Director, Distribution Network Simulation

Cencora • USA > PA > Remote, PA

4d

About The Position

Cencora is hiring a Director, Distribution Network Simulation to resolve distribution center throughput and capacity gaps and identify options to improve efficiency across its distribution network. The Director will lead the strategy, governance, development, and adoption of simulation capabilities across the global supply chain. Using discrete-event simulation, operational analytics, and scenario modeling, the role supports high-confidence decisions about distribution center flow, labor, throughput, capacity, service, automation, resilience, and capital investment.

The role is accountable for building a scalable simulation capability, managing a global portfolio of use cases, establishing modeling and validation standards, developing simulation talent, and ensuring analyses lead to implemented operational improvements and measurable business value. It partners with Operations, Engineering, Technology, Finance, Continuous Improvement, Data and Analytics, Transportation, Commercial, and regional supply chain leaders. The position reports directly to the Global Vice President of Network Modeling.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, logistics, operations management, business administration, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 10 years of experience in supply chain planning, supply chain operations, logistics, field operations, customer support operations, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in a management capacity.
• Deep knowledge of supply chain planning and operations, including demand planning, inventory planning and optimization, supply planning, forecasting, distribution network support, and continuity planning.
• Strong strategic and analytical capability to evaluate network options, interpret complex operational data, model trade-offs, and translate findings into executable business recommendations.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills to align cross-functional teams, influence senior decision-makers, and manage external partners in complex operating environments.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory-adherent process design, operational controls, and compliance-focused execution across distribution, import/export, and service-critical supply chain activities.
• Sound judgment, financial acumen, and change leadership to balance service, quality, cost, risk, and scalability objectives across multiple initiatives and business needs.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in supply chain, operations, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), Certified Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM), or equivalent certification.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent certification.

Responsibilities

• Develop a three- to five-year roadmap for building and scaling Cencora’s simulation capability.
• Define how simulation is incorporated into capacity planning, facility design, automation evaluation, business cases, operational improvement, and the business planning cycle.
• Establish the global operating model, service offering, intake criteria, engagement model, and decision rights for simulation.
• Represent simulation as the subject matter expert in executive, portfolio, and investment discussions.
• Develop reusable decision-support capabilities and fit-for-purpose simulation approaches, from rapid models to enterprise-scale digital representations.
• Own and prioritize the simulation project portfolio across regions and business units, translating business challenges into structured use cases and managing demand, resources, sequencing, risks, and dependencies.
• Track delivery status, decisions enabled, and benefits identified and realized.
• Establish global standards for model architecture, development, verification, validation, documentation, review, reuse, lifecycle management, acceptance criteria, confidence levels, sensitivity requirements, and stakeholder sign-offs.
• Ensure models represent operational constraints, variability, equipment behavior, labor rules, inventory flows, service requirements, and business assumptions; implement risk-appropriate peer review and quality assurance.
• Maintain a governed inventory of simulation models, components, assumptions, data sources, and reusable templates.
• Identify operational bottlenecks, system constraints, and resource limitations, and recommend improvements to throughput, service levels, and efficiency.
• Lead scenario analysis covering throughput, capacity, labor, service, inventory flow, process design, layouts, automation, resilience, and cost to serve.
• Lead simulation-based stress testing of facilities, networks, and processes to evaluate resilience, contingency plans, and disruption response strategies.
• Quantify operational and financial trade-offs, including capital, operating cost, risk, service, productivity, and growth; develop and support investment business cases.
• Communicate recommendations, assumptions, risks, and sensitivities to executive and operational audiences, and partner with Finance and business owners to establish benefit baselines and validate realized value.
• Define the target-state simulation platform and supporting technology architecture; promote scalable, cloud-enabled, reusable model components, data pipelines, scenario libraries, and interactive decision applications.
• Partner with Data and IT to establish reliable access to operational and business data and set simulation input quality and traceability standards.
• Evaluate simulation, digital twin, AI, visualization, and advanced analytics technologies.
• Translate recommendations into executable requirements, defining handoffs, owners, decision gates, implementation assumptions, and post-implementation validation requirements.
• Support operational pilots and technology evaluations where simulation can reduce investment risk, and incorporate implementation lessons into standards and reusable components.
• Recruit, lead, coach, and develop simulation managers, engineers, modelers, and analysts; establish competency expectations, development plans, technical career pathways, and succession plans.
• Build simulation literacy across operational and cross-functional teams, and develop a community of practice and training curriculum.
• Manage strategic relationships with simulation vendors, consultants, universities, engineering partners, and technology providers.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision care.
• Benefits supporting physical, emotional, financial, and social wellness.
• Support for working families, which may include backup dependent care, adoption assistance, infertility coverage, family building support, behavioral health solutions, paid parental leave, and paid caregiver leave.
• Training programs, professional development resources, and mentorship opportunities.
• Employee resource groups and volunteer activities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director