Senior Director, Inventory Strategy & Transformation

Senior Director, Inventory Strategy & Transformation (Path to IP&R Leadership) Position Summary The 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 Responsibilities Strategic Initiatives & Business Impact Lead a focused portfolio of high-priority inventory initiatives tied directly to sales, service, and working capital outcomes Diagnose root causes of in-stock gaps, excess inventory, and network inefficiencies, and translate insights into actionable solutions Drive measurable improvements in key metrics such as in-stock %, fill rate, inventory turns, and excess/obsolete inventory Partner cross-functionally to align priorities and execute against enterprise inventory goals Address long-tail SKU challenges, intermittent demand patterns, and supplier variability Supplier & Flow Strategy Partner with Merchandising and Supply Chain to improve supplier performance, including fill rate and lead time reliability Develop mitigation strategies for supplier constraints, including buffer stock, forward buys, and alternative sourcing approaches Align inventory strategies with flow optimization and replenishment cadence Analytics, Systems & Capability Development Leverage advanced analytics to identify opportunities and improve inventory decision-making Establish reporting frameworks and diagnostics to monitor inventory health and performance Standardize processes and improve data integrity across inventory planning and replenishment Leadership 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 state Qualifications Required 12-15+ years of experience in inventory planning, replenishment, or supply chain within a complex retail or distribution environment Proven track record of owning inventory KPIs such as in-stock %, fill rate, inventory turns, and working capital Experience operating within a high-SKU, multi-echelon environment Strong analytical and financial acumen with ability to translate data into business decisions Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence senior stakeholders Experience managing teams and driving operational execution Experience working with advanced planning systems transformations MBA or advanced degree highly preferred Leadership Profile Proven inventory operator with strong strategic thinking capability Data-driven and action-oriented; able to move from insight to execution quickly Comfortable navigating complexity and making trade-off decisions under pressure Strong collaborator who can influence Merchandising, Supply Chain, and Operations Change leader with the ability to drive transformation while delivering near-term results Not 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. Since 1928, GPC has set the standards for performance and value for our customers and our stakeholders. Today, we're proud to say we're the largest global auto parts network and a leading industrial parts distributor, one that offers rewarding careers that combine small company feel with a global scale. Our strengths are in the relationships we build and the value we deliver by merging local expertise with a global force.