Outbound Planning Specialist
Sprouts Farmers Market
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Sprouts Farmers Market seeks an Outbound Planning Specialist to plan inbound/outbound controlled freight to Distribution Centers, stores, and other destinations. This role uses TMS for planning and optimization, aligning strategies with Supply Chain and Distribution teams for efficient freight flow.
The position at the Store Support Office in Phoenix requires coordinating with Procurement, DC, and Retail teams to maintain schedules and ensure timely deliveries across a Sunday-Thursday work week
Qualifications
- Strong business acumen to evaluate transportation decisions
- Analytical mindset to interpret data and identify trends
- Proven negotiation skills to secure capacity and favorable pricing
- Experience with TMS and freight planning in retail or grocery environments
Responsibilities
- Plan, build, and optimize outbound loads to maximize cube and weight utilization with timely deliveries.
- Execute transportation plans balancing service, cost, and operational efficiency.
- Identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve load efficiency across the network.
- Develop relationships with carriers, DCs, and internal teams for effective freight execution.
- Manage TMS parameters to support accurate freight planning and execution.
- Support transportation bids, carrier sourcing, and network optimization projects.
- Monitor daily freight activity and resolve issues impacting delivery performance.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The Outbound Planning Specialist is responsible for the planning of inbound and outbound Sprouts Farmers Market controlled freight being delivered to the Distribution Centers, retail locations, and other destinations as deemed necessary. This position uses the Transportation Management System for planning and optimization of this freight in adherence to Procurement, Distribution Center, and Retail teams’ scheduling policies. The Planning Specialist is responsible for aligning the inbound and outbound strategy with the Supply Chain and Distribution teams for the most efficient and timely flow of freight to its destination.
The Outbound Planning Specialist is responsible for the planning of inbound and outbound Sprouts Farmers Market controlled freight being delivered to the Distribution Centers, retail locations, and other destinations as deemed necessary. This position uses the Transportation Management System for planning and optimization of this freight in adherence to Procurement, Distribution Center, and Retail teams’ scheduling policies. The Planning Specialist is responsible for aligning the inbound and outbound strategy with the Supply Chain and Distribution teams for the most efficient and timely flow of freight to its destination.
This position is located at our Store Support Office in Phoenix, Arizona,and operates on a Sunday through Thursday schedule, with in-office days Tuesday through Thursday.
- Plan, build, and optimize outbound loads to maximize cube and weight utilization while ensuring timely store and destination deliveries.
- Execute transportation plans that balance service, cost, and operational efficiency across the outbound freight network.
- Identify and implement opportunities to reduce transportation costs, improve load efficiency, and enhance network performance.
- Develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with internal business partners, distribution centers, carriers, brokers, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
- Manage and maintain TMS planning and optimization parameters to support accurate and efficient freight execution.
- Procure transportation capacity and negotiate competitive spot market rates to support service requirements and cost objectives.
- Monitor daily freight activity and proactively resolve transportation issues that could impact delivery performance.
- Lead strategic outbound network analysis for each DC, evaluating fleet utilization, routing structures, and delivery patterns independently and collectively.
- Analyze historical shipment, route, and order data to identify trends, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities at the DC and network level.
- Serve as a key liaison between carriers, vendors, distribution centers, and internal teams to ensure alignment and successful freight execution.
- Prepare and analyze transportation data, performance metrics, reports, and operational correspondence to support business decision-making.
- Support transportation bids, carrier sourcing initiatives, continuous improvement efforts, and network optimization projects.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to evaluate transportation decisions through operational and financial impacts.
- Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and recommend solutions.
- Strong problem-solving, prioritization, and decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment.
- Effective negotiation skills with the ability to secure transportation capacity and favorable pricing.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build partnerships across multiple functions and organizational levels.
- Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines and maintaining a high level of accuracy.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including data analysis and reporting.
- Experience working with Transportation Management Systems, preferably MercuryGate.
- Knowledge of transportation operations, carrier management, freight planning, and logistics best practices.
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Transportation, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Previous experience in transportation planning, logistics, supply chain, or freight operations.
- Experience using transportation management systems and transportation optimization tools.
- Familiarity with retail, grocery, distribution center, or high-volume supply chain environments.
In addition to a rewarding career, Sprouts offers a comprehensive program to help support you and your family. These programs include:
- Competitive pay
- Sick time plan that you can use to support you or your immediate families health
- Vacation accrual plan
- Opportunities for career growth
- 15% discount for you and one other family member in your household on all purchases made at Sprouts
- Flexible schedules
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- 401(K) Retirement savings plan with a generous company match
- Company paid life insurance
- Contests and appreciation events throughout the year full of prizes, food and fun!
- Bonus based on company and/or individual performance
- Affordable benefit coverage, including medical, dental and vision
- Health Savings Account with company match
- Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care
- Company paid short-term disability coverage
- Paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers
- Paid holidays
Sprouts Farmers Market offers DailyPay - if you’re hired as an eligible employee, you’ll be able to transfer the money you’ve already earned at no extra cost, and get it the next business day, for free. We offer DailyPay so you don’t have to wait for payday to access the money you’ve already worked for. With DailyPay, you can see how much you’ve made every day and you can transfer your money any time before payday.
You can learn more by visiting https://www.dailypay.com/partners/sprouts-farmers-market/.
If you have a passion for inspiring people and a flair for fresh food, consider applying for a job at Sprouts! With a focus on customer service, our neighborhood grocery stores offer high-quality, farm fresh produce, natural meats, plenty of scoop-your-own bulk goods and much more in a fun, friendly, old-fashioned farmer’s market setting. Come grow your career in healthy living with a fast-paced, rapidly growing company and teams that pride themselves on empowering others along their journey.
Our Team Member Resource Groups (TMRGs) Create Spaces For Connection, Support, And Growth. Every Team Member Is Welcome To Join One Or More Of Our Five Groups
- Inspiring Women at Sprouts
- Rainbow Alliance at Sprouts
- Sabor at Sprouts
- Soul at Sprouts
- Honored to Serve at Sprouts
Together, these groups celebrate diversity and empower our team to thrive.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Sprouts’ management reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.
Sprouts will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance.
California Residents: We collect information in accordance with California law, please see here for more information.
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