Find the right interim hire for Distribution, Logistics & Supply Chain.

Real engagement work for distribution leaders

In the distribution sector, our engagement work focuses on leaders who manage the narrow gap between inventory turnover and cash flow stability. We prioritize candidates who have successfully handled the friction points of gross margin analysis where purchasing rebates, freight volatility, and return logistics often erode bottom-line performance. Whether addressing a CFO vacancy or a COO requirement, our process highlights individuals who connect warehouse throughput with financial outcomes. We examine their track record in maintaining working capital efficiency while balancing complex supplier credit terms against the demands of customer-level service obligations. Our consultants bring practical experience in reconciling actual rebate receipts against expected accruals to ensure that reported earnings align with bank-level reporting expectations. Every engagement begins by validating the specific financial triggers that define your operational health, moving beyond theoretical oversight into the mechanics of day-to-day profit protection.

Finding fit beyond the functional job title

A simple title match is rarely sufficient for the intricacies of modern distribution models. We differentiate between leaders accustomed to high-volume broadline environments and those specialized in managing multi-branch complexities or stock-heavy specialty niches. A strong fit requires demonstrated capability in ERP optimization for inventory replenishment, alongside a firm grasp of how branch-level accountability impacts total operational costs. We look for evidence that a leader has successfully managed the transition from reactive fulfillment to proactive stock positioning. By focusing on how a candidate handled specific challenges like warehouse throughput bottlenecks or localized staffing shortages, we ensure the person you select understands the operational rhythm of your particular fulfillment and distribution ecosystem. We assess if their past experience mirrors your current growth stage or your specific requirement to resolve long-standing inventory or logistics inefficiencies.

Practical priorities for the first ninety days

The initial ninety days typically focus on stabilizing essential financial and operational control mechanisms to protect margins. During the first thirty days, a consultant will often audit existing working capital forecasts, confirming that replenishment cycles remain synced with seasonal demand and customer payment patterns. By day sixty, the focus shifts toward identifying margin leakage at the customer or product level, scrutinizing the documentation of earned rebates, and verifying that freight costs are accurately allocated to specific revenue streams. By day ninety, the priority is to establish clear definitions for key performance indicators in the warehouse and to document all supplier terms, ensuring that the incoming permanent management team possesses a reliable roadmap for ongoing operations. This structured approach prevents common leadership failures where new arrivals spend too much time observing and not enough time correcting immediate cost drivers.

How we evaluate distribution specialty expertise

Evaluation of a distribution-focused CFO or COO centers on their ability to explain the relationship between product movement and financial liquidity. We assess candidates by asking them to describe past efforts in linking purchasing commitments to collections cycles, specifically how they identified when rising inventory levels signaled an impending cash shortage. For operational roles, we test their methodology for reviewing order-to-delivery workflows and their history of managing multi-site accountability. We ask for evidence of how they managed past discrepancies in inventory reconciliation and how they distinguished between temporary operational shifts and permanent changes in market pricing, ensuring they have the technical grounding to handle your unique product and supply chain variables. We verify that their expertise translates into actionable results rather than just familiarity with common distribution concepts or industry-standard software packages.

Red flags in the selection process

Certain patterns during the evaluation stage should prompt additional scrutiny. A candidate who lacks a clear methodology for distinguishing between earned rebates and projected income may struggle with accurate margin reporting. Be wary of leaders who describe warehouse performance only through high-level shipment volumes without demonstrating knowledge of order accuracy, picking efficiency, or returns management. Another warning sign is an inability to articulate how stock positioning affects multi-branch cash requirements or a tendency to view ERP systems purely as data repositories rather than tools for proactive replenishment. These indicators suggest a lack of hands-on experience with the realities of distribution, which could lead to ineffective decision-making regarding inventory investment and supplier term negotiations. You need a leader who prioritizes the tangible operational metrics that prevent liquidity traps in capital-intensive logistics environments.

Agreeing on scope and final handover

Clarity at the start of an engagement prevents confusion during the transition. We work with you to define the specific deliverables for the interim consultant, such as the creation of a working capital model, the reconciliation of rebate accounts, or the implementation of warehouse performance metrics. We avoid generic promises, opting instead for a concrete list of responsibilities that align with your current distribution challenges. Before the consultant concludes their tenure, they will provide a thorough handover, documenting all assumptions used in their forecasts and identifying any outstanding inventory or supply chain issues. This structured closure ensures that your team remains informed and capable of maintaining the operating policy established during the engagement, leaving your business in a stronger, more disciplined state than it was prior to the consultant starting their assignment.

