The Director of Allocation & Planning is a key leadership role responsible for driving inventory optimization, allocation strategy, and merchandise planning execution across the organization. Reporting to the Buying & Merchandising Leadership. This position provides leadership and direction to the Senior Planning team while overseeing the Allocation function, ensuring inventory is positioned appropriately to maximize sales, margin, inventory turn, and product availability.
This role serves as a critical bridge between Planning, Allocation, Buying, Merchandising, Finance, Distribution, and Logistics, translating broader company strategies into actionable inventory and planning decisions.
What you'll do
- Lead, coach, and develop the allocation and planning team, establishing clear expectations, priorities, and accountability.
- Partner with Buying & Merchandising Leadership to execute company-wide sales, inventory, margin, and open-to-buy strategies.
- Oversee allocation and replenishment strategies across stores and e-commerce to maximize product availability while minimizing stockouts and excess inventory.
- Guide the Senior Planners in analyzing sales, margin, inventory, receipts, and turn performance and identifying risks and opportunities.
- Review department and category forecasts and recommend actions to achieve financial objectives.
- Drive consistent planning, forecasting, hindsight, and reporting processes across the Planning and Allocation functions.
- Establish and monitor key inventory and performance metrics, translating data into actionable recommendations for leadership.
- Partner with Buying and Merchandising to ensure inventory strategies support assortment, promotional, and category objectives.
- Collaborate with Distribution and Logistics to optimize inventory flow and product availability.
- Oversee allocation strategies for new store openings, seasonal transitions, promotions, and other key business initiatives.
- Identify opportunities to improve planning and allocation systems, tools, reporting, and processes.
- Develop talent across the Planning and Allocation teams while building a collaborative, accountable, and results-driven culture.
Who you are
- Be a TPS brand ambassador
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Finance, Analytics, or a related field.
- 5+ years of progressive retail merchandise planning and allocation management experience.
- Proven experience leading and developing Senior Planners, Planners, Allocators, or other inventory professionals.
- Strong knowledge of retail planning, allocation, replenishment, forecasting, and open-to-buy management.
- Strong financial and analytical skills with experience managing sales, margin, inventory, receipt, and turn performance.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience with merchandise planning, allocation, and reporting systems.
- A strategic thinker who can also roll up their sleeves and work through detailed inventory and business analysis.
- A strong communicator who can translate complex data into clear recommendations and influence cross-functional partners.
- Collaborative, proactive, and comfortable working in a fast-paced retail environment.
- Experienced coaching and developing teams while holding them accountable for results.
- Able to work onsite at the Corporate Office in Acton, MA five days per week.
TPS Group Holdings is an equal-opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, veteran status, or any other classification protected by state, local or federal law.
The pay range on this posting reflects what the company reasonably expects to pay for at this location at the time of this posting.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Merchandising, Finance, Analytics, or a related field
- 5+ years of progressive retail merchandise planning and allocation management experience
- Experience leading and developing Senior Planners, Planners, Allocators, or other inventory professionals
- Strong knowledge of retail planning, allocation, replenishment, forecasting, and open-to-buy management
- Strong financial and analytical skills involving sales, margin, inventory, receipts, and turn performance
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and experience with merchandise planning, allocation, and reporting systems
- Strategic thinking and ability to perform detailed inventory and business analysis
- Strong communication skills and ability to translate complex data into recommendations and influence cross-functional partners
- Experience coaching and developing teams while holding them accountable for results
- Ability to work onsite at the corporate office in Acton, Massachusetts five days per week
The Paper Store Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about The Paper Store and has not been reviewed or approved by The Paper Store.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Employee discount and occasional appreciation events are seen as meaningful lifestyle perks that add tangible value. These perks can make roles feel more appealing for part‑time or entry‑level employees.
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Retirement Support — Access to a 401(k) plan with a company match is available to eligible staff. This provides a baseline for long‑term savings despite mixed views on overall compensation.
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Healthcare Strength — Full‑time roles include medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage, and life/disability insurance, with company‑paid short‑term disability noted. The breadth of coverage reflects a standard, comprehensive retail benefits offering.
The Paper Store Insights
What We Do
The Paper Store is a family-founded, privately-held American specialty gift retailer based in Acton, Massachusetts. It operates over 100 stores across the Northeast, Florida, and Illinois, offering a curated selection of on-trend brands and products. The company provides a unique, boutique-style shopping experience catering to contemporary suburban families with a diverse range of items, including apparel, accessories, jewelry, stationery, and other unique gifts.
