Data Scientist

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

Overview

Data Science

Planning, Allocation & Inventory Optimization

JCPenney

Role Purpose

The Manager, Data Science – Planning & Allocation is responsible for developing and operationalizing analytical models, insights, and decision tools that optimize inventory placement, forecasting, allocation, replenishment, and product flow across the enterprise.

This role is embedded within the business, partnering closely with Planning & Allocation (P&A), Merchandising, Merchandise Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Technology teams to deliver data‑driven strategies that improve sales, profit, inventory productivity, and customer experience. Success in this role requires strong analytical leadership, business fluency, and the ability to build trust and adoption of AI‑driven decisioning.

Key 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.

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.

Preferred

• Hands‑on experience with allocation systems, replenishment logic, sizing or grading strategies.
• Familiarity with inventory and planning KPIs (e.g., sell‑through, weeks of supply, service level, margin impact).
• Experience working with cloud data platforms and BI tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).

What Success Looks Like

• Allocation, replenishment, and sizing decisions are trusted, explainable, and consistently data‑driven.
• Measurable improvements in inventory productivity, in‑stock performance, and customer experience.
• High adoption of decision tools by Planning & Merchandising teams.
• Analytics scaled from pilots into core business workflows.

What you get:

• Eligible for bonus under the Management Incentive Plan.
• medical/dental/vision
• term life insurance
• paid vacation/holidays*
• 401(k) with Company match
• All associates are eligible for an associate discount on JCPenney merchandise.
• For paid holidays, associates who are eligible for paid vacation (MTO) are also eligible for eight paid holidays during the calendar year.
• *For paid vacation days, as well as eligibility requirements for other benefits, please visit www.yourjcpbenefits.com

About JCPenney

JCPenney is the shopping destination for diverse, working American families. With inclusivity at its core, the Company’s product assortment meets customers’ everyday needs and helps them commemorate every special occasion with style, quality, and value. JCPenney offers a broad portfolio of fashion, apparel, home, beauty, and jewelry from national and private brands and provides personal services including salon, portrait and optical. The Company and its 50,000 associates worldwide serve customers where, when, and how they want to shop – from jcp.com to more than 650 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In 2024, JCPenney celebrates 122 years as an iconic American brand by continuing its legacy of connecting with customers through shopping and community engagement.

Pay Range

USD $81,000.00 - USD $135,000.00 /Yr.