Margaret Grazier
Gilbert,AZ
Summary
Senior Allocation Analyst with 10+ years of diversified work history within Allocation, Inventory Planning & Merchandising. Certified in Supply Chain Management. Recognized consistently for being a key communicator and strategic thinker, interpreting data into meaningful insights, optimizing inventory turn, maximizing sales and in-stocks and driving profitable growth.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Allocation Analyst
Sur La Table
09.2021 - 08.2023
- Successfully manage inventory allocation within Tabletop, Glassware, Bar, and Linen’s business generating +$100M in sales annually
- Analyze sale data to identify category trends, implementing strategies to optimize product assortments, maximizing sell through rates while minimizing markdowns.
- Collaborate with Buyers and Planners to review assortment flow plan, effectively communicating allocation strategies to optimize inventory.
- Perform in-season and post-season analysis to identify future opportunities around product assortment, flow plans and inventory levels.
- Identified areas of opportunity in store layouts and floorset transitions, recommending adjustments to drive higher conversion rates.
- Ensure all channels are adequately stocked and seamlessly executed for product launches, sale events, seasonal demand, and floorset transitions.
- Create store clusters to optimize inventory levels for specific market and store needs.
- Build and manage New Store opening assortments based on sales and inventory targets, coordinating multiple cross-functional timelines for seamless execution.
- Spearheaded process improvements by streamlining workflows through templates and automations that resulted in significant time savings and increased accuracy.
Content Creator
Little Farm Charm
01.2015 - 07.2023
- Provide step-by-step instructions, tips, and techniques on DIY home projects, covering topics such as painting techniques, furniture refurbishment, and interior decorating.
- Research trends, topics and keywords to increase traffic and maximize reach.
- Utilize graphic design app Canva to create mood boards for design consultations with clients.
- Create Social Media Content Calendar to plan posts, manage campaigns, and review ongoing strategies.
- Strengthened content through proofreading and editing of photos, copy and links.
Consultant
Sur la table
07.2012 - 07.2015
- Pioneered first part-time, remote position at Sur La Table, utilizing extensive forecasting, inventory planning, and purchasing expertise to fill in for employees in various job roles, whom were on vacation, or leave of absence
- Develop comprehensive receipt plans for Inventory Planners offering additional guidance on assortment planning, and allocation strategies.
- Generate and distribute sales reports to Senior Management.
- Track domestic and foreign purchase orders, negotiate carrier agreements, and reconcile invoice payments.
- Coordinated Dropship order process including managing communication with vendors, tracking orders and communicating delivery status to customers.
Inventory Planning Manager
Sur La Table
06.2009 - 02.2012
- Design comprehensive receipt plan for 120+ stores and ecommerce channels.
- Leverage data analysis to identify opportunities and make recommendations on purchases, inventory flow, pricing and liquidation strategies.
- Manage open to buy, communicating forecasts, receipt flow and supporting action plans to Management and cross-functional teams.
- Recap actual sales results vs plan and forecast in-season sales and inventory on monthly basis.
- Foster strong strategic relationships with vendors to negotiate lower costs and minimum order quantities.
- Collaborate with Buyers to develop and execute seasonal financial plans that meet and exceed financial goals including sales, margin, and inventory turn.
- Review visual floor sets to ensure appropriate representation of key-items and determine appropriate presentation minimums and safety stock requirements.
- Partner with Allocation team to ensure inventory plans align with allocation strategies.
- Manage and train team of Allocation Analysts and Planning Assistants.
Allocation Specialist
Eddie Bauer
05.2007 - 05.2009
- Determine strategic allocation strategies from data-driven analysis to maximize sales and in-stocks, optimize inventory turn and drive profitable growth.
- Reduced stock-outs through managing inventory transfer across channels maintaining sufficient supply levels to meet customer need.
- Increased turn by allocating product to stores with higher sell-through potential.
- Collaborated with Merchandising team to establish effective size profiles for each store location based on regional demographics.
- Created and tracked international purchase orders, communicating deliveries and delays to team.
Associate Buyer
Macy’s
03.2005 - 04.2007
- Developed unique assortments for select Men's Collection businesses to drive $3M in sales.
- Researched market trends to identify new products and make informed buying decisions.
- Managed open to buy and effectively communicate sales and receipt forecasts to Senior Management.
- Sourced new vendors to increase variety of compelling product offerings while reducing costs through strategic negotiations.
- Provided bottom-up reporting of key items and collections, presenting findings and opportunities at quarterly hindsight meetings.
- Created markdown and liquidation calendar to drive sales and improve flow of goods.
- Ensured accurate product setup in product information management (PIM) by meticulously reviewing specs, pricing, images to guarantee consistency and precision.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration and Management
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA04.
Associate of Arts - Business Administration
Green River Community College
Auburn, WASkills
- Analytical Skills
- Demand Forecasting
- Inventory Optimization
- Category Insights
- Logistics
- Collaboration
- Strategic Thinking
- Problem-solving
- Microsoft Excel
- Planning Systems
- MicroStrategy
- Pivot tables
Certification
Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA, Supply Chain Management
References
- Evelyn Campo, Planning Manager, Evelyn.campo@surlatable.com, 425-770-7374
- Melinda Shabro, Planning Manager, Melinda.shabro@surlatable.com, 206-613-6268
- Natalie Rodgers, VP Merchandising, Natalie.rodgers@surlatable.com, 206-229-3105
- Kathy Kroon, Planning Manager, Kathy.kroon@gmail.com, 206-234-7855
- Rachel Scaffe, Buyer, rachscaffe@gmail.com, 706-832-5212
- Lindsey Allen, Buyer, Lindseycallen17@gmail.com, 425-503-9378
- Patty Lainez, Allocation Analyst, plainez@gmail.com, 415-806-3132
- Tom Radtke, VP Visual Merchandising, TJRadtke@gmail.com, 206-898-8474
Timeline
Senior Allocation Analyst
Sur La Table
09.2021 - 08.2023
Content Creator
Little Farm Charm
01.2015 - 07.2023
Consultant
Sur la table
07.2012 - 07.2015
Inventory Planning Manager
Sur La Table
06.2009 - 02.2012
Allocation Specialist
Eddie Bauer
05.2007 - 05.2009
Associate Buyer
Macy’s
03.2005 - 04.2007
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration and Management
Central Washington University
Associate of Arts - Business Administration
Green River Community College
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