Executive Search Success Story: Recruiting a VP of Supply Chain to Redesign the Distribution Network and Restore Retail Service for a Consumer Products Company

How JRG Partners executed a confidential North American executive search that equipped a private-equity-backed consumer products company with the VP of Supply Chain and planning leadership required to redesign a fragmented distribution network, restore on-time, in-full performance to national retailers, and reduce logistics and inventory costs under an aggressive value-creation plan.

The Challenge

A private-equity-backed consumer products company had grown through acquisitions into a $720M business serving national mass, grocery, and e-commerce retailers, but its supply chain had never been integrated. Products shipped from seven distribution centers inherited from acquired companies, forecast accuracy was poor, and on-time, in-full performance had fallen below retailer thresholds, triggering chargebacks and lost shelf space. The sponsor’s value-creation plan depended on supply chain cost reduction and service recovery. Executive leadership identified several critical vulnerabilities threatening the plan:

• On-time, in-full performance below 85% with major retailers assessing chargebacks and threatening delistings
• Seven legacy distribution centers with overlapping coverage and excess cost
• Forecast accuracy below 60% driving both stockouts and excess inventory
• No integrated sales and operations planning process across acquired businesses
• Transportation spend inflated by fragmented carrier management and poor load optimization
• No enterprise supply chain executive with authority across the integrated business

Recognizing that the value-creation plan required an enterprise supply chain leader, the CEO and sponsor engaged JRG Partners to recruit a VP of Supply Chain, supported by a Director of Demand & Supply Planning and a Director of Logistics & Distribution. The company required an executive search partner with deep consumer products expertise and access to supply chain leaders who had redesigned networks and restored retail service in acquisitive businesses.

Why They Chose JRG Partners

Consumer Products Supply Chain Focus

JRG Partners possesses deep recruiting expertise across consumer products companies, retail suppliers, and third-party logistics organizations, including supply chain, planning, and logistics leadership. This domain knowledge ensured an immediate understanding of retailer compliance requirements, network design economics, and integrated planning disciplines.

VP of Supply Chain Search Specialization

Our firm maintains a dedicated practice for VP of Supply Chain searches, with a proven methodology for evaluating candidates on network transformation, service recovery, planning maturity, and measurable cost improvement.

Private Equity Value-Creation Alignment

JRG Partners has extensive experience serving consumer-focused private equity sponsors and portfolio companies, with a clear understanding of cost targets, customer retention risk, and the urgency of supply chain leadership placements.

Our Executive Search Strategy

Phase 1 — Supply Chain Review

Our consultants partnered directly with the CEO, sponsor operating partners, CFO, and head of sales to review service performance, network footprint, planning maturity, and logistics spend. This review defined a VP of Supply Chain profile combining network redesign, retail service recovery, and integrated planning leadership.

Phase 2 — Talent Identification & Mapping

Our research team performed an extensive talent mapping initiative targeting supply chain leaders at consumer products companies, retail suppliers, and logistics organizations who had led documented network redesigns and service recoveries. Over 310 executives were systematically assessed across these sectors.

Phase 3 — Candidate Engagement

Priority during outreach was given to leaders with a documented history of consolidating distribution networks, raising on-time, in-full performance above retailer thresholds, implementing sales and operations planning, improving forecast accuracy, and reducing transportation and inventory costs. Only candidates meeting these strict performance baselines advanced.

Phase 4 — Selection Process

Finalists presented a network redesign and service recovery plan to the CEO and sponsor, completed structured leadership assessments, and underwent reference verification focused on quantified service, cost, and inventory outcomes.

Key Outcomes

• 310+ supply chain leader profiles mapped across consumer products, retail supply, and logistics.
• Placed a VP of Supply Chain with proven network integration experience in 47 days.
• Raised on-time, in-full performance from below 85% to above 97%.
• Consolidated seven distribution centers into three without service disruption.
• Reduced inventory by $38M and logistics cost by 220 basis points of revenue.
• Eliminated retailer chargebacks and secured shelf space with national accounts.