Director Industrial Engineering

Academy Sports + Outdoors • Katy, TX

148d

About The Position

Come work at a place where we take pride in creating a workplace environment that values hard work, commitment, and growth. The Director of Industrial Engineering is a strategic and results-oriented role that leads process improvement and engineering initiatives across a growing distribution network. This high-impact leadership role focuses on maximizing labor productivity, optimizing material handling systems, and developing a high-performing engineering team to support dynamic retail operations. Reporting to the Vice President of Supply Chain Strategy, the Director will shape and execute engineering strategies that directly support enterprise supply chain and retail growth objectives, driving innovation, operational excellence, and long-term efficiency across the network.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Lean Six Sigma certification is a plus.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in industrial engineering, with a strong background in retail distribution or fulfillment environments.
• 7+ years of leadership experience managing engineering teams and large-scale, cross-functional projects.
• Demonstrated success in improving labor productivity, implementing materials handling equipment (HME) solutions, and standardizing operational processes.
• Deep understanding of Lean principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, with the ability to influence executive decision-making through compelling business cases and data-driven insights.
• Proven ability to collaborate across departments and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience supporting the design and launch of new distribution centers.

Responsibilities

• Drive labor productivity by leading the development and implementation of labor standards, process improvements, and productivity metrics across all distribution centers.
• Partner with operations leadership to identify efficiency opportunities and deploy data-driven solutions aligned with fulfillment goals.
• Own labor performance outcomes by driving continuous improvement and accountability across the network.
• Optimize Material Handling Equipment (MHE) by evaluating and integrating MHE technologies—including conveyors, pick modules, sortation systems, and automation—to meet distribution demands.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, and Information Technology (IT) to ensure equipment supports network strategies and operational goals.
• Continuously optimize system configurations to improve throughput, accuracy, and safety.
• Foster a culture of operational excellence through Lean, Six Sigma, and other improvement methodologies.
• Facilitate process improvement workshops and build a framework to prioritize and measure initiatives across the network.
• Oversee the creation and ongoing improvement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for warehouse and engineering processes.
• Ensure alignment with safety standards, best practices, and retail-specific requirements.
• Partner with training and operations teams to ensure consistent adoption and execution.
• Translate engineering initiatives into business cases with clear ROI, cost savings, and capital implications.
• Collaborate with finance to forecast budgets, evaluate capital investments, and track performance against targets.
• Build and lead a high-performing team by recruiting, developing, and mentoring a team of industrial engineers focused on retail distribution and fulfillment.
• Promote a culture of accountability, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Support new distribution center development by providing technical leadership in the design, layout, and launch of new distribution centers and support facilities.
• Use data modeling to inform throughput, slotting, and material flow decisions.
• Coordinate with vendors, architects, and internal stakeholders to ensure scalable, efficient, and high-performing facilities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees