The time between starting or ordering an activity and receiving its result, such as placing an order and receiving stock.
Lead time measures the elapsed time between a defined starting point and a defined result. In supply planning, it can describe the interval needed to obtain or produce an item. A delivery lead time may cover only movement between locations, while a cumulative production lead time includes successive stages needed to make the finished product. The endpoints therefore matter when comparing figures. A promised date is a calendar commitment, whereas lead time is a duration that helps teams work out when an activity must begin.
In job listings
Sephora’s Assistant Planner role in Toronto included generating reports on vendor and brand fill rates and lead time accuracy. This placed lead time within purchasing and inventory work, where checking the accuracy of expected supply intervals helps teams assess how reliably their planning assumptions match deliveries. Search local jobs for “supply chain”.
