Hybrid Director, Demand Management – Distribution

at Red Lobster

• Job title: Director, Demand Management – Distribution
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Orlando, United States

About the role

• Director of Demand Management & Distribution at Red Lobster leading supply chain strategies and ensuring timely delivery of products. Collaborating with various teams to optimize inventory and drive operational efficiency.

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.

Requirements

• 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

Benefits

• Monday – Thursday on-site work with flexibility to work remotely on Fridays