Position SummaryThe Manager of Inventory Management is responsible for leading the execution of allocation and replenishment strategies that optimize inventory investment and maximize sales across the store network. This role ensures inventory is positioned appropriately by store grade, cluster, and assortment strategy to support financial targets, in-season agility, and localized demand.
Partnering closely with Planning, Merchandising, and Supply Chain, the Manager translates demand forecasts and assortment plans into actionable inventory flows, driving improved in-stock rates, reduced stock imbalances, and strong inventory productivity. The role leverages data-driven insights-including size curves, sell-through performance, and weeks of supply-to proactively identify risks and opportunities, ensuring inventory is allocated efficiently and aligned to evolving business needs.
Duties and Responsibilities: - Allocation & Replenishment Execution:
- Execute allocation and replenishment strategies aligned with assortment plans, store grades, and merchandising priorities to optimize sales and in-stock performance.
- Manage replenishment flow and receipt timing to ensure inventory availability aligns with demand curves and financial objectives.
- Translate replenishment forecasts into actionable reorder, transfer, and allocation recommendations and orders across the store network.
- Inventory Positioning & Optimization:
- Ensure accurate inventory positioning by store cluster and grade to support localized demand and minimize overstock or stock-outs.
- Maintain and continuously refine size curves, integrating size-level demand data into allocation models for improved fit and sell-through.
- Leverage allocation/replenishment tools and systems to drive efficient and scalable inventory deployment.
- In-Season Inventory Management:
- Monitor in-season inventory health using key metrics such as weeks of supply (WOS), sell-through, stock-to-sales ratio, and aging inventory.
- Identify risks and opportunities early, including stock-outs, overstocks, and slow-moving inventory, and implement corrective actions.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to rebalance inventory through transfers, markdown strategies, or adjusted replenishment flows.
- Reporting & Business Insights:
- Support Weekly and Monthly Business Reviews by providing store-level performance insights, stock-out analysis, and inventory action plans.
- Develop and communicate reporting that highlights inventory productivity, risks, and opportunities to key stakeholders.
- Use data analysis to inform decision-making and continuously improve allocation and replenishment effectiveness.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Collaborate with Planning to incorporate store clustering inputs and ensure inventory distribution reflects cluster strategies.
- Partner with Merchandising, Supply Chain, and Store Operations to align on inventory priorities and execution.
- Provide input into assortment planning, forecasting, and promotional strategies based on inventory performance insights.
- Process Improvement & Strategy:
- Identify opportunities to enhance allocation and replenishment processes, tools, and methodologies.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to increase forecast accuracy, inventory productivity, and operational efficiency.
- Stay informed on retail industry trends and best practices to evolve inventory management strategies.
Qualifications and Skills Required:- 6-9+ years of retail inventory experience in allocation, replenishment, or merchandise planning within a multi-store or omnichannel environment.
- Proven ownership of inventory performance, with demonstrated impact on KPIs such as in-stock, sell-through, weeks of supply, and inventory turn.
- Deep expertise in allocation & replenishment strategies, including preseason allocation, demand-based replenishment, and in-season rebalancing.
- Strong retail financial acumen, with ability to align inventory decisions to sales, margin, and turn targets.
- Advanced analytical capabilities, including KPI analysis, forecasting interpretation, and data-driven decision-making.
- Experience with size curve optimization and localized assortments, ensuring accurate size-level and store-level inventory execution.
- Proficiency in tools and systems, including Excel (advanced) and allocation/replenishment platforms (e.g., Blue Yonder, Oracle, SAP).
- Ability to manage inventory at scale, across large SKU counts, store fleets, and complex assortments
- Cross-functional leadership and influence, effectively partnering with Planning, Merchandising, and Supply Chain teams.
- Experience leading or developing talent, either through direct management or mentoring analysts
- Strong execution skills, with the ability to balance strategic thinking and hands-on operational decision-making in a fast-paced environment.
- Continuous improvement mindset, identifying opportunities to optimize processes, inventory flow, and system utilization.
Work Environment and Physical Requirements: - Monday - Friday onsite, based out of our Roswell, GA Store Support Center. Flexibility to work extended and varied hours as needed.
- Must be able to stand and/or sit for extended periods of time as the job is completed primarily at a desk each day. Variable desk heights are offered so alternatively sitting and/or standing at the desk is optional.
Travel:- 5-10% of travel is required.
Other Duties:Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
