Senior Allocation Manager (Remote)

The Senior Allocation Manager owns the allocation, release, and throughput of $50M+ in inventory (Matcha Tea) across global and national customers. This role is accountable for ensuring that stock allocations, customer payments, and goods release statuses are fully aligned, such that inventory is released on time without exposing the company to undue financial or operational risk.

This position operates at the intersection of inventory planning, global trade execution, cash risk management, and customer coordination. The Senior Allocation Manager must successfully manage a fast-evolving and imperfect allocation system, maintaining uninterrupted business flow today while simultaneously helping design and transition the organization from manual allocation processes into scalable software-driven systems. This role is open to all 50 states.

Responsibilities

Global Allocation Ownership ($50M+ Inventory)

• Own all stock allocations across national and international customers, ensuring inventory is planned, reserved, and released according to contractual commitments.
• Maintain real-time visibility into allocated, unallocated, held, and released inventory across SKUs, lots, and production runs.
• Take full responsibility for inventory throughput, ensuring finished goods move to customers without delay once manufacturing is complete.
• Engage consistently with warehouses located in USA, UK, Japan, and elsewhere.

Goods Release Control & Cash Alignment

• Partner closely with Finance and Accounts Receivable to ensure:
• Customer deposits and pre-payments are received in line with contract schedules
• Cash on hand properly supports inventory release decisions
• Enforce Goods Release statuses (e.g., Hold, Conditional, Cleared) by customer, contract, and shipment.
• Ensure the company never releases stock without appropriate payment coverage, while also avoiding unnecessary shipment holds due to misalignment or timing failures.

Allocation System Management & Evolution

• Operate and improve a fast-moving, partially manual allocation system without disrupting day-to-day business.
• Identify structural gaps, failure points, and workarounds in current allocation workflows.
• Lead the transition from manual tools (spreadsheets, ad-hoc trackers) into integrated allocation and inventory software.
• Design processes that scale while preserving flexibility in a volatile, supply-constrained environment.

Production, Demand & Risk Balancing

• Continuously balance customer demand against production capacity and allocation constraints, especially under stressed or changing conditions.
• Use judgment and intuition—reading between the lines—to anticipate:
• Customer commitment risk
• Credit or payment deterioration
• Demand volatility or over-commitment
• Forecast and adjust production orders upward or downward based on real-time data, customer behavior, and risk signals

Customer & Logistics Alignment (Proactive)

• Work directly with customers (large and small) to align well in advance on:
• Freight terms (FOB, CIF, DDP, etc.)
• Freight type (air, ocean, consolidated, full container)
• Shipment timing and cutoffs
• Ensure logistics ambiguity is removed as a reason for delayed payments or delayed cash receipt.
• Coordinate with Import/Export and Logistics teams to pre-clear shipment requirements so stock moves immediately upon release.

30-Day Forward Allocation & Release Planning

• Ensure all inventory is:
• Allocated
• Payment-planned
• Logistics-aligned at least 30 days in advance of completion or release.
• Build a forward-looking Goods Release plan that eliminates last-minute bottlenecks once goods exit manufacturing.
• Smooth transition from manual allocation processes to software-driven systems
• Improved predictability and throughput across production and distribution

Qualifications & Experience

• 8–12+ years of experience in allocation, supply chain, operations, or global trade roles
• Extensive experience with import/export of natural commodities or agricultural products
• Proven ownership of large-scale inventory allocations ($25M+; $50M+ strongly preferred)
• Strong cross-functional experience with Finance, AR, Production, and Logistics
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in imperfect systems while building better ones
• High judgment, intuition, and comfort making risk-based decisions under pressure

Skills & Competencies

• Deep understanding of global trade, Incoterms, customs timing, and vessel logistics
• Strong financial and cash-flow awareness as it relates to inventory risk
• Systems thinker with hands-on execution ability
• Decisive, calm under pressure, and highly accountable
• Exceptional communication with both internal teams and external customers
• Ability to work within imperfect systems (and to help perfect them)
• Loves Matcha (a bonus)

Measures of Success

• On-time inventory release with no payment-related delays
• High percentage of inventory planned, allocated, and paid ahead of completion
• Reduced inventory and cash-exposure risk
• Smooth transition from manual allocation processes to software-driven systems
• Improved predictability and throughput across production and distribution

For interested applicants, please send your resume to:

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Email Subject: [Your Name] - Senior Allocation Manager