Director, Sales Inventory Operations Planning

KeHE Distributors, LLC•Naperville, IL

About The Position

The Director of Sales Inventory Operations Planning (SIOP) drives KeHE’s short-term Sales and Operations Execution (S&OE) and long-term Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) integrated planning processes. This strategic, collaborative leader guides and holds cross-functional teams accountable for sales, inventory, operations, and labor plans, working with executive leadership and leaders across Operations, Supply Chain, Merchandising, Commercial, Transportation, and Finance. The Director oversees alignment of the sales plan with inventory flow and warehouse labor planning, including holiday planning. The role ensures leading indicators support lagging indicators and improved organizational performance. Responsibilities include leading weekly and monthly planning forums, communicating risks and issues to senior leaders, maintaining short- and long-term planning roadmaps, and supporting distribution center and network forecasts for labor and capacity planning. All actions are expected to be consistent with KeHE’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Finance, Business, Analytics, or a related field.
A minimum of 7–10 years of relevant experience in distribution, supply chain, operations management, or strategy consulting.
Strong working knowledge of Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Power BI.
Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders across functions and up to executive leadership.
Ability to solve complex issues through analysis of situations or data, requiring in-depth knowledge.
Ability to provide strategic leadership across the enterprise.
Ability to develop creative solutions across functions and navigate complexity, ambiguity, and competing priorities.
Ability to inform and influence key decisions with long-term impact across multiple organizational functions.
Ability to influence associates and drive accountability across multiple departments.
Ability to balance subject matter expertise with an enterprise mindset.
Trustworthiness and discretion when handling confidential matters and sensitive information or situations.
Results-oriented mindset and passion for continuous improvement and excellence.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree, such as an MBA or MS in Supply Chain.

Responsibilities

Facilitate the weekly S&OE forum to align cross-functional teams on the next 13 weeks, with a focus on sales forecast accuracy and aligned inventory and operational labor planning.
Lead a monthly SIOP review of the mid-term plan, coordinating cross-functional owners and culminating in an Executive SIOP discussion and decision.
Communicate sales plan and inventory flow issues and risks to senior leadership, with regular interaction with cross-functional senior leaders.
Develop and maintain short- and long-term roadmaps identifying the timing and capabilities needed to support future growth and an exceptional customer experience.
Support development of network- and distribution-center-specific forecasts, considering distribution centers, transportation, inventory, and finance to support labor and capacity planning.
Guide and hold cross-functional teams accountable to sales, inventory, operations, and labor plans.
Promote alignment of sales plans, inventory flow, warehouse labor planning, and holiday planning.