Director, Inventory Strategy

Smithfield Foods•Suffolk, VA

About The Position

As the Director of Inventory Strategy , you will lead the enterprise inventory and asset utilization strategy within a fast-paced, results-oriented operating environment. This role is responsible for shaping how inventory flows across the distribution network, maximizing fixed asset performance, and driving profitable volume through underutilized capacity. You will bring an entrepreneurial, P&L-focused mindset to balance service, cost, and asset productivity while partnering closely with Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, Sales, and 3PL partners. Operating at both the strategic and execution levels, you will translate data and insights into action to deliver measurable financial and operational results.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 10+ years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
5+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development is required.
Proven ability to deliver financial and operational improvements through analytics, asset optimization, and cross-functional leadership.
Strong P&L mindset with experience driving working capital efficiency, cost-to-serve optimization, and asset productivity.
Confident, influential communicator who can align executive stakeholders and operational teams in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.
Deep understanding of supply chain financial metrics, including working capital, DSO, inventory turns, and capacity utilization.
Hands-on experience with enterprise systems (SAP, JDA, Oracle, or similar) and analytics tools such as Power BI and advanced Excel.
Strategic thinker with the ability to move quickly from insight to execution.

Nice To Haves

Experience in OCS, food service, distribution, or manufacturing—especially within protein or temperature-controlled environments.
Strong background in 3PL partnership management, asset utilization, supply chain finance, and network optimization.
Proven success leading transformation, navigating complexity, and building high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

Set Enterprise Inventory Strategy: Define and execute the enterprise vision for inventory performance and asset utilization, aligning supply chain execution with financial and operational goals.
Drive Asset Utilization & Capacity Fill: Identify and close volume gaps across fixed assets by developing strategies that improve throughput, utilization, and return on invested capital.
Lead Cross-Functional Execution: Influence and align teams across Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, Sales, and 3PL partners to ensure consistent execution across internal and external distribution networks.
Optimize Network Flow & Cost: Identify and prioritize high-impact opportunities to improve service levels, inventory velocity, and cost efficiency at scale.
Own 3PL Performance Management: Lead performance management across the 3PL network, ensuring service, cost, and utilization targets are achieved or exceeded.
Design Inbound Capacity Strategy: Lead inbound capacity planning across distribution centers, balancing inbound flow, space utilization, temperature zones, and operational constraints.
Partner with Operations: Work closely with Operations and Regional Distribution Centers to optimize inbound settings, reserve capacity, and execution readiness.
Lead Seasonal & Promotional Strategy: Drive enterprise-level seasonal and promotional asset utilization strategies informed by demand planning and supply insights.
Translate Data into Action: Convert complex data into clear, actionable insights and deliver executive-ready reporting tied to service, cost, and asset productivity.
Build a Performance Culture: Foster a culture of accountability, urgency, and data-driven decision-making across the organization.
Enable Commercial Alignment: Serve as a trusted partner to Sales and Finance to drive transparency, alignment, and shared outcomes tied to volume, margin, and service.
Leadership: Drives a positive employee experience through leadership by way of employee development and coaching