Allocator

Role Summary

The Allocator is charged with overseeing the comprehensive allocation and replenishment processes for products within designated brands or categories, ensuring stores maintain ideal inventory levels. The role aims to perfectly balance stock with consumer demand, enhancing sell-through rates and supporting commercial goals by executing effective allocation, replenishment, and stock redistribution initiatives. Collaboration with Merchandising, Buying, Retail Operations, and Logistics teams is essential to deliver allocation and consolidation strategies that improve store performance and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Implement initial product allocations for seasonal and core ranges to stores, factoring in store grading, available space, sales prospects, and assortment strategies.
• Continuously track daily and weekly sales, stock balance, and sell-through metrics by store and SKU to maintain ideal inventory levels and product availability.
• Manage replenishment efforts targeting top-performing stores and SKUs, while identifying underperforming stock for consolidation or redistribution.
• Analyze product size performance, store demographics, and regional trends to optimize size distribution, pack ratios, and store grading over time.
• Provide stock packages and plans to support new store launches, refurbishments, and closures including consolidations and clearance strategies.
• Create and update regular reports on allocation and inventory status, offering transparency on stock health, weeks of cover, and potential lost sales risks.
• Collaborate with Logistics and Supply Chain to ensure smooth product delivery; proactively resolve shipment issues impacting availability.
• Synchronize allocation and replenishment with marketing efforts such as promotions, campaigns, and product launches to guarantee timely in-store execution.
• Comply with allocation policies, timelines, and guidelines, and suggest enhancements to allocation processes and tools informed by market insights.
• Work closely with Merchandising, Buying, and Retail Operations to relay store feedback, market intelligence, and highlight trading opportunities and risks.

Skills and Qualifications

• Degree in Business or Merchandising is essential; postgraduate education is an added advantage.
• 2-3 years experience in retail allocation, preferably within sports or fashion retail sectors.
• Comprehensive understanding of inventory planning concepts such as weeks of cover, replenishment mechanisms, and sell-through analytics.
• Proficient analytical and numeric capabilities with skill in interpreting sales and stock data to formulate practical recommendations.
• Advanced expertise in MS Excel; familiarity with automated reporting frameworks is beneficial.
• Experience using allocation, planning, or ERP software solutions such as SAP or Oracle.
• Deep knowledge of retail performance metrics, store grading systems, and assortment planning with capacity to suggest improvements based on trading analysis.
• Excellent attention to detail, ensuring accuracy in managing data for multiple SKUs, ranges, and seasons.
• Strong organizational aptitude and ability to collaborate effectively across multiple departments including Merchandising, Buying, Retail Operations, and Logistics.