About Designer Brands
At Designer Brands, we are the proud parent company of DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, The Shoe Company, and Rubino, operating nearly 675 stores across North America and a billion-dollar digital commerce business. We lead the footwear industry with a diverse portfolio of iconic brands, including Topo Athletic, Keds, Vince Camuto, Kelly & Katie, Jessica Simpson, Lucky Brand, Mix No. 6, Crown Vintage, and others. With expertise in design, production, and sourcing, we create on-trend footwear and accessories, delivered through a robust omni-channel infrastructure and national wholesale distribution. At Designer Brands, we are committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, where each employee’s unique perspective contributes to our success. Anchored by our core values of “We Love What We Do,” “We Own What We Do,” “We Do What’s Right,” and “We Belong,” we continuously drive forward together, building a future where everyone can put their best foot forward.
At Designer Brands, inventory is more than product on a shelf. It's about ensuring customers can find the styles they love when and where they want them. As a Senior Allocation Analyst, you'll play a key role in making that happen.
In this role, you'll blend data, strategy, and partnership to help maximize inventory performance across assigned categories. You'll use insights to inform allocation decisions, identify opportunities, and influence strategies that support customer demand and business goals. Working closely with Merchandise, Planning, and Store Planning teams, you'll help create inventory solutions that drive results while improving processes and ways of working.
You'll also serve as a trusted resource for the allocation team, sharing expertise, supporting development, and helping elevate best practices across the organization.
What You'll Be DoingDrive Inventory Strategy & Performance- Own and optimize allocation strategies for assigned categories, aligning inventory decisions with assortment strategies, store capacity, customer demand, and financial objectives.
- Analyze performance at the store and item level to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
- Recommend and implement actions that improve in-stock levels, inventory productivity, and overall business performance.
- Monitor inventory flow and make adjustments to support changing business needs.
- Collaborate with Merchandising, Planning, and Store Planning partners to align allocation strategies with broader business initiatives.
- Contribute insights that help shape assortment decisions and inventory placement strategies.
- Communicate recommendations clearly and effectively to cross-functional teams and leadership.
- Develop and maintain reporting and analytical tools that support informed decision-making.
- Translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for business partners.
- Use data to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and operational efficiency.
- Lead and support initiatives that enhance allocation processes, system functionality, automation, and scalability.
- Identify opportunities to simplify workflows and improve consistency across allocation practices.
- Help drive adoption of tools and best practices that improve team effectiveness.
- Serve as a resource and mentor for Allocators, sharing knowledge, coaching on best practices, and supporting professional development.
- Foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the team.
- 3+ years of experience in allocation, planning, analytics, or retail inventory management.
- Advanced analytical and retail math skills, with the ability to transform complex data into meaningful insights and recommendations.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
- Experience with retail allocation systems is preferred.
- Strong business acumen, including an understanding of product lifecycle management, assortment strategy, and inventory flow.
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with effective execution.
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make informed decisions in a dynamic environment.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail and accuracy.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to present ideas and recommendations effectively to cross-functional partners and leaders.
- Experience working collaboratively across teams to achieve shared goals.
- Experience with retail allocation systems such as Blue Yonder/JDA, Oracle, or similar platforms.
Perks and Benefits You’ll Enjoy!
- Your Sole Well-Being: Our benefits package is crafted with our associates in mind! We support you with benefits like free virtual health care, robust family/fertility benefits, 401(k) w/ match, and more. Explore our offerings at https://mymobilewalletcard.com/dbi.
- Stride with Flexibility: We offer hybrid and remote work opportunities, giving you the freedom to stay connected, productive, and inspired—wherever you do your best work.
- Stepping Up Your Career: Take advantage of training programs, professional development, and education assistance to advance your career with a company that celebrates bold ideas and fresh perspectives.
- We are Shoe-Obsessed: Because we know a great pair of shoes can change your day, you’ll enjoy 30% off at DSW & com, plus discounts across our family of brands.
Skills Required
- 3+ years of experience in allocation, planning, analytics, or retail inventory management
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
- Advanced analytical and retail math skills; ability to translate complex data into actionable insights
- Strong business acumen including product lifecycle management, assortment strategy, and inventory flow
- Ability to manage multiple priorities with attention to detail and accuracy
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills; ability to present recommendations to cross-functional partners and leaders
- Experience with retail allocation systems (e.g., Blue Yonder/JDA, Oracle)
What We Do
Designer Brands is one of North America’s largest designers, producers and retailers of footwear and accessories that operates retail concepts. Our primary concept, DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, offers brand name and designer dress, casual and athletic footwear and accessories. The first store opened in 1991 in Dublin, Ohio. Today, DSW operates more than 500 stores in 44 states. The Affiliated Business Group operates nearly 290 leased departments for other retailers, such as Stein Mart, in the U.S. Designer Brands also operates several retail concepts in Canada, including The Shoe Company and Shoe Warehouse, which provide a convenient footwear solution for the whole family, as well as DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse – nearly 150 locations in all. In 2018, the company acquired Camuto Group, the legendary product design and brand development organization best known for the successful Vince Camuto® brand and the footwear licenses of Jessica Simpson® and Lucky Brand®. The partnership transformed Designer Brands into one of the largest footwear companies in North America with global, industry-leading capabilities in product design, development, sourcing and production.
