POSITION REQUIREMENTS: This is an on-site position Monday – Thursday with flexibility to work remotely on Fridays and is based at Red Lobster’s corporate office in Orlando, FL.
POSITION SUMMARY: As the Director of Demand Management & Distribution you will serve on our Supply Chain Leadership Team and be the strategic force ensuring that our supply chain runs as smoothly as our kitchens. You’ll oversee the forecasting, inventory planning and distribution strategies that keep our restaurants stocked with the freshest ingredients and products – on time, every time. Your leadership will directly influence guest satisfaction, operational efficiency and cost optimization, making you a key driver of Red Lobster’s continued success.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead the demand planning process, aligning sales forecasts with supply capabilities to ensure optimal inventories across all restaurant locations
- Oversee national distribution operations, ensuring timely, cost-effective, and quality-driven delivery of products from suppliers and distributors to restaurants
- Collaborate with strategic sourcing, culinary, marketing, finance and operations teams to anticipate seasonal demand shifts, promotional impacts and implement menu changes
- Implement advanced forecasting tools and analytics to improve accuracy and responsiveness within demand planning
- Negotiate and manage relationships with third party logistics providers (3PLs), ensuring service level agreements are met or exceeded
- Develop and monitor KPIs for demand accuracy, fill rates, transportation efficiency and cost control
- Lead a high performing team, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation and continuous improvement
- Provide insight into obsolete and expired inventory risks and coordinate risk mitigation strategies with cross functional stakeholders
- Lead the implementation and functional oversight of master data management platforms (i.e. SaaS solutions including Arrowstream and internally developed tools) managing pricing, product attributes, order guide & inventory management.
- Ensure accuracy and reliability of master data in all platforms under remit.
- Collaborate across functions to achieve organizational goals, drive product allocation decisions, and recommend improvements to supply chain management processes.
- Ensure that critical business reporting is completed timely and accurately (i.e. inflation projections, product forecasts, etc.), and that information is shared appropriately to relevant stakeholders.
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE PREFERRED
- 10+ years of progressive experience in supply chain, demand planning or distribution management, preferably within the restaurant, foodservice or retail sectors
- Proven track record of leading large-scale distribution networks and multi-location inventory management
- Expertise in Microsoft Office applications, demand forecasting tools and advanced analytics (e.g., Power BI)
- Strong negotiation skills and experience managing third party logistics providers
- Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams
- A data-driven mindset with the ability to translate insights into actionable strategies
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field (Master’s preferred)
- Occasional overnight travel up to 20% may be required, as well as occasional business support after hours and on weekends as needed
