Inventory Operations Analyst

Barnes & Noble, Inc.; Monroe (NJ); On-site; USD 60,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Discount

Health Benefits

401(k) with Company Match

Paid Time Off

Job summary

BARNES & NOBLE in Monroe, NJ is seeking an Inventory Operations Analyst to ensure DC product is handled efficiently and shipped accurately to stores and ecommerce customers.

You will troubleshoot issues with vendors, data mismatches, and warehouse limits, collaborating cross-functionally to improve processes, reduce costs, and drive speed while maintaining accuracy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in related field or 3–5 years of related experience.
• Knowledge of the retail supply chain.
• Strong communication and analytical skills.
• Familiarity with social media and third‑party sales outlets.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).

Responsibilities

• Oversee special order management and DC-to-Store allocations to meet in-store dates and fill rate goals while controlling DC freight costs.
• Demonstrate strong analytical skills to solve daily inventory and QC issues.
• Organize projects for merchandise remediation, rollouts, destruction/MOS, price ticketing, and stock balancing.
• Partner with vendors to address non-compliance and drive improved vendor behavior.
• Work with Merchandising teams to plan launches of top priority items and new product types.
• Create reports and process visuals to illustrate bottlenecks and opportunities for efficiency.

Skills

Retail supply chain

Publishing experience

Strong communication

Analytical skills

Social media familiarity

MS Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Access

Job description

Barnes & Noble is the leading book retailer in the United States, with roots dating back to 1873 and a long history of growth through innovation and expansion. Today, under CEO James Daunt and private ownership by Elliott Advisors, Barnes & Noble operates approximately 700 bookstores nationwide, serves over 700 communities across all 50 states, and maintains a robust digital presence through BN.com, NOOK® eBooks and audiobooks, and educational resources such as SparkNotes. The company also includes complementary retail brands such as Paper Source, Books Inc., Tattered Cover, and B. Dalton, further strengthening its market reach. Following a period of revitalization, Barnes & Noble is experiencing strong momentum, with plans to open approximately 60 new stores in 2026, underscoring renewed confidence in physical retail and local bookselling. Combining expansive store networks, curated selections, enhanced in-store experiences, and growing omnichannel capabilities, Barnes & Noble remains the #1 bookseller in the U.S. and a trusted, evolving partner within the publishing and retail ecosystem.

Location

NJ-Monroe Corporate

Classification

Full-Time

Job Summary

An employee in this position can expect an annual salary between $60,000 - $68,000 depending on experience, seniority, geographic locations, and other factors permitted by law. The Inventory Operations Analyst is responsible for ensuring Distribution Center (DC) product is handled efficiently, timely and accurately to support fast and reliable shipments to stores and ecommerce customers. This is accomplished by troubleshooting obstacles created by vendors, mismatched data or warehouse limitation. The Inventory Operations Analyst is also responsible for the liquidation of obsolete and surplus inventory within our Distribution Centers. This role partners cross functionally to drive efficient processes for the Distribution Centers, proactively identifying, creating, and implementing processes, procedures, and tools that reduce DC capacity constraints, maximize labor efficiency, reduce costs, and improve speed while maintaining accuracy. Their tasks and responsibilities contribute to the overall DC cycle time goals, increasing speed to market and supporting a dependable and reliable distribution process by spending time working and observing our warehouse operation.

Position Responsibilities

• Oversees special order management workload, including key new releases, top priority items, author events, and manipulates DC-to-Store order allocations to achieve in-store dates and fill rate goals, while controlling DC freight costs.
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills to effectively solve daily problems related to trouble receiving inventory and QC results.
• Organizes special projects for merchandise remediation, roll outs, destruction/MOS, price ticketing, and stock balancing; initiating cost recovery when appropriate.
• Partners with merchandise vendors to address operational non-compliance and consistently drives Vendor behavior to a place of compliance.
• Works proactively with B&N’s Merchandising teams to strategize successful and timely launches of top priority items, initiatives and new product types.
• Effectively analyzes data and processes to create reports, process maps and visualizations to illustrate issues (bottlenecks, costs, wasted labor) and opportunities for improvement (efficiencies, savings).
• Resolves Customer Service, IC, and HO escalations related to DC inventory and shipments.
• Facilitates efficiencies in receiving/shipping of DC inventory.
• Creates and modifies the necessary tools to recommend actions needed in volume times.
• Responsible for new/closing store merchandise and related internal processes, ensuring outbound accuracy and timeliness.
• Ensure Business Development special handling order needs are met, communicating any exceptions.
• Contributes to our B&N Vendor Operational Guidelines to drive vendor compliance and establish procedures for best practices with gains in efficiency.
• Achieves inventory health by curating lists of obsolete items/surplus inventory to be exited with merchant approval, and determines the appropriate exit strategy for the selected inventory; bulk/individual sale, donation, used book annex, etc.
• Additional job duties or responsibilities may be assigned.

Position Requirements

• Exercises sound judgment to effectively solve problems.
• Works collaboratively with others to meet the needs of the organization.
• Follows up to ensure all work requirements are completed in a timely and accurate manner.
• Must be team-oriented and customer-focused.
• Must contribute effectively and professionally in meetings (in person or virtual) with cross-functional partners and vendors.
• Prioritizing and multi-tasking.
• Works with a sense of urgency while maintaining high quality standards.
• Adhere to all safety protocols and foster a safe work environment.
• Work on the warehouse floor which includes regular lifting, bending, reaching, pulling and pushing of 10 -35 lbs. with an occasional 50 lbs., and ability to stand for extended periods of time as needed.

Position Qualifications

• Knowledge and understanding of the retail supply chain.
• Publishing or book selling experience.
• Strong communication and analytical skills.
• Familiarity with social media and third-party sales outlets.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access).
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and/or 3-5 years of related work experience.
• Business operations experience is a plus.

Expected Behaviors

• Well-organized and manages time efficiently.
• Makes decisions based on sound logic.
• Adapts well to changing situations, prioritizing and multi-tasking.
• Team oriented and customer focused.
• Dependable, receives and executes tasks to completion.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Display a positive and respectful attitude.
• Collaborate with team members to provide top-notch results.

This role is on site in Monroe, NJ

Benefits

• Employee Discount, EAP and Sick Pay
• Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay and Paid Time Off including paid Maternity and Parental Leave, Company Paid Holidays, Transit and 401(k) with Company Match
• Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay and Paid Time Off including paid Maternity and Parental Leave, Company Paid Holidays, 401(k) with Company Match, Comprehensive Health Benefits (Medical, Dental and Vision), Healthcare and Dependent Care Spending Accounts, Healthcare Spending Account, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Transit, and Tuition Reimbursement
• All benefits provided are in accordance with the terms of the current plan and may be subject to future change.
• Benefit may vary depending on location/state regulations.
• More information can be received by the recruiter or Human Resources.