Director, Supply Chain-Strategic Planning (IBP & New Platforms)

Kinder's•Walnut Creek, CA

3d•$215,000 - $240,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As a Director of Supply Chain in our Strategic Planning organization, you will serve a critical role in driving Kinder’s "Core + Explore" and "Re-Imagine" strategy to support both linear and non-linear hypergrowth. You will be the innovation engine for the supply chain. You will lead the design and adoption of new supply chain capabilities, expand the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and S&OP processes, and develop collaborative commercial planning frameworks. You will work closely with cross-functional leaders in R&D, Commercial, Finance, and SC Technology to optimize product availability, elevate sales forecasting, and ensure that new technological capabilities, like the Supply Chain Digital Twin and Agentic AI, are successfully adopted and transitioned to SC Ops for Continuous Improvement (CI).

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, business, operations, or a related field (MBA preferred).
10+ years of progressive experience in supply chain management, with a strong focus on collaborative planning, Supply Chain Optimization, Demand Planning, and IBP/S&OP.
Strong leadership and cross-functional orchestration skills, with the ability to inspire a team of Operations, Planning, SC Data Scientists, Process Architects, and Supply Chain partners in Commercial, Finance and R&D and manage cross functional business process reengineering projects.
Expertise in supply chain planning software (e.g., Blue Yonder, SAP IBP, Kinaxis, Anaplan), advanced analytics, Databricks, AI integrations, and Control Tower technologies.
Proven experience in managing supply chains within fast-growing companies or dynamic environments
Demonstrated ability to lead and manage change in a rapidly evolving environment.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders across all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

Champion a "Fail Forward" mindset that encourages learning from setbacks and fosters a culture of continuous improvement, in line with Kinder's values of Humility and Curiosity.
Act as a "Re-Imaginer" to develop and execute strategic supply chain initiatives aligned with the company's fast-growth and non-linear growth trajectory
Promote a Builder Mindset that balances long-term vision with immediate needs, fostering an environment of Collaboration, accountability, and continuous growth.
Promote a servant leadership approach, collaborating closely with C-suite executives and cross-functional leaders to integrate supply chain initiatives into the broader business strategy.
Lead the expansion and formalization of the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and S&OP processes, including comprehensive metrics packages, Product Reviews for New Product Development (NPD), Demand Pre-meetings (Sales Consensus), and Integrated Reconciliation forums.
Develop an NPD and new line planning architecture that supports a hypergrowth IBP process tailored to execute against a flexible Opportunity Pipeline.
Drive Demand Planning and Commercial Collaborative Planning by formalizing the integration of Trade Fund Management (TFM) and promotional lift causal factor models into tactical supply planning.
Invest in advanced analytics to improve demand sensing, demand shaping, and new product launch acceleration to optimize availability and reduce lost sales at the customer and consumer level
Drive the design, implementation, and adoption of new supply chain capabilities.
Lead the adoption of Agentic AI, Autonomous SC models, and "Human + Machine / Human in the loop" workflows across the supply chain network.
Direct the strategic use of the Supply Chain Digital Twin (SCDT) for critical raw materials, running probabilistic scenario modeling to evaluate Total Landed Cost (TLC) and lead-time volatility for new category launches.
Ensure a seamless handover process by transitioning validated models, platforms, and new capabilities to the SC Ops team for daily execution and Continuous Improvement (CI).
Foster an inclusive atmosphere where cross-functional teams are empowered to contribute, building solutions collaboratively rather than operating in silos.
Collaborate deeply with procurement, production, inventory management, and distribution teams, fostering an environment of shared ownership and mutual respect that reflects our commitment to Humility and Collaboration
Monitor supply chain KPIs and inventory metrics to track performance, identify risks, and implement corrective actions where needed, driving a culture of continuous improvement.
Lead initiatives to optimize processes, reduce costs, and improve service levels while encouraging a mindset that sees obstacles as creative opportunities for Innovation
Partner heavily with SC Technology and Data Architecture to utilize Databricks and connected demand and supply data across the network.
Actively seek out and implement innovative solutions, continually resetting the standard for supply chain efficiency while embodying Kinder's relentless drive for Results and passion for Innovation.
Proactively identify and mitigate risks through predictive "What-If" stress testing, ensuring business continuity through planning and contingency strategies that prioritize long-term success.
Optimize the management of supply chain master data, including SKU and contract manufacturing attributes, in partnership with Finance, Contract Manufacturing, and Supply Chain leadership.
Optimize strategies for optimizing retail fulfillment of secondary placements, such as PDQs (Pre-Distributed Quantities), DRUs (Display Ready Units), and pallet programs.
Optimize rapid response on these programs by implementing Make-To-Order (MTO) and Make-To-Stock (MTS) approaches for work-in-progress (WIP) items to ensure efficient supply chain responsiveness.
Optimize Policy and Process Adoption with contract manufacturers and suppliers, ensuring reliable sourcing of materials and services at the best quality and cost.
Optimize supplier performance, implement contingency plans to manage risk, and uphold Integrity by prioritizing long-term success over short-term gains.
Collaborate and integrate with warehouse and logistics partners to ensure improved customer satisfaction through efficient inventory deployment.