Allocations Analyst, Retail Merchandising & Inventory
Overview
You own product allocation for Michaels stores, balancing inventory flow across 1,300+ locations. You will partner with buyers and planners to place goods where they sell fastest, using historical sales data to guide decisions. Your work directly impacts store productivity and customer satisfaction. This role suits a data-driven retail professional who thrives on cross-functional collaboration.
What You'll Do14
- 1Build allocation criteria from historical sales patterns to optimize store-level product placement.
- 2Review sales tracking with buyers weekly, adjusting strategies to capture demand shifts.
- 3Partner with planners to sync wave plans with space timing, ensuring goods arrive when shelves reset.
- 4Analyze prior year sales, inventory, and demand to refine new season allocation plans.
- 5Incorporate merchandise strategy, like allocation checklists, into daily processes.
- 6Communicate with store ops, district managers, and zone VPs to find sales and allocation improvement opportunities.
- 7Provide warehouse distribution for initial purchase orders and update assortment info as changes occur.
- 8Allocate purchase orders for assigned departments, including seasonal, trend, and direct-to-store items.
- 9Execute allocations to store level, adjusting for special programs like Canada, FMA, Ship from Stores, and BOPIS.
- 10Coordinate with DC expediters on allocation issues, including unscheduled pushes, short ships, and overages.
- 11Validate stores on planograms before releasing allocations and meet predetermined timelines.
- 12Partner with new store team on opening timing, incorporating into DC breaks and allocations.
- 13Visit stores with buyers and planners, and participate in POG reviews for upcoming seasonal sets.
- 14Captain special projects assigned by supervisor.
Requirements8
- 11-3 years retail experience preferred.
- 2BS in Retail, Business, or related field.
- 3Proficiency with Excel for data analysis and reporting.
- 4Experience with ERP or allocation software is a plus.
- 5Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- 6Ability to communicate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- 7Detail-oriented with a focus on accuracy.
- 8Familiarity with store operations and distribution processes.
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