Tim Scott

Fractional Operations
Executive and
Strategic Advisor for
brands ready to scale
and unlock value

Fractional Operations Executive
and Strategic Advisor for brands
ready to scale and unlock value

30+ years building supply chains that scale. From Naval officer to Fortune 500 Chief Supply Chain Officer, I help growth-stage and private equity-backed companies build the infrastructure their ambition requires.

Let's Talk

Expertise In

Last-Mile DeliverySales and Operations Planning/Integrated Business Planning ImplementationWarehouse AutomationStrategic SourcingOperational Transformation
30+
YEARS IN SUPPLY CHAIN
$80M+
COST SAVINGS DELIVERED
3,200+
RETAIL LOCATIONS ENABLED
3,000+
TEAM MEMBERS LED

The True North Approach

Growth breaks supply chains long before it breaks strategy. Supply chain is where strategy meets reality - and where growth, risk, and value are ultimately determined.

Too often, organizations find themselves scaling operations, fixing what's broken, and building capabilities that should have been in place sooner.

Supply chain shouldn't just support your growth - it should power it.

True North Supply Chain Advisory partners with CEOs, investors, and executive leadership teams to turn supply chain capability into a driver of growth, margin, and enterprise value. Led by a former Chief Supply Chain Officer with more than 30 years of operating experience, we help organizations scale with confidence, reduce operational risk, and build resilient infrastructure that enables business results - not just operational activity.

“Tim empowers teams by removing barriers and driving results.”

– Executive Leader

Tim Scott
The Gap

Supply Chain Scaling Challenges

High-growth companies frequently encounter operational challenges that hinder expansion, profitability, and customer satisfaction:

Outgrown Infrastructure

Facilities, processes, and systems can no longer support growing volume. Every new store, customer, or SKU adds complexity that your warehouse network and logistics partners weren't designed to handle, creating operational bottlenecks.

Cost Creep

Rising costs due to inefficient processes and legacy contracts erode margins. Outdated workflows and supplier agreements can inflate expenses unnecessarily, limiting financial flexibility.

Service Inconsistency

Slipping service levels and declining customer satisfaction are common when operations are stressed. Inconsistent delivery times, stockouts, and fulfillment errors impact brand reputation and reduce repeat business.

Visibility Gaps

Limited real-time insight into inventory, shipments, and operational performance creates blind spots. Without accurate data, decision-making is reactive rather than proactive, increasing the risk of disruption.

Leadership Bandwidth

Overextended leadership teams focused on day-to-day firefighting have little capacity for strategic planning. This limits process improvements and prevents building scalable operations for future growth.

Who I Work With

This might be a fit for...

I partner with executive teams navigating complex operational and supply chain challenges, including:

Private equity-backed or high-growth companies scaling faster than current supply chain and operational capabilities

Retail, grocery, consumer packaged goods, and wholesale organizations with multi-site, multi-temperature, omni-channel complexity

Teams seeking senior operations expertise without a full-time executive hire

Companies prioritizing accountability, disciplined execution, and enduring operational systems

Sound like you? Let's talk
How We Work Together

Assessment to Execution

Ways of Engagement

I advise CEOs, founders, family offices and private equity leadership teams on designing supply chain strategies that directly support growth, margin expansion, and enterprise value creation. This work ensures that supply chain decisions are aligned with brand promise, customer expectations, and financial objectives.

Deliverables

  • →Supply chain strategy aligned to growth, margin, and brand objectives
  • →Supplier and sourcing strategy design, governance, and risk framework
  • →Network design strategy supporting current operations and future expansion
  • →Cost, service, and resilience trade-off analysis
  • →Operational readiness assessment for high-growth and expansion scenarios
  • →Executive-level decision frameworks and investment recommendations

Expected Outcomes

  • ✓Clear strategic direction for supply chain and operations investment
  • ✓Scalable and cost-efficient supplier and network architecture
  • ✓Reduced supply, capacity, and execution risk during growth
  • ✓Improved alignment between commercial strategy and operations
  • ✓A supply chain strategy that supports sustainable growth and value creation
Capabilities

How I Help

I provide executive-level supply chain and operations advisory services that combine strategic guidance with operational execution, enabling companies to scale with confidence.

Full operational and financial accountability as an embedded member of your leadership team.

  • →Executive oversight of supply chain, operations, fulfillment, and last-mile delivery
  • →Embedded leadership with full operational and financial accountability
  • →Board, investor, and executive reporting, analysis, and KPIs
  • →Senior and mid-level team mentoring and capability building
In Practice

Selected Work

Retail / Deep Discount

Building scalable supply chain infrastructure for rapid expansion

Challenge

A $5B deep-discount retailer needed to scale supply chain operations to support growth from 350 → 550+ stores across 16 states. Existing warehouses, freight networks, and processes could not support expansion while controlling costs and maintaining service.

Approach

Led end-to-end transformation of a 16-site, multi-temperature network. Centralized inbound freight, digitized warehouse operations, and built a 10-year capacity roadmap. Expanded team by 30%, embedding disciplined operating rhythms and governance.

Outcome

Delivered immediate cost reduction and margin protection. Built a scalable platform capable of supporting aggressive growth. Embedded operational discipline and governance to reduce execution risk.

$10M
Annual Freight Savings
3 Years
Unit Costs Below Inflation
350→550+
Store Expansion
30%
Team Growth

Key Takeaways

  • Delivered immediate cost reduction and margin protection
  • Built a scalable platform capable of supporting aggressive growth
  • Embedded operational discipline and governance to reduce execution risk
Grocery Retail / Wholesale

Consolidating a national supply chain while leveraging regional expertise

Challenge

A $31B grocery retailer operating 2,000+ stores across 10 provinces faced fragmented operations across 25 DCs. Regional networks limited efficiency, visibility, and consistency, driving cost and service risk.

