Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jewelry Supply Chain Analyst

🎯 Role Definition

Are you a data-driven storyteller with a passion for intricate details and a love for beautiful things? We are searching for a highly analytical and proactive Jewelry Supply Chain Analyst to join our dynamic team. In this pivotal role, you will be the backbone of our operations, ensuring our exquisite jewelry pieces are in the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantity. You will dive deep into data to uncover trends, forecast demand, and optimize every facet of our supply chain, from raw material sourcing to final customer delivery. If you are a strategic thinker who thrives on solving complex puzzles and wants to make a tangible impact in the fast-paced world of luxury retail, we would love to connect with you.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Junior Supply Chain Analyst / Coordinator
Inventory Planner / Inventory Control Specialist
Logistics or Operations Coordinator

Advancement To:

Senior Supply Chain Analyst
Supply Chain Manager / Demand Planning Manager
Operations Manager

Lateral Moves:

Merchandising Planner or Buyer
Business Intelligence Analyst
Financial Analyst (FP&A)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and maintain sophisticated demand forecasting models for both core and seasonal jewelry collections, utilizing historical sales data, market trends, and promotional calendars.
Conduct comprehensive analysis of inventory levels, product sell-through, and stock turn rates across multiple channels, including e-commerce, retail stores, and wholesale partners.
Manage the end-to-end purchase order lifecycle, from creation and submission to tracking and receipt, ensuring timely delivery and resolving any discrepancies with suppliers.
Monitor and analyze key supply chain performance indicators (KPIs) such as on-time delivery, forecast accuracy, inventory health, and order fill rates, creating dashboards for stakeholder review.
Collaborate closely with merchandising, marketing, and sales teams to align inventory strategies with new product launches, promotional events, and seasonal demand shifts.
Identify potential supply chain risks, such as supplier delays, shipping disruptions, or material shortages, and proactively develop mitigation plans and contingency strategies.
Perform root cause analysis on stock-outs and overstock situations to recommend and implement corrective actions that improve inventory efficiency and product availability.
Optimize inventory allocation and replenishment strategies across the distribution network to maximize sales opportunities while minimizing carrying costs and markdowns.
Analyze the cost-to-serve for different product categories and sales channels to identify opportunities for cost reduction and margin improvement within logistics and fulfillment.
Maintain data integrity within our ERP and supply chain systems, ensuring all product information, costs, and lead times are accurate and up-to-date.
Prepare and present detailed weekly and monthly reports on supply chain performance, inventory status, and forecast projections to senior leadership.
Evaluate and track supplier performance based on quality, delivery timeliness, and cost, providing data-driven feedback to the sourcing and procurement teams.
Support the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process by providing critical data inputs and analysis to facilitate consensus-based decision-making.
Manage the reverse logistics process, analyzing return rates and reasons to identify trends and collaborate with Quality Assurance on product improvements.
Coordinate with international suppliers and freight forwarders to ensure smooth and compliant importation of precious metals, gemstones, and finished goods.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives by identifying inefficiencies in current processes and recommending new tools, technologies, or workflows to enhance operational excellence.
Partner with the finance department to reconcile inventory valuations and provide data for financial forecasting and budgeting cycles.
Develop allocation strategies for high-value, limited-edition, and one-of-a-kind pieces to ensure equitable distribution and maximize brand impact.
Model different inventory scenarios to assess the financial impact of various sourcing, production, and distribution decisions.
Own the master data management for all supply chain-related parameters, including safety stock levels, reorder points, and lead times for thousands of unique SKUs.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis from various business partners.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap by identifying new data sources and analytical opportunities.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into clear engineering and reporting requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data and analytics teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced Microsoft Excel: Mastery of complex formulas, pivot tables, Power Query, macros, and data modeling.
SQL (Structured Query Language): Proficient in writing queries to extract, manipulate, and analyze large datasets from relational databases.
ERP System Experience: Hands-on experience with major ERP systems like SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, or similar platforms.
Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Demonstrated ability to build and maintain dashboards using tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Looker.
Demand Planning & Forecasting: Strong understanding of statistical forecasting methods (e.g., ARIMA, exponential smoothing) and experience with planning software.
Inventory Management Principles: In-depth knowledge of inventory control concepts like EOQ, safety stock, ABC analysis, and JIT.
Data Analysis & Visualization: Ability to interpret complex data, identify significant trends, and present findings in a clear, visual manner.
Statistical Analysis: Familiarity with statistical concepts and software (R, Python with pandas/NumPy) is a strong plus.
Supply Chain Metrics (KPIs): Expertise in defining, measuring, and reporting on key supply chain performance indicators.
Google Analytics: Experience analyzing e-commerce traffic, conversion funnels, and customer behavior to inform demand signals.

Soft Skills

Analytical & Critical Thinking: Exceptional ability to deconstruct problems, evaluate options, and make data-backed recommendations.
Meticulous Attention to Detail: A precise and thorough approach is essential when dealing with high-value products and complex data.
Communication & Presentation Skills: Ability to clearly and concisely communicate complex findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Collaboration & Teamwork: A proven track record of working effectively across multiple departments (Merchandising, Finance, Marketing).
Problem-Solving: A resourceful and proactive mindset focused on identifying issues and implementing effective solutions.
Adaptability: Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic retail environment with shifting priorities.
Organizational Skills: Superior ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines.
Curiosity & Initiative: A desire to constantly learn, ask "why," and seek out opportunities for improvement.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university or college.

Preferred Education:

Master’s Degree in a relevant field or a professional certification such as APICS (CPIM, CSCP) or a similar credential.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management
Logistics
Business Analytics / Data Science
Finance / Economics
Industrial Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2-5 years of experience in a supply chain analysis, demand planning, or inventory management role.

Preferred:

Experience within the retail, e-commerce, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or luxury goods industries is highly desirable. Direct experience in the jewelry sector is a significant advantage.