Supply Chain Strategy Lead

Position Summary

The Supply Chain Strategy Lead provides advanced analytical expertise to support ADUSA's distribution and transportation network design, optimization, and modernization initiatives, while playing a key role in shaping the long-term direction of the organization's supply chain strategy.

This role leverages optimization tools, large datasets, and analytical techniques to develop data-driven insights, inform network investment decisions, and drive alignment on strategic priorities. Partnering closely with cross-functional leadership, the Lead translates complex operational data into forward-looking recommendations that balance cost, service, capacity, and risk while supporting enterprise growth objectives.

The Lead delivers actionable insights and strategic recommendations to senior and executive leadership, helping guide decision-making, prioritize investments, and ensure successful implementation of network optimization and transformation efforts.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Strategic Analysis & Supply Chain Network Optimization
• Translate ambiguous business problems into actionable insights using a combination of optimization models, scenario analysis, and strategic frameworks.
• Evaluate trade-offs across cost, service, inventory, and capacity through scenario modeling and cost-benefit analysis.
• Apply structured methodologies (e.g., process mapping, root cause analysis, optimization techniques) to support enterprise decision-making.
• Develop scorecards, dashboards, and define and measure KPIs to monitor network performance and track initiative success.
• Design and execute scenario analyses to evaluate trade-offs related to demand variability, labor and asset capacity, network changes, and service-level commitments. Provide recommendations that balance cost, service, and operational risk.
• Network Modeling & Tool Development
• Develop and enhance optimization models and analytical tools to support network design, routing, and inventory positioning.
• Support the formulation and application of optimization models (e.g., linear programming, mixed-integer programming) to evaluate network scenarios and trade-offs.
• Leverage large datasets and advanced analytics to inform network decisions.
• Support development and refinement of optimization models (LP, MILP, heuristics) for network design problems.
• Support scenario flexibility and analytics through structured data pipelines and modeling best practices.
• Initiative & Program Execution
• Support end-to-end execution of network design and optimization initiatives, from concept through implementation.
• Develop and manage workplans, milestones, and cross-functional coordination while identifying risks, dependencies, and mitigation strategies to maintain overall program health.
• Establish governance frameworks to support structured decision-making and accountability.
• Capacity Planning & Engineering Support
• Analyze network capacity constraints and evaluate facility expansions or network changes.
• Assess feasibility of network strategies using both engineering principles and financial considerations.
• Provide recommendations to improve throughput, utilization, and operational efficiency.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
• Present complex analytical findings and strategic recommendations to executive leadership in a clear, structured, and compelling manner.
• Partner with cross-functional teams (Operations, Transportation, Finance, Real Estate, Engineering, etc.) to ensure alignment and feasibility of recommendations.
• Translate technical outputs into actionable business cases that support investment decisions.

Qualifications

• Education
• Minimum: Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Business, or a related field.
• Preferred: Master's degree in Supply Chain, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Experience
• 8-10+ years of experience in supply chain / network strategy, supply chain network design, operations, and/or process execution in grocery retail or related industry
• 3+ years of consulting industry experience preferred
• Experience with optimization, analytics, or technical modeling environments.
• Demonstrated experience with financial modeling, business case development, and scenario analysis, including trade-offs across cost, service, and capacity.
• Experience working on large, cross-functional Supply Chain programs, requiring leading without authority and partnership with operations, engineering, finance, IT, etc.
• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering compelling narratives for executive-level presentations and insights

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of Supply Chain network design and flows, transportation routing, optimization models (objective functions, constraints), inventory optimization, simulation, and supply chain trade-offs
• Advanced understanding of end-to-end supply chain network design, capacity planning, and operational feasibility assessment.
• Working knowledge of optimization and analytics tools (Python, R, SQL, etc.)
• Understanding of financial modeling and trade-off analysis
• Project management and process improvement methodologies (Lean, PMP concepts)

Skills and Abilities

• Skills
• Passion & Curiosity
• Comfortable with ambiguity and project-based work.
• Strong analytical, quantitative, and modeling skills.
• Ability to translate complex technical data into actionable recommendations.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and time management skills.
• Advanced communication and presentation skills for executive and cross-functional audiences.
• Abilities
• Conceptual thinker able to identify patterns, dependencies, and constraints across complex networks.
• Ability to influence decision-making across multiple functions without direct authority.
• Capacity to work autonomously while managing multiple priorities and initiatives.
• Innovates to improve processes, operational efficiency, and network performance.