Category Planner Cover Letter

I would like to submit my application for the category planner opening. Please accept this letter and the attached resume.

In my previous role, I was responsible for key strategic recommendations and category plans for the Baby Food Category at Walmart to grow category performance.

Please consider my experience and qualifications for this position:

• Competent in using Excel
• Familiar with using other Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Outlook
• Experience in an FMCG retailer (ideally multichannel)
• Experience in Retail Buying, Planning and/or Strategic/Business Development for a multi-store retailer
• Experience in creating merchandise plans
• Expert in allocation and inventory management
• Expert in retail math skills, including intricacies of OTB management
• Familiarity of retail planning and reporting software

I submit this application to express my sincere interest in the category planner position.

In the previous role, I was responsible for effective management of key Business Management Unit business processes associated with the programs People Plan, including job readiness training requirements and recruitment processes.

Please consider my qualifications and experience:

• Be the functional supply chain expert for Private Label and represent supply chain in business meetings and planning sessions
• Implement Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) alignment and execution of plans for private label
• Facilitate consensus forecasts for new product introductions, mature products, and transition/obsolescence
• Oversight of purchase and inventory decisions and buyers to support business growth and sales initiatives for products through supply chain analysis and data-driven solutions
• Organize and provide inventory, forecast, and supply components for S&OP plans for private label
• Delegate forecasting, inventory, supply, and purchasing actions based on S&OP plan outcomes and decisions for private label to buyers, demand planners, and inventory management
• Act as single point of contact representing the Supply Chain for purchasing & planning projects, meetings, and initiatives
• Maintain the central repository of demand, inventory, and supply chain policies that align with product category strategy, including the supply chain line tables

In response to your job posting for category planner, I am including this letter and my resume for your review.

In my previous role, I was responsible for local business, supplier and demand insight to category teams to inform future strategy development and to the business for process development and improvement, whilst continually performing compliance and performance reporting.

Please consider my qualifications and experience:

• Strong skills in using IT systems
• Proficient in BI, Replenishment and Merchandise Planning systems highly regarded (not essential)
• The core focus of this role is to manage the Demand forecast for a given Category over a rolling 18 month time horizon
• Demand forecast requires clear assumptions, involving weekly tracking of performance to ensure high CSL with minimum write-off cost
• Internal Sales reporting system and Nielsen knowledge recommended
• Leadership and communication skills to be a relevant and trustworthy partner for customers
• Learning agility to fast get a deep knowledge about the Categories and Brands to give the best recommendation that will make the business grow
• Passion for flawless execution and business accuracy

I submit this application to express my sincere interest in the category planner position.

In my previous role, I was responsible for approach to manage supplier relationships and execute supplier performance management techniques in accordance with standards and guidelines; support business units on key supplier management activities (escalations; supplier segmentation; etc.).

Please consider my qualifications and experience:

• Thorough understanding of national and channel strategies
• Proficient use of Excel, Powerpoint and Word
• Achieve business solutions that minimize the impact of any supply constraints and maximize the opportunities for sales growth
• Identify and implement inventory initiatives to reduce the working capital levels
• Ensure supply plans and adhere to project timelines to support and fulfill all of the promotional launches
• Build high quality relationships with the key stakeholders from External Manufacturers, Commercial, Demand Forecasting and Customer Service & Logistics to fully understand the entire supply chain allowing improvements in the service levels and reductions in the end to end inventory
• Develop strong communication and partnering links with Sales, Trade Marketing, Marketing partners, Supply Planning and other parts of Supply Chain
• Internal and external benchmarking is conducted, identifying opportunities to introduce best practice initiatives and sharing our experiences with our Asia Pacific colleagues

I would like to submit my application for the category planner opening. Please accept this letter and the attached resume.

In the previous role, I was responsible for input and execute strategy set for the Beauty & Care category, ensuring alignment with the larger Food, Beauty & Care EMEA strategy and local markets.

Please consider my qualifications and experience:

• Align the demand planner, supply planner, inventory planner, and buyer in the planning and execution of the supply chain components of private label in support of the program goals and KPIs
• Strong communication skills across organizations
• Effective at operating within a high volume, multi-channel, complex setting
• Experience accessing and querying data to harvest insights and develop data-driven decisions
• Advanced MS Excel skills, experienced in MS Access
• Logistic, Supply Chain (APICS etc) qualification an advantage
• Strong Influential and stakeholder management skills
• Detailed orientated and strong analytical skills