Job Purpose

The Distribution, Distribution for Panera is accountable for the management of over 250,000 delivery events to over 2,400 cafes per year. The Director is accountable for over $110MM in annual distribution cost and the associated service to these cafes, ensuring best-in-class service to each cafe operator. In addition to these responsibilities the Director is responsible for the strategic planning of Panera’s outbound network to support and enable growth.

Location: St. Louis, MO or Newton, MA

Duties & Responsibilities

The primary responsibilities of this job include, but are not limited to:

• Service – ensure best-in-class service to over 2.400 cafes
• Quality – through predictive and historical KPI’s, manage fact-based change and improvements in the quality of delivery
• Growth – ensure the distribution network and systems are prepared for Panera’s menu, geographic, and business model (non-traditional unit) growth
• Cost – manage cost and revenue centers of over $110MM annually to deliver value for the café operators
• Strategic Planning – Develop and execute the distribution strategy to reduce the last mile into Panera’s cafes while controlling inbound and outbound costs
• Execute competitive business strategies such as RFP’s, piloting of new models, and strategic partnership development

Qualifications (Education & Experience)

Qualifications include:

• Education: Bachelor’s required; MBA preferred
• Specialized knowledge: Distribution business models and major cost drivers
• Skills: Strategic planning, analytical skills
• Abilities: Team leader, good communication skills, able to operate within the C Suite environment, strategy development and execution
• Other characteristics such as personal characteristics: Strong interpersonal skills, flexible and to excel in a dynamic environment
• Professional Certification: none required; a plus – Six Sigma, CSCP
• Experience: 15 years+ in related distribution or logistics fields

Working Conditions

• Required travel – 35% Travel

Physical Requirements

• While performing this job, the incumbent is regularly required to stand, sit, talk hear & use hands and fingers to operate keyboard

Direct Reports

• This position will have approximately 1 current direct report, 3 dotted line internal direct reports (Managers, Product Supply, Sr Manager of Logistics), and 8 external dotted line reports (distribution partners – VP’s of national accounts, Distribution managers)