Director, Allocation

We are a fashion-lifestyle brand of big dreams, colorful confidence, and inspired design. Founded on Family, Fashion and Philanthropy, we believe that our employees and customers are the heart and soul of our brand, and that giving back is the truest form of success. Fashion meets innovation in the design of our two state-of-the-art facilities based in the heart of Austin, Texas, and overflows into the design of our growing retail environment across the country.   

 


Position Overview:
The Director of Allocation is a professional member of the Allocation team and reports to the Director of Planning and Allocation.  This is an exempt, salaried position whose primary responsibilities are to oversee allocation and replenishment for all categories across retail stores and ecommerce, partner cross functionally to gain alignment, and ensure financial goals are achieved while supporting overall company initiatives. The manager will also be responsible for developing members of the team while ensuring execution of the strategy and goals set for the department.

Responsibilities:
Allocation/ Replenishment Inventory Management

• Accountable for team results and department inventory management of all categories at the store/channel level, ensuring in stock rates to maximize Revenue while hitting inventory targets
• Proactively achieve allocation alignment from all cross functional partners to ensure allocations are supporting overall initiatives and key feature items
• Responsible for new store planning, ensuring we hit deadlines at the same time building flexibility within the process
• Own the Store Tier process within MPA department, based on Revenue, Productivity and Capacity
• Drive the team to develop and present strategies, evaluate performance, chase pertinent opportunities, and collaborate on allocation/distribution edits
• Oversee store level event product requests process, ensure efficiency and scalability for future growth
• Act as the liaison between the Home Office and Distribution Center on cross functional projects and initiatives
• Accountable for reporting on store/tier/regional performance, including store level turn, ensuring risks and opportunities are presented with recommendations
• View and communicate inventory from a global perspective; clearly understands inventory needs and impacts to all areas of the company
• Consolidate, prioritize and communicate revenue driving opportunities; ensuring timely action and cross functional buy-in for execution
• Facilitate and manage the store replenishment cadence, considering business needs based on seasonality as well as any operational initiatives
• Oversee scheduled quarterly rebalances, as well as other opportunities to optimize store inventory levels to maximize Revenue and Margin
• Responsible for on time delivery of all team deadlines
  

• Manage the Allocation team, set and redirect priorities; communicate strategies and develop objectives to drive financial targets while ensuring cross functional alignment
• Effectively manages up, communicating results to leadership including key wins, risks and opportunities
• Inspire the team to meet goals, seeks input from the team and has a collaborate approach
• Maintain a highly adaptable approach, help the team to navigate through change
• Ensure team understands expectations to ensure successful execution
• Seeks opportunities to improve process and efficiency, both in day to day operations as well as meetings
• Host 1:1s with the team to develop a deep understanding of each employee’s long-term goals and interests, provide continuous feedback that is both constructive and celebratory
• Problem solve any roadblocks brought up by the team, maintaining a calm, positive demeanor
• Identify strengths and opportunities within the team and coach them accordingly
  

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to determine execution plans that support Allocation, Planning and Merchandising strategies and goals
• Build strong relationships with Regional and District Managers to understand store and region level needs, ensure team is working to support these needs with inventory
• Partner closely with Visual Merchandising team on store level displays based on inventory levels, ensure key focus items are supported from a visual perspective
• Share channel/regional/store product performance, trends, and key insights with Planning and Merchandising to help support distribution strategies for future assortments
• Demonstrate a detailed level of collaboration with Distribution Center to ensure execution of store orders and consistent accurate inventory levels at the warehouse
• Act as a consultant with cross functional teams on future promotional plans, ensuring financial targets are achievable based on channel inventory levels
• Partner closely with Planning on channel distribution strategy, ensuring buy strategy and priority items are supported
• Collaborate with Retail Operations team on employee purchasing strategy, contests, cycle counts/physical inventory, and rebalances
• Partner with channel heads to continuously understand inventory needs, requests, opportunities and risks within their business
• Ensure clear, 360-degree communication with CFTs, gaining buy in on new initiatives, strategies, successes and opportunities
• Anticipate the impact of decision making on team and cross functional partners
• Drive influence with cross functional teams and senior leadership to ensure alignment of allocation strategies and financial goals
• Act as functional department leader while managers are out of office
  

• Bachelor’s degree, Retail Merchandising or Business preferred, or equivalent work experience
• 10 years’ experience in retail allocation/planning/buying for a high-growth company
• 5 years of experience managing a team
• A proven ability to break down larger initiatives into consumable achievable tasks to achieve departmental and company objectives
• Ability to clearly articulate plans and ensure team is aligned
• A solutions-oriented mentality with a data driven approach
• Omnichannel allocation experience required (multiple brick and mortar stores ecommerce)
• Analytical ability and proficiency in retail math and inventory management
• High level of experience using Excel and other tools to analyze a business to drive results
• A growth mindset: track record of leveraging past learnings, encouraging new ideas and smart risk taking in self and others
• Strong communication skills with a proven ability to build cross functional partnerships to make effective decisions collaboratively
• High commitment to employee growth and development: empowers team and defines success as having a significant impact on other’s careers
• A shared appreciation for our 3 core values of Family, Fashion and Philanthropy

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company.