Director Demand Planning

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The Director, Demand Planning is responsible for leading a team that develops and maintains accurate forecasts and effective planning practices that drive product replenishment, supplier collaboration/performance, logistics, operations, and product lifecycle management activities. Inventory represents one of the largest liquid assets of the corporation, and prudent stewardship of inventory significantly impacts customer service, revenue growth, and capital deployment for ongoing operations, strategic initiatives, and acquisitions.

High‑quality demand planning is essential to sustain optimal product availability, fill rates, inventory levels, and the flow of goods.

This role resides in Sysco’s Corporate Supplier & Inventory Management function. On a day‑to‑day basis, the leader works closely with peer leaders across Inbound Supply Chain, Merchandising, Sales, Operations, Field Leadership, and Finance to achieve operational objectives and ensure effective planning regimens.

The leader is expected to provide subject‑matter expertise, industry perspective, and technical proficiency in statistical algorithms, analytical techniques, performance measurement, systems capabilities, best practices, and continuous improvement opportunities related to demand planning and forecasting. The leader is also expected to have a proficient understanding of inventory cycles and end‑to‑end processes to ensure clarity on how changes to demand planning impact the organization.

• Operational Execution: rigorous execution of demand planning, forecasting, and associated analytical activities; ensuring effective resources, initiatives, enabling technologies, governance, and cross‑functional coordination required to meet defined goals, targets, and KPIs.
• Innovation & Strategic Road‑mapping: introduce industry best‑in‑class concepts, develop business cases supporting Sysco‑specific opportunities, and maintain a strategic roadmap that drives innovation for effective demand planning and forecasting.
• Organizational Performance & Talent Development: define roles and responsibilities, allocate resources, manage performance outcomes, and develop talent within the team to sustainably achieve strategic business objectives, targets, and KPIs.
• Process Adherence & Improvement: consistently apply best practices and defined business processes across the function; identify activities for improvement, automation, outsourcing, or elimination and lead efforts to achieve desired outcomes.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business Management, Mathematics, Data Science, Statistics, Operations Research, Engineering, or related field with a quantitative focus.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in business/data analysis, inventory planning, integrated business planning, and/or broader supply‑chain areas within national organizations.
• Familiarity and experience within a distributor channel (e.g., grocery, auto parts, MRO, pharmaceutical).
• 3+ years of supervisory experience with direct reports.

• Pathfinder: navigate a complex, changing organization; work across boundaries, cultivate collaboration, and adapt to evolving norms, roles, and values.
• Problem Solver: anticipate issues and respond quickly; synthesize learnings and apply pragmatically with a disruptive spirit.
• Operator Mindset: strong strategic and operational competencies with a hands‑on approach.
• Highly Analytical: draw insights, implications, and recommended actions from data; develop metrics and accountability strategies.
• Continual Learner & Networker: maintain intellectual curiosity; seek diverse perspectives; stay current on industry best practices to mitigate risk and resolve disruptions.
• Collaborator: exemplary interpersonal, influencing, and collaboration skills; partner with business leaders to develop strategy and seek feedback for continuous improvement; influence at all levels.
• Results Orientation: orchestrate pace and progress of change/innovation while maintaining focus, rigor, and accountability to achieve goals, targets, and KPIs.
• Culture Builder: passionate about business and its people; recognize differentiated performance and engage in constructive conversations around talent and performance.