Allocation Analyst
At Home · Coppell
Work Location Details
Location: Home Office - Coppell, TX
Weekly Work Schedule: Hybrid
Onsite: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays
Work-From Home: Mondays, Fridays
JOB SUMMARY
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of an allocation organization and implement new tools and systems for a growing home décor business. The Allocation Analyst is responsible for controlling inventories at the store and cluster level by department/class/SKU to ensure the department meets and exceeds sales and margin plans. Provide analysis to the buying and planning team on product categories and make recommendations on assortments and allocation processes.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Collaborate with buyers and planners to develop and communicate a comprehensive assortment planning and allocation strategy that aligns financial and product goals by department/class
Manage the pre-receiving review of styles to ensure allocations to the stores are in line with the assortment and allocation plan
Provide in-season analysis to make allocation adjustments based on individual store and cluster performance to maximize sales and inventory productivity
Hindsight post-season performance of sales, sell through, and profitability by store and cluster to assist merchant, planning, and sourcing partners on buy quantification and case pack guardrails for future seasons
Review basket analysis and rate of sale by product type to determine store minimum allocation quantities
Support the successful implementation of new systems and processes
Establish volume groups by class and product category for assortment planning and allocation purposes
Build store attributes to understand specific market/store needs utilizing data to drive market segment purchases and allocations
Review inventory levels and store rankings by department/class, and develop strategies to optimize inventory with new receipts and replenishment
Build opening assortments for new stores based on sales and inventory goals
Track and prioritize receipts and inventory flow through the DC to the stores
Execute all system requirements to allocate product and report recommendations to maximize sales and inventory opportunities
Participate in local store visits to monitor the impact of allocations and gain field feedback
Collaborate with peers to ensure consistency of information, share best practices and develop systems knowledge.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with members of cross-functional team
Partner with Store Operations to review store notes and communication. Provide action-oriented feedback to support individual store issues.
Coordinate with the Store Field Team, Supply Chain, and Accounting to perform store-to-store transfers as needed
Maintain and communicate weekly reporting on store performance and in-stock rates. Review future receipt flow and provide proactive recommendations to maintain baseline in-stock expectations across all store clusters.
Provide ad-hoc analysis as required
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, relevant experience required
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret data and make actionable recommendations
Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Excel; demonstrated ability to quickly learn and adapt to new systems and technical applications
Working knowledge of retail key performance indicators (KPIs) such as Sales, Inventory, Receipts, Sell-Through, Store Productivity/Index, and Gross Margin preferred
Experience with retail planning or allocation systems (e.g., JDA, Oracle Retail Planning Optimization) preferred
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present insights and recommendations
Proven ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with cross-functional partners
Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced, changing environment
Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks
High sense of urgency, accuracy, and attention to detail