Data Science Lead: Inventory & Allocation AI

JCPenney; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 81,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Medical/dental/vision

Term life insurance

Paid vacation/holidays

401(k) with Company match

Associate discount

Job summary

JCPenney is seeking a Manager of Data Science for Planning & Allocation to develop and operationalize analytical models, insights, and decision tools that optimize inventory placement, forecasting, allocation, replenishment, and product flow across the enterprise.

The role partners with Planning & Allocation, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Finance, and Technology to drive data‑driven strategies that improve sales, profit, inventory productivity, and customer experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Data Science, Advanced Analytics, Statistics, Mathematics, Finance or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in analytics or data science, preferably within planning, allocation, merchandising, or supply chain.
• Proven experience embedding analytics into business decision workflows, not just reporting.
• Strong proficiency in Python or R and SQL.
• Demonstrated ability to support and influence merchandising strategy and initiative development through data driven insights.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain AI‑driven decisions to non‑technical partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of analytics and models supporting allocation, replenishment, sizing, assortment optimization and grading.
• Translate complex data into clear, explainable insights to drive business strategies
• Define and manage business rules, constraints, and guardrails embedded in AI decisioning tools
• Analyze sales trends, localization, and lifecycle dynamics to improve buys and in-season management.
• Build tools and dashboards that enable faster, data-driven decisions.
• Partner cross-functionally (Planning & Allocation, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Finance, Technology) to drive adoption, trust, and measurable business outcomes.
• Present insights to senior business leaders with a focus on decision clarity, business impact, and execution.
• Continuously refine models, assumptions, and tools as assortments, customer behavior, and strategies evolve.
• Collaborate with technology and data teams, while remaining accountable for business outcomes—not IT delivery.

Skills

Python

R

SQL

Analytics

Leadership

Stakeholder comms

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Data Science/Analytics/Statistics/Math/Finance

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

JCPenney is seeking a Manager of Data Science for Planning & Allocation to develop and operationalize analytical models, insights, and decision tools that optimize inventory placement, forecasting, allocation, replenishment, and product flow across the enterprise.

The role partners with Planning & Allocation, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Finance, and Technology to drive data‑driven strategies that improve sales, profit, inventory productivity, and customer experience.