Approach

Rolled out a national Transportation Management System (TMS). Advanced demand planning and automation to harmonize operations. Consolidated regional networks while retaining local execution knowledge.

Outcome

Enhanced network efficiency and cost control across a national footprint. Improved service consistency while maintaining regional responsiveness. Reduced operational and execution risk with standardized systems and processes.

15%
Warehouse Throughput Increase
8%
Stockout Reduction
25
DCs Consolidated
10
Provinces on Harmonized TMS

Key Takeaways

  • Enhanced network efficiency and cost control across a national footprint
  • Improved service consistency while maintaining regional responsiveness
  • Reduced operational and execution risk with standardized systems and processes
Consumer Packaged Goods

Optimizing North American supply chain and customer fulfillment

Challenge

A $20B consumer packaged goods company needed to improve service levels, reduce costs, and enhance inventory visibility across multiple manufacturing sites and distribution networks.

Approach

Directed cross-functional supply chain optimization, including network rationalization, inventory segmentation, and SKU rationalization. Standardized production and distribution processes, strengthened Sales and Operations Planning governance, and implemented advanced analytics.

Outcome

Delivered working capital improvement and measurable margin impact. Built a scalable, resilient supply chain platform for North America. Reduced risk through standardized processes, governance, and analytics.

12%
Inventory Reduction
10%
On-Time Delivery Improvement

Key Takeaways

  • Delivered working capital improvement and measurable margin impact
  • Built a scalable, resilient supply chain platform for North America
  • Reduced risk through standardized processes, governance, and analytics

Key Themes

Value Creation

Delivered tangible cost savings, margin protection, and inventory optimization.

Scalability

Built networks, systems, and operating models capable of supporting aggressive growth and geographic expansion.

Risk Reduction

Standardized processes, governance, and data-driven decision-making mitigated operational and execution risks.

Leadership & Organizational Impact

Embedded disciplined operating rhythms, developed teams, and ensured continuity of execution.

Private Equity / Board Alignment

Outcomes clearly tie to EBITDA impact, working capital improvement, and long-term enterprise value creation.

About

Tim Scott

Tim Scott

Tim Scott

Supply Chain & Operations Executive

Tim Scott is a seasoned supply chain and operations executive with more than 3 decades of leadership experience scaling complex, multi-site networks across retail, grocery, and consumer packaged goods, both domestically and internationally. He has led transformational initiatives across North America and global supply chains, designing scalable, cost-efficient platforms that improve service, reduce costs, and enable sustainable growth. Tim combines operational expertise with executive insight, translating strategy into disciplined execution and measurable results.

Tim's career includes high-impact roles with high-growth and private equity-backed companies, including Grocery Outlet, Sobeys, and Mondelez/Kraft. He has led initiatives spanning network optimization, inventory and working capital improvement, Sales and Operations Planning/Integrated Business Planning implementation, last-mile and final-mile delivery, and fulfillment automation. His work consistently delivers financial impact, operational scalability, and enhanced service reliability, while strengthening leadership capability and governance across teams.

Tim's leadership approach is grounded in his military experience, which instilled discipline, operational rigor, and the ability to lead high-performing teams in complex, fast-moving environments. This foundation informs his structured, results-driven methodology and his ability to navigate high-stakes, multi-stakeholder engagements with clarity and precision. He brings this ethos to every engagement, embedding repeatable processes, governance frameworks, and performance management systems that endure beyond his involvement.

As a Fractional Chief Supply Chain Officer and strategic advisor, Tim partners with CEOs, founders, and boards to align supply chain and operations strategy with enterprise growth, margin expansion, and value creation. He excels at integrating analytics-driven insights with practical, operational solutions, fostering cross-functional alignment, and building scalable, resilient operations capable of supporting rapid growth. Tim's unique combination of global experience, military discipline, and hands-on executive leadership enables companies to transform their supply chains into predictable, high-performance platforms that deliver lasting value.

$100M+
Cost Savings Delivered
30+
Years in Supply Chain
200+
New Stores Enabled

Career Timeline

2025-Present
Principal · True North Supply Chain Advisory
2025-Present
Strategic Advisor · FourKites, Arkestro, Plug and Play, Owlery, Infinity Loop
2021-2024
SVP & Chief Supply Chain Officer · Grocery Outlet
2019-2020
SVP Supply Chain · Sobeys
2016-2019
VP Logistics & Distribution · Metro Inc.

Education

Graduate:MBA, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, International Business
Undergraduate:BA Business Administration, Royal Military College of Canada
Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

A Fractional Chief Supply Chain Officer is an embedded executive leader who takes accountability for operational performance, strategic execution, and team alignment across supply chain, operations, procurement, and fulfillment. Unlike a traditional consultant who provides recommendations, a Fractional Chief Supply Chain Officer executes initiatives, oversees budgets, manages vendors, and drives measurable results.

Capabilities in Action

  • Distribution network redesign & optimization to improve cost, service, and scalability
  • Inventory optimization & working capital management for cash flow and margin impact
  • Sales and Operations Planning / Integrated Business Planning governance and executive cadence for sustained performance

Key Takeaways

  • Drives durable operational performance
  • Strengthens leadership bench and governance
  • Ensures execution consistency and risk management
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Get in Touch

Ready to
scale?

Whether you're outgrowing your supply chain, preparing for a growth sprint, or need senior logistics leadership without the full-time hire, let's talk.

Send an Email

San Francisco Bay Area - Available for remote or on-site engagements across North America