Store Planner, Apparel & Accessories

Skechers•Manhattan Beach, CA

About The Position

The Store Planner for domestic retail oversees a team of allocation analysts and optimizes apparel inventory distribution across Skechers’ retail network in the United States and Canada. The role ensures products are placed in the right stores at the right time to maximize sales and profitability while minimizing markdowns and transfers. It reviews sales trends and works with buyers and the merchandise financial planning team to support allocation strategies and retail financial plans. The position monitors and adjusts store inventory in response to sales performance, promotions, seasonal demand, and capacity constraints. It develops store-specific allocation strategies, protects sales by mitigating out-of-stocks, maintains apparel size integrity, and uses store-level reporting to improve inventory efficiency and performance. The Store Planner also coordinates inventory transfers, contributes localized insights to demand forecasting and assortment planning, ensures seasonal and special-event allocations are executed on schedule, and works with supply chain, store operations, merchandising, and planning teams. The role identifies and implements process improvements in collaboration with the director of retail allocations, documents and communicates best practices, and coaches and trains retail allocators. The position requires a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and at least five years of related experience. Experience in footwear retail is preferred but not required. The stated pay range is $80,000–$100,000 per year USD.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
At least 5 years of experience in retail allocation, inventory management, or a similar role.
Proven experience building, managing, and mentoring talent, with measurable improvements in team performance and employee development.
Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret complex data and make data-driven decisions.
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think strategically.
Strong communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively across departments.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
Experience with allocation software, such as O9, Blue Yonder, or Oracle Retail.
Advanced knowledge of retail math and inventory management principles.
Familiarity with retail KPIs such as sell-through, weeks of supply, and turn.
Understanding of apparel allocation principles, including seasonal cadence, size integrity management, and floor-set execution timelines.
Proactive approach to identifying and solving inventory challenges, including out-of-stock mitigation for key styles and stores.
Attention to detail and accuracy in data analysis and reporting.
Strong work ethic and organizational skills.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to summarize complex ideas concisely and communicate with all levels of the organization.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
Ability to excel in a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in footwear retail.

Responsibilities

Oversee a team of allocation analysts and optimize apparel inventory distribution across the United States and Canada retail network.
Monitor and proactively adjust store inventory by product category based on sales performance, promotions, seasonal demands, and capacity constraints.
Use allocation software and systems to execute distribution plans and ensure consistent product replenishment to stores.
Tailor allocation strategies to individual store needs, customer profiles, and local demand patterns, including recommending style expansions and contractions to the buying team.
Mitigate out-of-stock situations for top styles in top-performing stores.
Own store-level reporting and analysis across gender and product-class metrics, using sales-to-inventory ratios to identify imbalances and develop solutions.
Maintain size integrity for core apparel by monitoring size curves and replenishment patterns.
Build relationships with merchandising, planning, and store operations teams to align on inventory goals and strategies.
Coordinate in-season and end-of-season transfers to rebalance inventory, minimize markdowns, and improve productivity of on-hand goods.
Partner with store operations and merchandising teams to execute transfers in a timely and cost-effective manner.
Contribute observations and actionable insights about geographic and cluster-level selling trends to demand forecasting and assortment planning discussions.
Use localized selling insights to influence future buy decisions, assortment strategies, and pre-distribution plans.
Ensure seasonal allocations are accurate and on schedule to support in-store presentation.
Work with supply chain and store operations to ensure timely and accurate store deliveries, including new-store and special-event allocations.
Identify allocation process improvements and work with the director of retail allocations to implement best practices.
Document and communicate allocation best practices to retail allocators.
Coach and train retail allocators to support team development.