Director of Supply Chain Planning

The Director of Supply Chain Planning will lead the development and execution of accurate demand forecasts and planning strategies to ensure product availability, minimize waste, and optimize inventory across the food manufacturing supply chain. This role is critical for balancing customer service levels with cost efficiency, while ensuring compliance with food safety and regulatory requirements. The position collaborates closely with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Procurement, and Finance to align demand and supply plans with business objectives.

Primary Responsibilities:

The duties for this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Forecasting & Planning
  • Develop and maintain demand forecasts using statistical models, historical sales data, and market intelligence.
  • Lead the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process to align demand, production, and inventory strategies.
  • Incorporate promotional plans, seasonal demand patterns, and new product introductions into forecasts.
• Supply Planning & Production Scheduling
  • Translate demand plans into supply and production strategies that optimize capacity utilization across plants.
  • Work with Operations to balance throughput, changeovers, and service-level requirements.
  • Develop mid- and long-term capacity models to support capital planning and labor optimization.
  • Partner with Procurement to ensure raw material and packaging availability, including lead-time and MOQ management.
  • Identify and mitigate constraints impacting service or inventory levels.
• Inventory & Waste Management
  • Set inventory targets and safety stock levels to ensure product freshness and minimize obsolescence.
  • Lead efforts to reduce waste and obsolescence through improved forecast accuracy, lot-size optimization, and shelf-life management.
  • Partner with Finance to drive working capital efficiency and inventory turns improvement.
• Establish metrics and dashboards for visibility into inventory health, aging, and excess/obsolete material.
• Regulatory & Quality Compliance
  • Ensure demand planning processes support compliance with FDA, USDA, and other food safety regulations.
  • Collaborate with Quality / R&D to manage shelf-life considerations in planning decisions.
• Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Work with Sales and Marketing to integrate trade promotions and customer programs into demand plans.
  • Provide strategic input for capacity planning and product lifecycle management.
  • Collaborate with R&D and Quality to integrate shelf-life and formulation changes into planning models.
• Continuous Improvement & Systems Enablement
  • Implement best practices and technology solutions to improve forecast accuracy and reduce planning cycle time.
  • Evaluate planning processes and tools within the ERP (Ross) and recommend enhancements for scalability and integration.
  • Lead initiatives that improve data accuracy, shorten planning cycle times, and enhance agility.
  • Partner with IT to ensure data integrity and planning system effectiveness.
  • Drive initiatives to enhance supply chain agility and responsiveness to market changes.

To be eligible for this position, candidates should meet the following requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 8–10+ years in demand planning or supply chain roles within food manufacturing or CPG, with 3–5 years in a leadership position.
• APICS CPIM, CSCP, or IBF certification preferred.
• Deep understanding of MRP, capacity planning, and material control within ERP environments (Ross experience preferred), and advanced Excel skills.
• Demonstrated success leading S&OP/IBP processes.
• Strong understanding of food manufacturing processes, shelf-life management, and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent analytical, leadership, and communication skills; ability to influence cross-functional teams.