Senior Manager, Allocations and Replenishment - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc.

At Cracker Barrel, our mission is Pleasing People. This is evident from the moment you walk through our doors, with the first smile that greets you, from the items in our retail store to the food on the table, we welcome you home!

Has the overall responsibility to ensure inventory is best positioned to drive sales. This will be accomplished through partnerships with Buying and Planning partners, analyzing the business at the category and store level, rolling up insight gained from the analyst team, managing GOLD inputs, and developing a strong team of Allocations and Replenishment Analysts. This leader will be responsible for season preparation and reviewing forecast and inventory expectation. They will develop the strategies for significant changes between years and other key metrics that will drive allocations decisions. They will partner with leadership of Merchandising and Planning to align on key strategies and continuously revise plans as needed.

• Align with cross-functional partners around seasonal strategies
• Lead and perform analysis of allocations impacts to store groups
• Perform validation and reconciliation of assortments in replenishment system
• Adjust and reconcile weekly planned inventory position at total level based on sales, inventory, promotions, and trends
• Review forecast with Analysts and initiate roll-up to share with leadership
• Cascade cross-functional strategy changes that will impact allocations decisions
• Align with Analysts on strategy and tactics of weekly allocations in order to provide
coaching/guidance.
• Monitor progress against allocation targets and partner with Analyst to mitigate risks.
• Align weekly with Supply Chain and Store Operation around inbound/outbound allocations
• Evaluate inventory position at category level to identify recommendations and risks
• Participate in Business Reviews to highlight inventory concerns, opportunities, and
recommendations around strategy changes
• Align with Planning and Merchandising leadership around top-down inventory and exit strategies
• Align with Visual around in-season changes impacting inventory quantities, presentation minimums, etc.
• Consolidate Analysts insights around product and store attributes to create meaningful recommendations around future buys
• Communicate guideline to Analysts around product performance evaluations and generate insight based on results to share with cross-functional partners
• Partner with Analysts to review category variances and identify opportunities to influence GOLD replenishment
• Evaluate user decision quality using forecast accuracy, in-stock, and service level reporting
• Provide coaching and guidance to Analysts around priorities and how to effectively utilize the key allocations processes and tools
• Monitor the development and performance of direct reports through regular meetings to discuss performance and development compared to goals and provide coaching.
• Analyze current and historical data, as well as feedback and industry information, to identify business trends to ensure timely and accurate item level forecasts. Utilizes research and forecasts to identify risks and opportunities. Determines best course of action when business
performance deviates from plan. Advises Merchandise team on actions required to achieve inventory goals.
• Able to take lead role in cross department projects, to assist and/or manage projects that effect resources outside the Merchandise group. Able to effectively represent the interest and needs of the Merchandise team to the project team members and to have knowledge of our functions. Manage information flow outside the department to support projects, contests, and/or other measurable requirements by Operations, Marketing, and FP&A.

Experience and Education
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience
• At least 10+ years of relevant experience in forecasting or replenishment, preferably in a retail environment
• Experience with replenishment and allocations tool

Knowledge and Skills
• Ability to develop strategies driving allocations and replenishment decision making
• Strong data analysis skills; ability to identify critical trends and root causes
• High level of comfort using technology and custom tools
• Strong knowledge of retail industry
• Proficiency in Tableau or other BI tools
• Knowledge of inventory life-cycle
• Strong sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
• Good leadership skills and ability to provide clear direction and accountabilities
• Ability to work under pressure and through setbacks
• Ability to work with and build relationships with all levels of the organization
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Environment and Working Conditions

•This is a hyrbrid role, in office three days per week.