Director, Allocations

Overview:

The Director of Allocation is a critical leader within the Planning, Allocation & Replenishment (PAR) organization, responsible for driving best-in-class inventory deployment across stores and channels.

This role translates enterprise strategy into precise, data-driven allocation and replenishment execution—ensuring the right product is in the right place, at the right time to maximize sales, improve in-stock, and drive profitable inventory productivity.

The Director plays a key role in delivering the company’s strategic pillar of “Mastering the Fundamentals” by optimizing inventory flow, accelerating speed to shelf, and enabling responsive, demand-driven decision-making at scale.

Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Allocation & Replenishment Strategy Execution
• Own end-to-end allocation and replenishment execution for assigned banner/category
• Drive inventory productivity through optimized initial allocation, replenishment, and lifecycle management
• Balance depth in core replenishment items with risk management on fashion inventory
• Ensure strong in-stock performance while improving sell-through and inventory turns

Translate Strategy into Action

• Execute against enterprise allocation priorities, including:
• Increasing depth in key volume drivers
• Expanding high-performing brands/categories
• Optimizing store clustering, localization and space optimization
• Maximizing launch performance and flow
• Align allocation decisions to financial plans, assortment strategies, capacity planning and business priorities
• Take ownership of delivering measurable results against KPIs

Lead, Develop & Elevate the Team

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing allocation team
• Set clear expectations for accountability, speed, and decision-making
• Build team capabilities in analytics, prioritization, and strategic thinking
• Foster a culture of ownership, continuous improvement, and proactive problem solving

Drive Data-Led Decision Making

• Leverage data and analytics and AI to inform allocation decisions at SKU-store level
• Monitor business performance and proactively rebalance inventory to capture sales opportunities and mitigate risk
• Track and drive key performance indicators, including:
• In-stock rates (basic vs fashion)
• Weeks of supply
• Sell-through and inventory turn
• Allocation effectiveness

Partner Cross-Functionally

• Collaborate closely with Merchandising, Merchandise Planning, Stores and Supply Chain to align inventory strategy and execution
• Act as the voice of Allocation in divisional and enterprise discussions
• Partner with Field Leadership to incorporate local insights, competitive trends, and customer demand signals
• Ensure alignment across planning, allocation, pricing, and inventory optimization strategies

Drive Operational Excellence & Process Improvement

• Serve as a subject matter expert in allocation systems and tools (e.g., Quantum, ALR, OP)
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve processes, tools, and workflows
• Partner with Merch & Planning Operations to advance automation and system capabilities
• Ensure accuracy, consistency, and efficiency in allocation execution

Own Execution Against Business Plans

• Partner with Buyers and Planners to develop and execute pre-season and in-season location-level assortment and inventory plans (DSP, SAT)
• Monitor store openings, resets, and key events to ensure inventory targets are achieved
• Track performance against plans and take corrective action as needed
• Take full ownership of delivering against action plans and business goals

Leadership Expectations

• “Yes, if…” mindset: Brings solutions and defines what is needed to deliver results
• Write the news vs. report the news: Anticipates issues and acts proactively
• Enterprise thinking: Balances banner needs with company-wide priorities
• Bias for action: Operates with urgency and accountability
• Develop others: Builds strong, capable teams

Qualifications:

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• 8+ years of experience in allocation, planning, or merchandising in a multi-store retail environment
• 4+ years of leadership experience managing teams
• Footwear or apparel experience strongly preferred

Core Capabilities

• Strong analytical skills with ability to translate data into actionable decisions
• Deep understanding of allocation, replenishment, and inventory optimization
• Experience with allocation systems, planning tools, and advanced Excel
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional partners and senior leadership
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills

Preferred Experience

• Experience in value-focused or neighborhood-based retail models
• Familiarity with athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories categories
• Experience with omnichannel inventory strategies

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Talent Development
• Customer-Centric Mindset
• Operational Excellence

At Foot Locker, we value innovation, authenticity, and integrity in all that we do. To uphold the security and fairness of our hiring process, we ask that candidates refrain from using AI tools, including ChatGPT, during interviews and assessments. To ensure a smooth and secure experience, please review the following guidelines:

• Cameras must be on for all virtual interviews.
• AI tools are strictly prohibited during interviews or assessments.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work together to create a transparent and equitable hiring experience.

Benefits:

The annual salary range for this role is $120,000 - $150,000 / year. This range represents the anticipated low and high end of the salary for this position. This role is also eligible to receive short term incentives that align with individual and company performance. Salary will be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, location, and alignment with market data. Salary is one component of the Foot Locker, Inc. total compensation package, which includes the below:

 

Foot Locker Benefits:

• Employee Discount
• Paid Time Off
• Medical | Dental | Vision Coverage
• 401(k) | Roth 401(k)
• Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Opportunities for Advancement
• Education Reimbursement for Qualified Courses
• Strong Company Culture
• Employee Resource Groups