Supply Chain Director

Aston Carter•Libertyville, IL

2d•$160,000 - $175,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, SIOP & Supply Chain Technology leads the rebuild and transformation of global end-to-end supply chain planning capabilities. This role designs and implements an integrated SIOP process, selects and deploys advanced planning systems, and drives improvements in demand forecasting accuracy and inventory optimization to elevate service performance and working capital efficiency. Operating at the intersection of business process, data, and technology, this leader works hands-on and strategically to align Sales, Operations, Finance, and IT around a modern, data-driven planning environment.

Requirements

At least 10 years of experience in supply chain planning, including leadership roles in SIOP or IBP.
Proven experience working within manufacturing environments and supporting production operations.
Demonstrated success leading supply chain transformations or realignments with measurable performance improvements.
Hands-on experience selecting and implementing advanced planning systems (APS/IBP) and related technology platforms.
Strong track record of improving forecast accuracy, inventory performance, and service level recovery.
Expertise in demand planning and forecasting methodologies, including statistical models and demand sensing.
Deep knowledge of supply planning and constraint management in complex, multi-site environments.
Proficiency in inventory optimization techniques, including safety stock, reorder point, and multi-echelon strategies.
Experience with ERP systems, such as Infor LX, and integrating planning tools with ERP and data lakes.
Strong understanding of data models, master data governance, and analytics tools for supply chain planning.
Familiarity with digital supply chain trends, including AI and machine learning applications and control tower concepts.
Supply chain management expertise across end-to-end planning, procurement, and operations management.
Experience in operations management, including production planning and scheduling in manufacturing settings.
Proficiency with project management practices for leading system implementations and process transformations.
Strong capability in forecasting, inventory management, and planning and scheduling processes.
Ability to perform data analysis and reporting using tools such as Power BI and Microsoft Office.
Executive-level communication skills with the ability to present complex topics clearly to stakeholders.
Strong stakeholder management and the ability to influence without formal authority across functions.
Change management expertise in manufacturing organizations, with experience driving adoption of new processes and technologies.
Strategic thinking combined with a hands-on execution mindset to move seamlessly from vision to implementation.
High resilience and adaptability in ambiguous, evolving environments, including private equity-backed settings.

Nice To Haves

Experience overseeing and developing a demand planning team, including mentoring planners and building talent pipelines.
Experience in procurement and purchasing collaboration to align supply planning with sourcing strategies.
Experience with warehouse management systems and production planning software.
Strong analytical and reporting skills to translate data into actionable insights for cross-functional teams.
Comfort working in an environment undergoing ownership or structural changes, such as private equity transitions.
Ability to partner closely with sales, finance, IT, and operations to align planning with commercial and financial objectives.
Knowledge of control tower solutions and digital visibility platforms for end-to-end supply chain monitoring.
Experience in designing and implementing KPI frameworks and continuous improvement programs.
Ability to lead scenario planning and trade-off analysis to support strategic decision-making.
Track record of building collaborative, high-performing teams and fostering a culture of accountability and improvement.

Responsibilities

Design and implement a best-in-class SIOP process covering demand, supply, inventory, and executive review cycles.
Establish standardized planning cadences, including monthly SIOP cycles and weekly demand and supply review meetings.
Drive cross-functional alignment between commercial, operations, and finance teams to support integrated planning and decision-making.
Introduce scenario planning capabilities to enable robust trade-off analyses and informed business decisions.
Train, develop, and mentor a team of planners, building a strong bench of SIOP and planning talent.
Improve forecast accuracy, including MAPE and bias, by enhancing processes, data quality, and technology enablement.
Implement statistical forecasting models and demand sensing techniques to better capture market and customer signals.
Integrate commercial inputs from sales, marketing, and customer insights into a consensus demand forecast.
Segment demand (e.g., ABC/XYZ classification) to tailor forecasting approaches to different product and customer profiles.
Establish continuous improvement loops and regular forecast performance reviews to drive ongoing accuracy improvements.
Design inventory strategies aligned with service level targets and working capital objectives for both manufactured and purchased parts.
Optimize safety stock levels, reorder points, and multi-echelon inventory policies across the supply network.
Reduce excess and obsolete inventory while improving fill rates and on-time-in-full (OTIF) performance.
Balance cost, service, and risk trade-offs in the planning process to support sustainable business performance.
Implement inventory visibility and control mechanisms across the network to enable real-time, data-driven decisions.
Lead the evaluation and selection of new planning systems and tools, such as o9, Blue Yonder, or Kinaxis.
Define business requirements, use cases, and ROI cases to guide planning system selection and investment decisions.
Oversee planning system implementation, including integration with ERP platforms and data lakes, and drive user adoption, particularly in distribution centers and manufacturing operations.
Ensure strong data governance, master data integrity, and scalability of planning systems and data architecture.
Drive the digital roadmap for supply chain planning capabilities, aligning technology investments with business strategy.
Rapidly diagnose gaps in current planning processes, data quality, and systems, and prioritize improvement opportunities.
Stabilize planning through quick-win improvements such as forecast discipline, inventory optimization, and safety stock reviews.
Lead organizational change management within supply chain and across functions to embed new processes and tools.
Build planning capabilities through targeted training, coaching, and strategic hiring within the planning organization.
Partner with executive leadership to align planning processes and outcomes with financial goals and enterprise strategy.
Define and track key performance indicators, including forecast accuracy and bias, inventory turns and days of supply, service level and OTIF, and plan or schedule adherence.
Develop dashboards and reporting frameworks in tools such as Power BI to provide real-time visibility into planning and performance.
Leverage advanced analytics, including AI and machine learning where appropriate, to generate predictive insights and improve planning quality.
Enable data-driven decision-making across the supply chain by promoting analytics literacy and consistent KPI usage.
Collaborate closely with purchasing and procurement, sales, and IT to ensure alignment between planning, sourcing, commercial strategies, and technology platforms.
Provide clear, executive-level communication and reporting to leadership and board-level stakeholders on planning performance, transformation progress, and strategic initiatives.