Target is making a strategic move to reinforce its supply chain capabilities with the appointment of Jeff England as executive vice president and chief global supply chain and logistics officer, effective May 31. He will report to COO Lisa Roath, according to the company.
England arrives with a long track record in large-scale retail and distribution operations. Most recently, he served as chief supply chain officer at QXO, a distributor of roofing, lumber and other building materials, where he worked on improving inventory availability. Prior to that, he held the same role at Genuine Parts Company, and spent nearly 20 years at Walmart in various operational and supply chain leadership positions, including senior vice president of supply chain.
His appointment is part of Target’s broader push to strengthen in-stock reliability and improve the customer experience, a key pressure point for the retailer in recent years. CEO Michael Fiddelke stressed that customers expect Target to be “in stock and ready for them every time they shop,” acknowledging that the company has fallen short on in-stock performance in recent years.
“Elevating that guest experience is one of our top priorities, and Jeff’s deep expertise across operations, engineering, technology and automation, along with a strong track record of leading operations of various sizes and complexities, is exactly what will be required to strengthen how we deliver for our guests,” Fiddelke said.
As England steps in, current EVP and chief supply chain and logistics officer Gretchen McCarthy will transition into a strategic advisor role through August. Fiddelke credited her leadership in building the foundation for the next phase of the company’s supply chain evolution.
Target has already been investing heavily in its logistics network ahead of this leadership change. The retailer recently opened a $265m Receive Center in Houston designed to expand inventory holding capacity and improve network flexibility. It is also scaling up next-day delivery capabilities through its Shipt platform.
England said he is looking forward to building on this foundation. “I’m confident in the company’s growth plan and priorities, and I’m excited to get started with the team, building on its strong foundation to further strengthen the speed, reliability and precision of the supply chain,” he said.
