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Director, Inventory Planning & Operations

Sleep Number · Minneapolis, MN

Apply on Sleep Number ↗
Level
Director+
Team
Production
Base pay
$142k–$210k
Degree
Required (or equivalent experience)
Experience asked
40+ years
Industry
Industrial
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A director-level production role at Sleep Number (industrial) in Minneapolis, MN. Analytics, Reporting & Decision Support.

They ask for
40+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
Tools it names
Lean, Six Sigma, Root cause, Automation, Casting, SAP
Base pay
$142k–$210k

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026

Production Engineer roles in Minnesota: typical posted base $120k–$195k. This one lists $142k–$210k.

Median of the low and high ends of 20 live postings that list pay, out of 29 production engineer openings in Minnesota, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Minnesota plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 28 other live production postings in Minnesota.

Base pay
About 40% above similar roles

Typical $102k–$150k, from 13 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
More than usual (40+ vs 7+)

Similar roles usually ask 7+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • Team leadership 55%
  • ✓ Lean 52%
  • ✓ Six Sigma 31%
  • EHS / safety 28%
  • ✓ Root cause 21%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for Automation, Casting, Power BI / Tableau, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 40+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Promotion path mentioned

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Sleep Number

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: Sleep Number in Minneapolis

1 other open role at this site.

Full description from Sleep NumberAs posted on their careers site.Show

Job Summary

The Director, Inventory Planning & Operations, is responsible for leading the end-to-end inventory planning and inventory operations functions across the organization. This role develops inventory strategies, oversees replenishment and deployment processes, manages inventory execution across distribution and fulfillment networks, and drives continuous improvement initiatives to optimize customer service levels, inventory investment, and operational efficiency.

The Director partners closely with Supply Chain, Demand Planning, Procurement, Logistics, Distribution Center Operations, Finance, Sales, and Merchandising teams to ensure inventory performance aligns with organizational objectives. This position provides leadership for planning and inventory teams while driving operational excellence and data-driven decision-making.

Primary

Education, Related Experience, Certifications

  • ✓Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Business, Engineering, Logistics, or related field, or equivalent experience.
  • ✓10+ years of progressive experience in inventory planning, supply chain, operations, or logistics.
  • ✓5+ years leading managers and professional teams.
  • ✓Experience with multi-site distribution, fulfillment, manufacturing, or retail networks.
Show full description ↓

Sleep Number® is the leader in personalized sleep wellness. Backed by almost 40 years of innovation, Sleep Number has helped more than 16 million people achieve their best sleep. We are guided by our purpose – improving lives by personalizing sleep. This is exemplified through our 3,000+ purpose-driven team members who passionately innovate to drive value creation through our fully integrated business model, owning the process from start to finish, and care at every step.

At Sleep Number, you’ll be part of a team redefining what’s possible in sleep, health, and wellness. Backed by world-class research and continued innovation, we create mattresses with adjustable firmness, pressure relief, and temperature-balancing comfort that adapt to customers’ changing needs, night after night, year after year. Our people thrive in a culture where purpose, innovation, and customer experience drive every decision. Join us and help shape the future of sleep wellness.

Inventory Planning & Optimization

  • •Develop and execute inventory planning strategies that balance service levels, inventory investment, and business growth.
  • •Establish inventory targets, safety stock policies, replenishment parameters, and deployment strategies.
  • •Monitor inventory health and drive improvements in turns, fill rate, and working capital performance.
  • •Evaluate demand variability, lead times, and supply risks to ensure optimal inventory positioning.
  • •Reduce excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory

Inventory Operations & Execution

  • •Lead inventory operations across warehouses, distribution centers, fulfillment centers, and other network locations.
  • •Direct inventory control processes including cycle counting, physical inventories, reconciliations, and transaction accuracy.
  • •Ensure inventory accuracy and compliance with established procedures.
  • •Drive root cause analysis and resolution of inventory discrepancies.
  • •Oversee inventory movement, transfers, and deployment activities.

Supply Chain Collaboration & S&OP Participation

  • •Partner with Demand Planning, Procurement, Logistics, Finance, Merchandising, and Operations leaders.
  • •Participate in Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and Integrated Business Planning (IBP) processes.
  • •Align inventory plans with forecasted demand, capacity constraints, and business priorities.
  • •Support new product launches, promotional events, and seasonal inventory requirements.
  • •Escalate inventory risks and recommend mitigation strategies.

Leadership & Talent Development

  • •Lead, coach, and develop inventory planning and operations teams.
  • •Establish performance goals, KPIs, and accountability measures.
  • •Build organizational capability and succession plans.
  • •Foster a culture focused on continuous improvement, customer service, and operational discipline.
  • •Drive employee engagement and talent retention initiatives.

Analytics, Reporting & Decision Support

  • •Develop and maintain inventory performance dashboards and scorecards.
  • •Analyze trends and identify opportunities to improve service, inventory efficiency, and productivity.
  • •Present operational performance and strategic recommendations to executive leadership.
  • •Support financial planning and budget processes through inventory insights.
  • •Utilize analytics tools and inventory management systems to drive decisions

Continuous Improvement & Systems Enhancement

  • •Lead inventory process improvement initiatives across planning and operations.
  • •Support implementation and optimization of ERP, WMS, and inventory planning systems.
  • •Introduce automation, standardization, and best practices.
  • •Drive Lean, Six Sigma, or operational excellence programs.
  • •Ensure scalability of inventory processes to support business growth

Knowledge, Skills

  • •ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, etc.)
  • •WMS platforms
  • •Inventory optimization tools
  • •Forecasting and replenishment solutions
  • •Advanced Excel, Power BI, Tableau, or similar analytics tools

Working Conditions and Schedule

  • •Hybrid schedule: three days in the office, two days remote.
  • •Standard business hours, Monday-Friday, with occasional evening or weekend support as needed.
  • •This role does not have a travel expectation (if remote, travel is occasionally required).

#PIQ

Salary Pay Range: $142,400.00 -$210,000.00

Wellbeing

At Sleep Number, wellbeing isn’t a program—it’s part of who we are. We support team members and their families across emotional, financial, career, community, and physical health, all anchored in sleep.

Along with competitive pay, eligible team members receive robust benefits such as medical, pharmacy, dental, life and disab

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