Supply Chain & Procurement

• Interim Chief Supply Chain Officer
• Interim VP Supply Chain
• Interim Chief Procurement Officer
• Interim Director of Purchasing
• Interim Strategic Sourcing / Category Lead
• Interim S&OP Lead
• Interim Demand & Inventory Planning Director
• Interim Director of Logistics
• Interim Distribution Center / Warehouse Director
• Fractional Supply Chain Leader
• Interim Head of Supply Chain
• Interim Supply Chain Director
• Interim Head of Procurement
• Interim Procurement Director
• Interim IBP Lead
• Interim Demand Planning Director
• S&OP consultant
• Interim Head of Logistics
• Interim Distribution Director
• Interim Transportation Director

Operations & Manufacturing

• Interim COO
• Fractional COO
• Interim VP Operations
• Interim Operations Director
• Interim Plant Manager
• Interim Site Leader
• Interim Director of Manufacturing
• Interim VP Quality
• Interim Quality Manager
• Interim Head of EHS
• Interim Continuous Improvement Director
• Interim Director of Engineering (Manufacturing)
• Interim Head of Customer Operations
• Interim Director of Field Operations
• Interim Director of Maintenance & Reliability
• Operations executive
• Integrator (EOS)
• Fractional Operations Executive
• Interim Head of Operations
• Interim Site Director
• Interim Plant Director
• Interim Factory Manager
• Interim Quality Director
• Interim Head of Quality
• QA Manager
• Quality Assurance Manager
• Interim EHS Director
• Interim Safety Director
• Interim HSE Manager
• Interim Lean Director
• Interim Operational Excellence Lead
• Lean Six Sigma consultant
• COO
• Integrator

Finance & Accounting

• Interim CFO
• Fractional CFO
• Interim VP Finance
• Interim Finance Director
• Interim Chief Accounting Officer
• Interim Controller
• Fractional Controller
• Interim Plant / Division Controller
• Interim Assistant Controller
• Interim Accounting Manager
• Interim VP of FP&A
• Fractional FP&A Lead
• Interim Treasurer
• Interim Head of Tax
• Interim Director of Internal Audit
• Interim SEC Reporting Director
• Interim Technical Accounting Lead
• SOX Program Lead
• Interim Head of Investor Relations
• Interim Credit & Collections Director
• Interim Project Accounting Manager
• Contract CFO
• CFO consultant
• Fractional Finance Director
• Interim Principal Accounting Officer
• Interim Corporate Controller
• Contract Controller
• Contract Accounting Manager
• Accounting Supervisor
• Interim Director of FP&A
• Interim Head of FP&A
• FP&A consultant
• Interim Head of Treasury
• Interim Treasury Director
• Cash management consultant
• Interim VP Tax
• Interim Tax Director
• Tax consultant
• Interim Chief Audit Executive
• Interim Head of Internal Audit
• Internal audit consultant
• Interim Director of External Reporting
• Interim Financial Reporting Manager
• SEC reporting consultant
• Technical accounting consultant
• ASC 606 consultant
• ASC 842 consultant
• Interim Director of Technical Accounting
• Interim SOX Manager
• SOX compliance consultant
• Internal controls lead
• CFO
• Outsourced CFO
• Exit-Readiness CFO

Sales, Marketing & Revenue

• Interim CMO
• Fractional CMO
• Interim VP Marketing
• Interim Chief Revenue Officer
• Fractional Chief Revenue Officer
• Interim VP Sales
• Interim Chief Sales Officer
• Fractional VP Sales
• Interim Chief Commercial Officer
• Interim Head of Revenue Operations
• Interim Head of Business Development
• Interim Head of Pricing
• Interim Chief Growth Officer
• Interim Head of E-commerce
• Interim Head of Customer Success
• Interim Head of Communications
• Interim Head of Revenue
• Interim Chief Sales & Marketing Officer
• Part-time revenue leader
• Interim Sales Director
• Interim Head of Sales
• Fractional Sales Leader
• Part-time Sales Manager
• Interim Commercial Director
• Interim RevOps Director
• Fractional RevOps lead
• Sales operations consultant

Procurement, Supply Chain & Logistics

• Interim Warehouse Manager