James Cowan Email and Phone Number

Consultant focused on supply chain planning in the CPG and Retail industries. Helped clients increase the efficacy of their demand, supply, and S&OP processes to increase revenue and margin while minimizing cost and waste.

Developed and implemented S&OP governance for the wholesale channel, expanding forecast accuracy KPIs to include two additional metrics as well as establishing monitoring at the product level for channels and key accountsIncreased service score from top customer in the drug channel from 88 to 96 through cross functional replenishment planning involving customer, distributor, and manufacturer data helping drive a projected 30% growth in gross sales for the yearCreated a time-stamped database of seasonal product forecasts from inception to season close, driving account level accountability for costs associated with product liquidation, excess packaging and spoilage

Created and implemented web-based planning tool reducing time from concept to order allowing a 35% increase in orders from low cost country, resulting in $1.6MM of savings on merchandising equipment against goal of $1.3MMLed project to implement UPC tracking on all point-of-sale equipment to provide location level inventory visibility resulting in a 25% increase in merchandising equipment utilizationRedesigned spend tracking by migrating from 5 internal systems to web-based tool, providing vendors training and resources required to self-report monthly spend, reducing internal workload by over 250 hours annually and improving accuracy

Created network visualization tool in SAP Business Objects utilizing the lean six sigma kaizen project framework to help identify inefficiencies in network design, generating annual savings of $50KRanked number 1 out of 25 supply planners in product launch execution, with 100% of locations in stock and 94% of locations with target level inventory at launchReduced out of stocks for Newport News sourcing network of 15 warehouses by 39% after onboarding to meet < 1% goal by improving strategic production and distribution planning process

Forecasted weekly sales volume for 15 selling locations at 81% accuracy against goals of 78%, achieving #3 ranking out of 25 demand plannersIdentified a systems flaw causing franchise bottler demand to be mistranslated and created simple workaround to provide visibility to previously hidden demandPerformed system maintenance in prevail planning tool to properly reallocate channel forecasts during Northeast network consolidation, delivering 82% accuracy against goal of 78% during transition

Conducted market research and created client specific content in response to an RFP from a Fortune 50 retailer for managed distribution servicesDeveloped concepts and materials in support of white paper on systems integration to demonstrate thought leadership and to be used as firm marketing materialResponsible for maintaining financial analyses as well as supply chain diagnostics for the retail and CPG industries in support of internal firm-wide market research efforts