Outbound Planning Specialist

Overview

The Outbound Planning Specialist is responsible for the planning of inbound and outbound Sprouts Farmers Market controlled freight being delivered to the Distribution Centers, retail locations, and other destinations as deemed necessary. This position uses the Transportation Management System for planning and optimization of this freight in adherence to Procurement, Distribution Center, and Retail teams’ scheduling policies. The Planning Specialist is responsible for aligning the inbound and outbound strategy with the Supply Chain and Distribution teams for the most efficient and timely flow of freight to its destination.

The Outbound Planning Specialist is responsible for the planning of inbound and outbound Sprouts Farmers Market controlled freight being delivered to the Distribution Centers, retail locations, and other destinations as deemed necessary. This position uses the Transportation Management System for planning and optimization of this freight in adherence to Procurement, Distribution Center, and Retail teams’ scheduling policies. The Planning Specialist is responsible for aligning the inbound and outbound strategy with the Supply Chain and Distribution teams for the most efficient and timely flow of freight to its destination.

This position is located at our Store Support Office in Phoenix, Arizona,and operates on a Sunday through Thursday schedule, with in-office days Tuesday through Thursday.

• Plan, build, and optimize outbound loads to maximize cube and weight utilization while ensuring timely store and destination deliveries.
• Execute transportation plans that balance service, cost, and operational efficiency across the outbound freight network.
• Identify and implement opportunities to reduce transportation costs, improve load efficiency, and enhance network performance.
• Develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal business partners, distribution centers, carriers, brokers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Manage and maintain TMS planning and optimization parameters to support accurate and efficient freight execution.
• Procure transportation capacity and negotiate competitive spot market rates to support service requirements and cost objectives.
• Monitor daily freight activity and proactively resolve transportation issues that could impact delivery performance.
• Lead strategic outbound network analysis for each DC, evaluating fleet utilization, routing structures, and delivery patterns independently and collectively.
• Analyze historical shipment, route, and order data to identify trends, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities at the DC and network level.
• Serve as a key liaison between carriers, vendors, distribution centers, and internal teams to ensure alignment and successful freight execution.
• Prepare and analyze transportation data, performance metrics, reports, and operational correspondence to support business decision-making.
• Support transportation bids, carrier sourcing initiatives, continuous improvement efforts, and network optimization projects.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to evaluate transportation decisions through operational and financial impacts.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and recommend solutions.
• Strong problem-solving, prioritization, and decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment.
• Effective negotiation skills with the ability to secure transportation capacity and favorable pricing.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build partnerships across multiple functions and organizational levels.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines and maintaining a high level of accuracy.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including data analysis and reporting.
• Experience working with Transportation Management Systems, preferably Mercury Gate.
• Knowledge of transportation operations, carrier management, freight planning, and logistics best practices.

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Transportation, or related…