Senior Director, Inventory Strategy & Transformation

Senior Director, Inventory Strategy & Transformation (Path to IP&R Leadership)Position SummaryThe Senior Director, Inventory Strategy & Transformation is a high-impact leadership role responsible for driving critical inventory initiatives and shaping the future of inventory planning and replenishment. This role is designed as a strategic-to-operational leadership path within a reasonable timeframe.This leader will partner across Merchandising, Supply Chain, Store Operations, Finance, Suppliers and our Independent Owners to solve complex inventory challenges, improve in-stock and fill rate performance and optimize working capital. The role combines strategic problem-solving with hands-on execution and is ideal for a proven inventory leader looking to broaden enterprise impact before assuming full ownership of an operational IP&R role.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Initiatives & Business ImpactLead a focused portfolio of high-priority inventory initiatives tied directly to sales, service, and working capital outcomesDiagnose root causes of in-stock gaps, excess inventory, and network inefficiencies, and translate insights into actionable solutionsDrive measurable improvements in key metrics such as in-stock %, fill rate, inventory turns, and excess/obsolete inventoryPartner cross-functionally to align priorities and execute against enterprise inventory goalsAddress long-tail SKU challenges, intermittent demand patterns, and supplier variabilitySupplier & Flow StrategyPartner with Merchandising and Supply Chain to improve supplier performance, including fill rate and lead time reliabilityDevelop mitigation strategies for supplier constraints, including buffer stock, forward buys, and alternative sourcing approachesAlign inventory strategies with flow optimization and replenishment cadenceAnalytics, Systems & Capability DevelopmentLeverage advanced analytics to identify opportunities and improve inventory decision-makingEstablish reporting frameworks and diagnostics to monitor inventory health and performanceStandardize processes and improve data integrity across inventory planning and replenishmentLeadership Path to IP&R Ownership* Gain deep understanding of current IP&R processes, systems, and team structure with the goal of leading portions of the business in future stateQualificationsRequired12-15+ years of experience in inventory planning, replenishment, or supply chain within a complex retail or distribution environmentProven track record of owning inventory KPIs such as in-stock %, fill rate, inventory turns, and working capitalExperience operating within a high-SKU, multi-echelon environmentStrong analytical and financial acumen with ability to translate data into business decisionsDemonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholdersExperience managing teams and driving operational executionExperience working with advanced planning systems transformationsMBA or advanced degree highly preferredLeadership ProfileProven inventory operator with strong strategic thinking capabilityData-driven and action-oriented; able to move from insight to execution quicklyComfortable navigating complexity and making trade-off decisions under pressureStrong collaborator who can influence Merchandising, Supply Chain, and OperationsChange leader with the ability to drive transformation while delivering near-term resultsNot the right fit? Let us know you're interested in a future opportunity by joining our Talent Community on jobs.genpt.com or create an account to set up email alerts as new job postings become available that meet your interest!GPC conducts its business without regard to sex, race, creed, color, religion, marital status, national origin, citizenship status, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, military status, status as a veteran, or any other protected characteristic. GPC's policy is to recruit, hire, train, promote, assign, transfer and terminate employees based on their own ability, achievement, experience and conduct and other legitimate business reasons.