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Salary: USD 112,000 - 120,000 / annual
Away is a direct-to-consumer luggage and travel essentials company founded in 2016. The Allocation Optimization Manager will join the Merchandising, Planning, & Allocation team, reporting to the VP of Merchandising, and own the end-to-end inventory lifecycle across 16 retail locations and the e-commerce channel.
Core responsibilities include:
**Fleet Allocation & Workload Evolution**: Execute initial allocations, seasonal floorsets, and ongoing replenishment across 16 retail stores and e-commerce, maintaining optimal fleet-wide stock depth and sell-through rates. Collaborate with Engineering and Data teams to test tool logic refinements and process enhancements.
**Store Planning & Assortment Strategy**: Execute store replenishment and evaluate performance using tiering frameworks that incorporate local climate, capacity, historical trends, and demographics. Identify location-specific best sellers and slow movers, synthesizing performance trends into actionable recommendations for future seasons. Maintain active feedback loops with Store Managers and District Managers to incorporate hyper-local trends and competitive shifts.
**Financial Planning & Open-to-Buy (OTB)**: Manage monthly OTB tracking and reporting for the retail fleet, evaluating sales and receipt variances in partnership with Planning leadership. Support the Merch Planning Director and Finance team in tracking store-level revenue plans and identifying variances. Perform fleet inventory health analysis and escalate stock risks with proposed operational adjustments.
**System Implementation & Operational Alignment**: Collaborate with Operations and 3PL partners to optimize delivery schedules, stock buffer management, and inventory flow across the fleet.
This role sits at the intersection of allocation, merchandise planning, and store operations, requiring a data-driven retail planner who loves solving complex puzzles and building automation that scales.
**Requirements**:
- Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in Retail Planning, Allocation, or OTB Management within a multi-unit retail environment (10–50 stores preferred)
- Advanced Excel proficiency (dynamic data structures, scenario modeling, complex formulas)
- Experience with enterprise planning software or BI platforms (e.g., Oracle, Blue Yonder, SAP)
- Deep understanding of core retail metrics: Open-to-Buy (OTB), GMROI, inventory turn, Weeks of Supply (WOS), sell-through
- Strategic mindset balancing macro chain-level targets with micro store-level allocation precision
- Proven ability to navigate matrixed teams across Merchandising, Planning, Marketing, Stores, and 3PL/Operations
- Strong communication skills with track record of presenting data-driven insights to leadership
- Ability to translate qualitative store feedback into actionable inventory strategies
- Creative, innovative mindset; agile and motivated by fast-paced environments
- Passion for transforming travel experiences
