Ellen Farnham Email & Phone Number

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

-Oversee forecasting, purchasing, fulfillment, and finance-Continually manage accuracy and usability of company ERP (Encompass/Orchestra Cloud), including migration from former SAP-based system and continued configuration

-Forecast all core and one-off brands to give direction to production-Maintain appropriate inventory to service both self-distribution and wholesale customers-Audit internal data accuracy and consistency, including item/brand attribute management and pricing management

• Business Support – Worked with analysts, business managers, sales and inventory directors, buyers, and others to optimize replenishment strategy based on category and time of year• Training – Trained forecast theory and system execution through both classroom content and SOP/video tutorial creation. Interviewed candidates. Managed onboarding, training, and evaluation of new hires.Coached newer analysts in soft skills and management of multiple degrees of uncertainty. Presented tovendors and cross-functional teams on best practices for forecasting and inventory management• System Expertise – Managed Oracle (RDF) system capacity and organization. Scoped and implementedsystem changes with IT team to improve forecast accuracy, including changes for growing warehousenetwork and fulfillment types (store pick up, curbside, same day shipping) to increase inventory availability to customers while reducing excess/aging inventory; went through extensive UAT to makesure systems worked for analysts at go-live

Richfield, Mn

-Forecast sales for health and wearables business, including Apple and Samsung smartwatch hardware and accessories and Fitbit health trackers and accessories-Manage high profile launches and promotions for Apple Watch Series 3, Samsung Gear, and Fitbit Versa-Assist Strategic Growth Office with rollout of Assured Living program, managing forecasts for specialized in-home monitoring devices

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

-Manage inventory for hardline businesses including Marine Electronics (low volume, high dollars, significant inventory investment), Paddle Sports (large, long lead time items with unique transportation needs), and Water Sports (long lead time import product, opportunity for significant inventory rightsizing and replenishment optimization). Previously managed Tackle (high volume consumables, 1500+ skus).-Optimize RMS replenishment and Allocations settings to minimize inventory investment while maximizing sales, in-stocks, and customer satisfacation-Developed and taught training for inventory organization trainings for all analysts focusing on RDF forecasting theory and operations-Troubleshoot forecasting and replenishment issues and mentor business analysts on the proper combination of RMS and RDF settings

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

2015-2016: Forecasted for small and mid-screen TVs, a high-profile, multi-billion dollar business, managing system operations at the sku/store level for about 200 skus at over 1,000 locations and BestBuy.com-Produced scenario plans and performed analyses for merchants, demand planning, marketing, finance, e-commerce, pricing, and retail operations teams-Discussed forecasts and receipts weekly with vendors such as Samsung, Sony, LG, Vizio, Toshiba, Sharp, Insignia, and Hisense, including extensive collaboration around changing pricing, sku transitions, end of life inventory, and major sales events-Interviewed candidates for open DFA chairs and provided hiring recommendations to leadership; mentored new hires on systems and business team/vendor relations2014-2015: Led forecasting operations for desktop computing, a low margin, long lead time business with frequent assortment transitions-Collaborated with Microsoft, Apple, Intel, AMD, HP, Dell, Acer, Asus, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, and others through unique situations such as the West Coast labor disputes, the anniversary of the retirement of Windows XP, the expansion of in-store Microsoft and Apple shops, and the launch of Windows 10-Assisted space management and merchant teams with sales analysis to create performance groupings of stores and ensure efficient allocation of high cost, low turn inventory-Created team assortment documents to rationalize allotment of inventory dollars and limited store space and guide merchant team through potential pricing strategies tiered by product families/specifications

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

-Utilized Oracle RPAS RDF demand forecasting system and statistical analysis of sales data to create sales forecasts at the sku/store level for brick and mortar locations and BestBuy.com-Managed high-dollar, low volume product from vendors such as Pioneer, Yamaha, Denon/Marantz, Samsung, and Bowers and Wilkins, requiring in-depth system configuration and vendor collaboration

-Supervised headphone and guitar circulation while answering calls and monitoring student lab-Promoted to Manager for 2012-13 school year: scheduled employees, resolved conflict, managed work flow

-One of six seniors hired to professionally represent Carleton through visitor management, campus tours-Conducted evaluative interviews with prospective students and wrote up summaries/recommendations for students' files-Designed creative publicity projects and campaigns for application season-Ran focus groups to evaluative prospective student awareness of specific marketing strategies-Balanced visitor interactions with office responsibilities (mailings, data entry, communications)

-Managed multiple restoration and research projects as part of a six person team during Summer 2011 -Experience with invasive species removal, controlled burns, herbicide applications, chain saw use and maintenance, southern Minnesota plant identification, tree surveys, and outdoor safety

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba), Magna Cum Laude, Environmental Studies

Education record