Inventory Planning Lead

Sazerac Company•Jeffersontown, KY

2d•$81,716 - $122,575•Hybrid

About The Position

The Inventory Planning Lead will lead and develop the Inventory Planning team in managing the end-to-end fulfillment process across control state/customer warehouses and Sazerac-owned facilities, delivering world-class customer service at the lowest landed cost. This role will build strong partnerships across the organization and with our customers while driving continuous improvement throughout the supply chain to improve downstream product availability, optimized finished goods inventory, reduced out-of-stocks, and increase profitability. The Inventory Planning Lead will foster a culture of accountability, development, and continuous learning by coaching team members, expanding capabilities, and creating opportunities for growth. The role will identify and help eliminate non-value-added work through process standardization, automation, and improved ways of working, allowing the team to focus on higher-value planning and execution. Additionally, the Inventory Planning Lead will help evolve and scale the Inventory Planning program by identifying new capabilities, expanding best practices, and developing sustainable processes that support continued business growth. Develop and elevate team performance through consistent coaching, feedback, and development discussions with direct reports. Leverage My Development to assess skills, establish clear development priorities, define actionable growth plans, and measure progress. Champion the adoption of My Development while reinforcing Sazerac’s culture and expectations across the Supply Chain organization. Optimize inventory across distributor and Sazerac warehouses by balancing inventory levels, in-stock performance, and delivery lead times to strengthen Sazerac’s position as a best-in-class supplier. Lead the continuous improvement of VMI capabilities, forecasting, replenishment, fulfillment, and ways of working to improve service and inventory efficiency. Drive industry-leading customer service and product availability by fostering a culture focused on eliminating out-of-stocks and cut cases. Leverage performance reporting, analytics, and strong cross-functional relationships to identify opportunities, drive accountability, and consistently deliver against department KPIs. Lead the Inventory Planning team in delivering superior end-to-end supply chain execution, from forecasting and inventory planning through order fulfillment and product delivery. Ensure accurate, timely, and proactive customer communication while strengthening collaboration across Demand Planning, Production, Logistics, Distribution Centers, Commercial, and other key partners. Continuously evaluate evolving customer and market needs to identify opportunities to improve service and execution. Design and implement sustainable, scalable processes that improve efficiency, consistency, and execution across the organization. Partner cross-functionally to identify high-impact opportunities and translate them into actionable solutions, including innovation execution, data controls, load optimization, process automation, and operational improvements. Develop and enhance tools, processes, and controls that enable the Inventory Planning team to identify and act on opportunities in truck building, forecasting, replenishment, and inventory optimization. Establish standardized ways of working that reduce errors and variability while improving productivity, cost efficiency, inventory health, and sales opportunities. Partner closely with the Commercial organization to ensure proactive visibility to sales programs, promotional activity, innovation, and changes in demand. Translate commercial inputs into effective inventory and replenishment strategies that optimize product availability across Sazerac distribution centers and distributor warehouses.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
Proven people leadership and development skills
Strong cross-functional leadership and continuous improvement mindset
Strong analytical, technical, and problem-solving skills
Excellent planning and organizational skills
Ability to communicate and influence at all levels
Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects
Ability to perform under pressure and drive process improvement
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
Strong attention to detail and execution
High level of ownership and accountability

Nice To Haves

Experience in Alcohol Beverage Industry or CPG overall

Responsibilities

Lead and develop the Inventory Planning team in managing the end-to-end fulfillment process across control state/customer warehouses and Sazerac-owned facilities.
Build strong partnerships across the organization and with our customers.
Drive continuous improvement throughout the supply chain to improve downstream product availability, optimized finished goods inventory, reduced out-of-stocks, and increase profitability.
Foster a culture of accountability, development, and continuous learning by coaching team members, expanding capabilities, and creating opportunities for growth.
Identify and help eliminate non-value-added work through process standardization, automation, and improved ways of working.
Evolve and scale the Inventory Planning program by identifying new capabilities, expanding best practices, and developing sustainable processes.
Develop and elevate team performance through consistent coaching, feedback, and development discussions with direct reports.
Optimize inventory across distributor and Sazerac warehouses by balancing inventory levels, in-stock performance, and delivery lead times.
Lead the continuous improvement of VMI capabilities, forecasting, replenishment, fulfillment, and ways of working.
Drive industry-leading customer service and product availability by fostering a culture focused on eliminating out-of-stocks and cut cases.
Leverage performance reporting, analytics, and strong cross-functional relationships to identify opportunities, drive accountability, and consistently deliver against department KPIs.
Lead the Inventory Planning team in delivering superior end-to-end supply chain execution, from forecasting and inventory planning through order fulfillment and product delivery.
Ensure accurate, timely, and proactive customer communication while strengthening collaboration across Demand Planning, Production, Logistics, Distribution Centers, Commercial, and other key partners.
Continuously evaluate evolving customer and market needs to identify opportunities to improve service and execution.
Design and implement sustainable, scalable processes that improve efficiency, consistency, and execution across the organization.
Partner cross-functionally to identify high-impact opportunities and translate them into actionable solutions, including innovation execution, data controls, load optimization, process automation, and operational improvements.
Develop and enhance tools, processes, and controls that enable the Inventory Planning team to identify and act on opportunities in truck building, forecasting, replenishment, and inventory optimization.
Establish standardized ways of working that reduce errors and variability while improving productivity, cost efficiency, inventory health, and sales opportunities.
Partner closely with the Commercial organization to ensure proactive visibility to sales programs, promotional activity, innovation, and changes in demand.
Translate commercial inputs into effective inventory and replenishment strategies that optimize product availability across Sazerac distribution centers and distributor warehouses.