developing statistical forecasts and demand forecasting
• Attention to detail
• Team player and collaborator

Abilities:

• Strong Mathematical and Statistical aptitude
• Ability to analyze and decipher large amounts of data
• Ability to analyze complex problems and rule sets
• Strong critical thinker, autonomous decision-maker
• Ability to determine root causes and implement solutions
• Customer focus
• Takes initiative, self-starter

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Mathematics or related business field or equivalent relevant work experience

Experience:

• 0-3 Years

Job Title: Analyst II In Stock

Description:

Position Summary:

Primary responsibilities are to ensure appropriate operational service levels at retail. This includes working with vendors on product flow to achieve vendor to warehouse fill rate goals (VFR). This role also has direct responsibility of managing inventory days of supply objectives (DOS) and on shelf availability (OSA) targets, for their assigned vendors. This position will understand the future variability that impacts product movement - from increasing efficiencies, impacting the greater network, troubleshooting root causes and supporting procurement streams (diverting, forward buy, efficiency programs). This role is the primary interface to vendor Supply Chain partners, representing ADUSA Supply Chain and communication of product availability issues to brand teams.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage all Relex daily, weekly, monthly workflows resulting in achieving operational service level targets.
• Monitor and ensure timely execution of all planned product allocations as needed.
• Analyze system exceptions for root cause.
• Manage inventory to achieve DOS, obsolete, and product freshness target
• Execute and monitor purchase orders—including on time and in full metrics
• Consult with Advantage team and Demand Systems Specialists on vendor efficiency programs. Ensure operational adherence to efficiency programs by working with the Demand Systems Specialist to input the rules.
• Develop a plan to address overstocks and left-over sale excess inventory in collaboration with the Merchandising group.
• Work with suppliers, Quality Control, Supply Chain operations, store divisional operations, and Risk Management to address product availability, freshness, and product transition issues, as well as recalls and market withdrawals.
• Stay informed on commodity or other supplier issues that impact category sales. Anticipate and act on supplier issues, seasonal changes, natural disasters, crop conditions, and manufacturing issues ensuring efficient order quantities.
• Provide timely communication to supervisors related to inventory transactions, resolving issues, short-term out of stocks.
• Collaborate with Forecast Analysts to explain and identify forecast variance and provide additional information around marketing strategies, special promotions, and anticipated influences to sales that are not likely to be identified through system-driven exception analysis.

Knowledge:

• Demand management practices
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel
• Working knowledge of Supply Chain processes
• Relex knowledge preferred

Skills:

• Oral and written communication skills
• Basic to intermediate Excel
• Presentation skills
• Inventory management best practices
• Attention to detail
• Store Operations preferred
• Team player and collaborator

Abilities:

• Strong Mathematical and Statistical aptitude
• Ability to analyze and decipher large amounts of data
• Ability to analyze complex problems and rule sets
• Ability to determine root causes and implement solutions
• Strong critical thinker, autonomous decision-maker
• Customer focus
• Takes initiative, self-starter

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Mathematics or related business field or equivalent relevant experience

Experience:

• 0-3 Years

Retail Business Services is an equal opportunity employer. We comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status or any other characteristic protected by law. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. As important as what we do is how we do it. Our team embodies our values of Courage, Care, Teamwork, Integrity and Humor in everything that they do. We have a culture of care that values and celebrates the qualities and perspectives that make us all unique.

If you have a disability and require assistance in the application process, please contact our Talent Acquisition Department at tad@retailbusinessservices.com.