Away

Allocation Optimization Manager

Away • $112K — $120K *
Retail & Consumer Goods
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years in Retail Planning, Allocation, or OTB Management in a multi-unit retail setting (10-50 stores preferred)
  • Advanced Excel skills for complex data modeling and experience with enterprise planning software
  • Strong understanding of retail metrics like OTB, GMROI, and inventory turns
  • Ability to balance chain-level targets with store-level precision in allocation
  • Proficient in collaborating with cross-functional teams across different departments
  • Excellent communication skills for presenting data-driven insights and incorporating team feedback
  • Creative mindset with a passion for innovative, brand-aligned solutions

Responsibilities

  • Own and execute initial allocations and seasonal floorsets for 16 retail stores and e-commerce
  • Collaborate with Engineering and Data teams to refine tool logic and improve processes
  • Evaluate store performance and execute replenishment using established frameworks
  • Identify best sellers and slow movers to inform future merchandising strategies
  • Manage monthly Open-to-Buy checking and reporting alongside Planning leadership
  • Analyze fleet inventory health and propose adjustments to planning leaders
  • Optimize delivery schedules and inventory flow in collaboration with Operations and 3PL partners

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance offerings for employees and their families
  • 401(k) plan with company matching to aid future investment
  • Generous paid time off programs, including vacation and wellbeing initiatives
  • Employee discounts and product stipends to curate a travel-themed wardrobe
  • Opportunities for community engagement through volunteer programs
Full Job Description
We are hiring an Allocation Optimization Manager to join our Merchandising, Planning, & Allocation team. This position reports to the VP, Merchandising and takes Away further by managing inventory allocation workflows and supporting the operational growth of our retail stores and digital channel. Sitting at the intersection of Allocation, Merchandise Planning, and Store Operations, the Allocation Optimization Manager owns the end-to-end inventory lifecycle across our 16 retail locations and digital channel. If you are a data-driven retail planner who loves solving complex puzzles and wants to build the automation that scales a business, this is your launchpad. What you'll do as the Allocation Optimization Manager Core Fleet Allocation & Workload Evolution • You'll own and execute initial allocations, seasonal floorsets, and ongoing replenishment across 16 retail stores and the e-commerce channel, maintaining optimal fleet-wide stock depth and sell-through rates • You'll execute allocation routines and collaborate with Engineering and Data teams to test and support tool logic refinements and process enhancements Store Planning & Assortment Strategy • You'll execute store replenishment and evaluate store performance using established tiering frameworks, incorporating local climate, capacity, historical trends, and demographic insights • You'll identify location-specific best sellers and slow movers, synthesizing performance trends into actionable recommendations for Merchandising for future seasons • You'll maintain an active feedback loop with Store Managers and District Managers to incorporate hyper-local trends, competitive shifts, and unique store needs into allocation strategies Financial Planning & Open-to-Buy (OTB) • You'll manage monthly Open-to-Buy (OTB) tracking and reporting process for the retail fleet, evaluating sales and receipt variances in partnership with Planning leadership • You'll support the Merch Planning Director and Finance team in tracking store-level revenue plans and identifying variances between top-down targets and bottom-up trends • You'll perform fleet inventory health analysis, escalating identified stock risks and proposing operational adjustments to planning leadership System Implementation & Operational Alignment • You'll collaborate with Operations and 3PL partners to optimize delivery schedules, stock buffer management, and inventory flow across the fleet Who you are • You have a minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in Retail Planning, Allocation, or OTB Management within a multi-unit retail environment (10-50 stores preferred) • You're advanced in Excel (dynamic data structures, scenario modeling, complex formulas) and have experience with enterprise planning software or BI platforms (e.g., Oracle, Blue Yonder, SAP) • You have a deep understanding of core retail metrics and processes, including Open-to-Buy (OTB), GMROI, inventory turn, Weeks of Supply (WOS), and sell-through • You have a strategic mindset that balances macro chain-level targets across 17 stores and e-commerce with micro, store-level allocation precision • You have the proven ability to navigate matrixed teams across Merchandising, Planning, Marketing, Stores, and 3PL/Operations • You're a strong communicator with a track record of presenting data-driven insights to leadership and partnering with field teams to translate qualitative store feedback into actionable inventory strategies • You're creative and innovative; you love to build great new things that are fresh and unique while staying on brand • You're agile, and motivated by a fast-paced and ever changing environment • You're passionate about transforming travel for all (but that's a given!) Excited to join the team, but not sure you meet all of the qualifications? Please apply, we'd still love to hear from you. What We Offer Our total rewards are inclusive of both compensation and benefits. What we offer within a salary range is dependent on a number of factors, including scope and qualifications for the role, skillset, and balancing internal equity relative to other Away employees. Salary and benefit offerings are reviewed during phone screenings to ensure alignment. • Compensation: $112,000.00-$120,000.00 annually • This role is eligible to participate in Away's Annual Company Performance Incentive Bonus Plan, the terms of which are determined at the discretion of the company • Equity Grant: commensurate with level determined at the discretion of the company • Benefits Overview: • Take care of yourself and your family through our health insurance offerings • Invest in your future by participating in our 401(k) (with a company match!) • Find balance through our many paid time off programs (vacation, wellbeing, holidays, summer Fridays, and compassion leave - just to name a few!) • Build your travel uniform through discount codes, product stipends, and giveaways • Give back through company-sponsored volunteer and charitable opportunities How We Work This is an office-based position that works from our Soho, NYC office four days a week. Our working hours are 9am-6pm et, but we embrace a common-sense approach to flexibility in the workplace. It's about being present, engaged, and balancing work with real-life needs.

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