Allocation Analyst

TPS Group Holdings, a family of brands including The Paper Store, Uncharted and Gifts & More, is all about transforming daily routines into joyful escapes that inspire and surprise. Our mission is to connect with every customer through carefully chosen products, immersive shopping experiences, and service that goes the extra mile—creating a space that sparks joy with every visit.

Position Overview: The Allocation Analyst is instrumental in driving inventory efficiencies across retail locations, with the goal of maximizing sales, minimizing stockouts, and reducing excess inventory. This analytical role involves evaluation of sales trends, inventory levels, store performance and demand forecasts to make data-backed allocation decisions. This role is highly cross functional, partnering closely with buying and planning to effectively execute allocation and assortment strategies across locations.

What You’ll Do

- Execute daily system-driven allocations and replenishments to maintain strong sales, margin, inventory turn, and in-stock levels across assortments.

• Review store-level and e-commerce forecasts to ensure alignment with sales potential and inventory capacity.
• Analyze inventory data and store level trends to identify opportunities for improving product availability, reducing stockouts, and minimizing excess inventory on slow sellers. • Analyze store, district, and regional performance data to build expertise in location level trends; use findings to support allocation decisions and improve inventory alignment.
• Partner with planning and buying teams to align allocation strategies, initial inventory levels, and assortment plans; support execution through ongoing communication around replenishment and inventory needs.
• Maintain presentation minimums and style/store eligibility to ensure adequate inventory for merchandising standards and store-specific assortment needs.
• Review style forecasts to support promotion events and catalog drops with appropriate inventory levels.
• Monitor end-to-end product flow –from allocation through warehouse receipt, distribution center processing, and store delivery. Report issues or delays ensuring timely inventory movement.
• Partner with warehouse teams to resolve order discrepancies and maintain accurate case pack data, supporting efficient product handling across the chain.
• Facilitate inter-store transfers to support buyer led assortment strategies or optimize effective sell-through across locations on end-of-life merchandise. • Execute initial inventory plans for new and remodeled locations by aligning stock levels to Buyer-developed assortment strategies; analyze like-volume and assorted store performance to build targets and monitor post-launch results to support ongoing optimization.
• Recap and report on product and location-level performance; present findings and actionable insights to cross-functional partners to inform future allocation decisions.
• Identify and report trends in forecast discrepancies and replenishment inefficiencies to the Allocation Manager to support continuous process improvement.
• Engage in ongoing training to stay current on system enhancements and process improvements. Support in testing new system releases for functionality and usability.
• Complete any additional tasks assigned by management.

Who You Are

- Bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising, business, analytics, or a related field. This is an entry-level opportunity, and prior professional experience is not required. Internship, retail, buying, planning, or merchandising experience is a plus. - Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with a strong focus on Excel (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUP); eager to deepen skills through hand on experience

• Basic analytical and quantitative skills; comfortable working with data and drawing insights
• Exceptional organizational and time-management skills; ability to prioritize, multitask, and meet deadlines independently in a fast-paced environment.
• High attention to detail, accuracy, and quality; proactive problem-solving capabilities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Highly collaborative, resourceful, self-motivated, and committed to contributing to a positive, solution-oriented, and progressive work environment.
• Professional presentation in attire, demeanor, and appearance.
• Ability to work on-site at the Corporate Office in Acton, MA, four days per week.

Please be aware that any pay ranges displayed on The Paper Store's job postings are to accommodate the wide range of candidate experience, store sales volume and geography.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising, business, analytics, or any related field. Prior internship or experience in retail, buying, or merchandising is preferred but not required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with a strong focus on Excel (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUP); eager to deepen skills through hand on experience

- Basic analytical and quantitative skills; comfortable working with data and drawing insights - Exceptional organizational and time-management skills; ability to prioritize, multitask, and meet deadlines independently in a fast-paced environment. - High attention to detail, accuracy, and quality; proactive problem-solving capabilities - Excellent written and verbal communication skills - Highly collaborative, resourceful, self-motivated, and committed to contributing to a positive, solution-oriented, and progressive work environment. - Professional presentation in attire, demeanor, and appearance. - Ability to work on-site at the Corporate Office in Acton, MA, four days per week.

Competencies:

- Accountability : Demonstrates a sense of corporate responsibility. Takes personal ownership and responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work. Ensures that actions are consistent with words.

• Communication: Communicates information with consistency and clarity; uses active listening to effectively understand and provide feedback. Adjusts communication style to suit the audience to promotion engagement and increase understanding.
• Creativity and Initiative: Forward-thinking, recognizes opportunities and finds new ways of doing things and implements and improves whenever possible. Encourages creativity and innovation.

- Professionalism: Maintains a professional and positive manner even under changing and uncertain conditions. Works well with a wide range of individuals to provide support, encouragement and direction. Engage others to accomplish organizational and departmental goals. Is seen as a role model.

• Personal Development : Displays self-awareness, a high level of energy, persistence and a positive outlook. Continuously seeks ways to improve and learn from mistakes and constructive feedback.