Retail Transformation & Inventory Strategy Leader
Resume:
RODNEY
PHILLIPS
***.*******@*******.***
Lawrence, MA 01843
Visionary retail operations and supply chain leader with 15+ years of experience driving large-scale retail transformation initiatives for global brands including New Balance, Target, The North Face, Under Armour, and Charming Charlie. Expert in integrating advanced retail technologies, modernizing allocation and replenishment systems, and leading cross-functional teams through strategic change. Proven record of delivering multimillion-dollar improvements in sales, margin, and operational efficiency through data-driven decision making, process simplification, and omnichannel alignment. RETAIL TRANSFORMATION & STRATEGY LEADER
SKILLS
Retail Technology Transformation (JDA,
SAP, APTOS, Domo)
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Enterprise Process Optimization & System
Integration
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Omnichannel Inventory Strategy & Supply
Chain Modernization
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Data Analytics, KPI Design & Business
Intelligence Enablement
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Cross-Functional Leadership &
Organizational Change
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Consumer Segmentation & Market
Localization
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Strategic Planning, Forecasting &
Scenario Modeling
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Coppin State University
Baltimore, MD • 2001
Bachelor of Science: Finance
EDUCATION
New Balance - Sr. Manager, Allocation & Logistics, North America Lawrence, MA • 2025 - 2025
Target Corporation - Sr. Manager, Segmentation – Hardlines Minneapolis, MN • 2022 - 2025
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Led a high-performing team of 2 managers and 8 analysts across allocation, logistics, and analytics, driving operational excellence and aligning inventory strategy with enterprise modernization goals.
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Spearheaded digital transformation initiatives in partnership with Retail Technology, enhancing APTOS functionality and deploying next-generation replenishment automation to improve system responsiveness and reduce manual effort.
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Designed and implemented inventory capacity and store clustering models that reduced backroom overstock by 15% and improved sell-through efficiency across full- price and outlet channels.
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Collaborated with Supply Chain and Field Operations to optimize delivery SLAs and freight cost utilization, increasing in-season allocation agility and improving store readiness for key product launches.
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Directed analytics modernization by integrating allocation dashboards and KPI visualization tools using Domo and Excel, enabling real-time performance tracking and executive decision-making.
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Championed continuous improvement through process mapping, KPI redesign, and stakeholder engagement, streamlining workflows and aligning inventory flow with consumer demand and financial targets.
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Led and developed a high-performing team of five segmentation strategists, driving enterprise-wide initiatives in consumer insights, market clustering, and data-driven localization strategies across the $16B Hardlines division.
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Directed the project management team in building an AI-driven chat platform that enhanced communication workflows between merchandising and field teams. Oversaw requirements gathering, system design, cross-functional alignment, and deployment to ensure faster response times, improved inventory visibility, and more efficient store execution.
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Directed Target's largest segmentation transformation to date, influencing assortment, localization, and demand planning across 1,900+ stores and multiple categories, resulting in improved market relevance and increased sales penetration.
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Architected advanced consumer and market segmentation models leveraging Circana panel data and Domo visualization tools, enabling precision targeting and measurable gains in localization effectiveness and market share.
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Forged strategic partnerships with Global Inventory Management (GIM) and Global Supply Chain & Logistics (GSCL) to synchronize merchandising and supply chain systems, enhancing forecast accuracy and improving flow-through rates across key product lines.
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Served as a core contributor to Target's Retail Transformation Committee, shaping enterprise assortment rationalization frameworks and championing data-led decision enablement across merchandising, planning, and supply chain functions.
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Mentored and elevated analytics talent across the organization, fostering a culture of data literacy, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic thinking to support long- term capability building and succession planning.
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The North Face (VF Corporation) - Sr. Manager, Allocation & Replenishment, DTC Denver, CO • 2020 - 2022
Soft Surroundings - Sr. Allocation Manager
St Louis, MO • 2018 - 2020
Charming Charlie - Sr. Manager, Allocation & Store Planning Houston, TX • 2013 - 2018
Under Armour - Manager, Planning & Allocation
Baltimore, MD • 2006 - 2013
Directed a team of 9 allocation analysts, managing daily execution, performance reporting, and system optimization across North American retail and DTC channels. Championed a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making.
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Led the implementation of Blue Yonder (JDA) and SAP BI enhancements, driving a step-change in forecasting precision and replenishment automation. Enabled dynamic allocation strategies aligned with real-time demand signals, reducing manual intervention and increasing agility.
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Streamlined allocation workflows, reducing processing time by 25% through end-to- end redesign and integration of advanced analytics. Introduced automated exception handling and KPI dashboards to accelerate execution and improve visibility.
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Collaborated cross-functionally with digital, planning, and merchandising teams to integrate unified demand views, enhancing omnichannel product flow and inventory responsiveness. Supported strategic initiatives to align store and e-commerce fulfillment models.
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Served as allocation strategy lead in enterprise planning forums, influencing modernization efforts across merchandising, supply chain, and IT. Advocated for scalable solutions that balanced operational efficiency with customer experience.
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Led end-to-end implementation of JDA Allocation (Blue Yonder) over a 10-month engagement, transforming legacy manual workflows into a scalable, automated platform that improved inventory precision and reduced planner workload across 160+ stores.
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Managed and developed a team of five allocation analysts, guiding system adoption, process redesign, and performance optimization to ensure consistent execution and measurable impact across store-level inventory strategies.
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Collaborated cross-functionally with IT, retail systems, and merchandising teams to configure, test, and launch the solution, ensuring seamless integration with ERP and replenishment systems while maintaining operational continuity.
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Designed and executed comprehensive training and change management programs, driving full user adoption and measurable improvements in allocation accuracy within the first quarter post-launch.
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Led and developed a cross-functional team of 21, including 5 allocators, 12 inventory analysts, and 4 store planners, supporting merchandise planning and allocation across 350+ retail locations nationwide.
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Directed the enterprise migration to JDA Allocation and business intelligence platforms, standardizing allocation and planning processes across channels and enabling scalable, data-driven decision-making.
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Built and implemented a robust data governance framework to enhance allocation accuracy, resulting in improved store-level productivity, healthier inventory turns, and reduced stock imbalances.
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Partnered with merchandising and finance leadership to develop KPI models that linked inventory flow to margin and profit targets, driving cost reduction, resource optimization, and improved project execution efficiency.
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Progressed through roles from Assistant Buyer to Planning and Allocation Manager, building deep expertise in merchandise planning and inventory strategy.
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Developed and scaled planning and allocation architecture to support Ecom and Outlet store growth across multiple regions during a period of rapid expansion.
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Optimized product flow and replenishment by integrating forecasting tools and analytics platforms including SAP and Power BI resulting in 25% reduction in planning and allocation processing time.
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