Manager, Allocation

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and execute allocation strategies to maximize sell-through and profitability while minimizing markdown exposure.
• Analyze sales trends and inventory levels to ensure appropriate stock positioning for core, promotional, and seasonal merchandise.
• Identify and resolve stock imbalances through allocation of receipts and replenishment inventory.
• Monitor SKU productivity, store turn, and weeks-of-supply to support assortment and inventory planning.
• Develop store ranking methodologies and distribution models to optimize merchandise flow.
• Build forward-looking inventory forecasts to support proactive planning and replenishment decisions.
• Analyze geographic and store-level performance trends to inform allocation strategies.
• Evaluate merchandise performance across departments, vendors, and locations to identify opportunities and risks.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Merchandise Analysts.
• Partner with Buying, Planning, Supply Chain, and Store Operations to execute inventory strategies.
• Ensure stores maintain appropriate inventory levels to support presentation standards and sales objectives.
• Support new store openings through inventory planning and distribution coordination.

Additional Principal Duties And Responsibilities

• Communicate recommendations regarding store needs, distribution strategies, and sizing requirements.
• Lead discussions on product trends and category performance to inform inventory strategy.
• Oversee and synchronize merchandise movement including replenishment, transfers, and new store distributions.
• Participate in the design and implementation of location-specific inventory planning initiatives.

Job Required Knowledge And Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Fashion Merchandising, or related field and/or equivalent retail experience.
• Prior allocation or merchandise planning experience required.
• Strong retail math and analytical skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to analyze large volumes of data and translate insights into action.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Demonstrated leadership and team development experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• High attention to detail with strong organizational skills.