Director, Transportation

The Director of Transportation is the senior transportation leader at Chick-fil-A Supply.  This role is responsible for designing safe, effective, and efficient transportation operations and strategy across the entire Chick-fil-A Supply network.  This role will be critical to our ability to scale our business, disrupt industry norms, and cast the transportation vision for what will become a five-billion-dollar distribution company.  This role will have broad leadership responsibility for several critical teams, including the inbound operations team, the network planning team, the fleet procurement team, and the fleet maintenance teams, as well as indirect responsibility for all delivery teams in the network.  This person will be accountable for the financial and operational performance of a team that will grow to 800+ Team Members, 500+ vehicles, and 300+ daily routes throughout the United States.  This role will require broad exposure, communication, and collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team and other executive stakeholders. This leader must be comfortable with enabling decision-making in ambiguous and new situations using quantitative and qualitative data, as well as integrating insights into executive communications and growth initiatives. This role requires a senior leader who can design, communicate, and execute strategic initiatives as well as build a tactically sound, detail-oriented, service-based transportation company. This leader will partner with DC leadership teams to drive culture of Care, Safety, and Excellence in the Transportation space. 

About Chick-fil-A Supply and this Role

Chick-fil-A Supply, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chick-fil-A, Inc., is an innovative distribution service provider focused on understanding and meeting the unique needs of Chick-fil-A® restaurants. Chick-fil-A Supply ensures restaurants have the food and products they need through a seamless delivery experience that extends the Chick-fil-A culture of care. For more information, visit cfa-supply.com.

• Oversee the entire centralized transportation team, which includes nationwide strategic outing, driver scheduling, inbound load planning, daily routing, and efficiency initiatives.
• Lead the development of a nation-wide transportation strategy that maximizes the efficiency of Team Members and assets, meets the unique needs of Operators, and pushes the business forward.
• Oversee an in-house fleet maintenance and procurement team responsible for procuring and maintaining a rapidly growing fleet of vehicles in markets across the United States.
• Responsible for selecting, coaching, and developing transportation teams, including transportation leaders across the country, analysts, planners, technicians, and other leaders.
• Serve as the executive business owner for several transportation technology platforms, including the Transportation Management System (TMS), Yard Management System (YMS), telematics systems, navigation software, and an in-house driver app.
• Plan, develop, and own the overall transportation and headcount budget for the entire network.
• Maintain a detailed understanding of the financial and operating performance of the business, including all relevant financial metrics, key performance indicators, and operating trends.
• Prepare and communicate business cases for strategic company-wide initiatives, including strategic shifts in our operational processes, capital investments, and value proposition for drivers.
• Understand and interpret industry-wide transportation, operations, and logistics trends and apply relevant tactics and strategies to the business.
• Work closely with Directors from Warehouse Operations, Restaurant Services, and other areas to continuously improve our culture, processes, operations, and financial performance.
• Partner with members of the CFA Supply Senior Leadership Team to build support for cross-functional transportation initiatives. 

• 12+ years of relevant experience in warehouse/distribution center roles
• Possess an uncompromising commitment to team member safety and food safety for customers
• Strong communication skills and ability to deliver complex messaging concisely to a broad set of stakeholders, executives, and Team Members in distribution centers
• Experience leading operations in a fast-paced environment with ambiguity, high-growth potential, and evolving expectations
• Ability to simultaneously solve multiple complex analytical and operational problems by establishing success criteria, evaluating all relevant options, and managing risks and issues to completion
• Ability to proactively identify and integrate initiatives with existing or new initiatives across the region
• Strong ability to prioritize and communicate a series of initiatives that impact cross-functional teams throughout the company
• Demonstrated success when given autonomy to drive the business toward strategic goals and objectives
• A customer-focused relationship builder who can earn the trust and respect of internal and external leaders and team members and leverage their insights to find ways to improve processes, planning, and reporting
• Comfortable leading internal and external teams, negotiating and resolving conflict, and driving senior leadership action and decision-making
• A strategic problem solver who identifies hidden risks and issues and drives to the best answer
• Comfortable with ambiguity and flexibility in a start-up environment while skillful at driving rigor and successful execution
• Capable of coaching, motivating, and inspiring a high-performing team of General Managers, operational leaders, warehouse Team Members, and Drivers
• High level of accountability and responsibility for the operational and financial performance of several distribution centers
• Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is consistently a top performer

• Exceptional ability to convey complex topics clearly, succinctly, and persuasively

• Proficient with analytical and reporting tools like Tableau (and others)

• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams

• Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn't stop at the first answer

• Can get things done quietly without unnecessary noise; quickly admits flaws and mistakes; is careful to make others comfortable; is authentic; helps others save face in difficult situations; maximizes the contribution of all; encourages the expression of viewpoints from all concerned; is modest and self-effacing; respects the views of others

• Bachelors/Master’s/Advanced Degree
• 15+ years of relevant experience
• Experience in foodservice distribution and multi-site leadership