Helmet House is the leading U.S. distributor of helmets and apparel in the Motorcycle and Powersports industry. We are searching for a Director of Inventory Planning to report to the VP of Planning and help lead our inventory strategy, demand planning, and forecasting organization.
Our Company was founded in 1969 and has its headquarters and a distribution center in Calabasas Hills, CA along with an eastern distribution point in Southaven, MS. Our digital marketing team is located in Lake Oswego, OR. For decades Helmet House has supplied Powersports Dealers across the U.S. with two of the world’s top helmet brands. Helmet House is the exclusive US supplier for SHOEI Helmets, Sidi boots, Kriega and Fasthouse, while also distributing HJC, Alpinestars, 100%, Molecule, Pinlock, Cardo, Quad Lock, Insta360 and Sena to motorcycle dealerships in the United States. The Tourmaster, Cortech, and NORU motorcycle apparel brands are manufactured and marketed directly by Helmet House. The premium brands we carry represent our commitment to the motorcycle industry and our dealer partners.
This is a full time in-office position located at our Calabasas Hill, CA headquarters.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director of Inventory Planning is responsible for overseeing demand planning, forecasting, inventory optimization, and allocation strategies across Helmet House’s multi-brand portfolio. This role plays a critical leadership position in proactively communicating inventory strategy, risks, and opportunities to executive leadership and key brand partners.
This is a highly hands-on role requiring both strategic thinking and operational execution. The ideal candidate will actively build forecasts, develop buy plans, write purchase orders, analyze data, and continuously refine planning processes.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Inventory Strategy & Optimization, Forecasting & Leadership
- Develop and lead comprehensive inventory and demand planning strategies aligned with growth, service, and financial goals
- Drive forecasting and planning process across all brands, categories, and channels using data-driven forecasting models incorporating seasonality, sales trends, promotions, and market dynamics
- Establish and manage KPIs including turns, fill rates, service levels, and aged inventory
- Work collaboratively with Brand managers to achieve gross margin and GMROI targets
- Partner with executive leadership to align inventory investment strategies and financial targets
- Translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for executive decision-making
- Optimize inventory levels and placement across distribution centers to maximize service and inventory turns
- Oversee allocation strategies to drive sell-through, minimize excess and obsolete inventory
- Manage new product launches, replenishment strategies, and end-of-life planning
Proactive Communication & Stakeholder Management
- Serve as the primary planning voice to the VP of Planning, CFO, and Executive Team, providing regular updates on forecasts, risks, opportunities, and inventory performance
- Proactively communicate open-to-buy positions, demand trends, and inventory strategies to CFO and senior leadership
- Build strong partnerships with brand partners, ensuring alignment on forecasts, buys, product launches, and lifecycle management
- Effectively communicate in-stock and ETA positions to sales team
Systems & Process Improvement
- Drive improvements in ERP (Microsoft Dynamics)
- Scope and implement a new planning tool and help migrate from our current home-grown tool
- Incorporate AI and advanced analytics into planning processes
- Build and maintain dashboards to track performance and support decision-making
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives within planning and inventory management
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Business, Finance, or related field
- 8–12+ years of experience in inventory planning, demand planning, or supply chain
- 3–5+ years in a leadership role
- Strong B2B wholesale/distribution experience required
- Experience managing complex, multi-brand assortments
TECHNICAL SKILLS
- Advanced Excel
- ERP systems (Microsoft Dynamics preferred)
- Prior experience implementing forecasting tools and BI platforms a plus
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Strong executive communication and presentation skills
- Proactive and solutions-oriented mindset
- Strategic and analytical thinking
- Leadership and team development
- Results-driven with high ownership
- Prior experience in a sports industry a plus
COMPENSATION
Salary Range: $110K – $130K+ plus bonus, depending on skills and experience
BENEFITS
Medical/Dental/Vision, Supplemental Insurance Plans, HSA, FSA, 401(k) Savings Plan with generous matching, Vacation/Sick Time off, employee discounts, EOE