Director of Supply Chain Planning - O-AT-KA : Job Details

As employees of a farmer-owned cooperative, we come to work every day trying to honor the tireless effort and care these farming families put in every day, all day, 365 days a year. Our farmer-owners tend to think in generations, with some of our farms being run by the same families for over a century. We carry this approach into our business, knowing that each and every one of us makes a difference in allowing these generational traditions to continue, taking pride in knowing that we nourish our friends, neighbors, nation, and even the world with healthy and delicious dairy products. Our products include milk, flavored milk, yogurt, dip, sour cream, cottage cheese, Italian cheese, and ice cream mix marketed under the Upstate Farms®, Bison®, Milk for Life®, and Intense Milk® brands. Job Summary: The Director of Supply Chain Planning will lead and oversee all Demand and Supply Planning elements of the Integrating Business Planning Process at Upstate Niagara Cooperative including the management of finished goods and raw material inventory investments, the development of strategic supply and capacity plans across 8 plants and 30+ customer distribution points. This role will focus on collaboration with Sales, Marketing, and Manufacturing Operations teams to develop strategic Demand and Supply plans that optimize manufacturing and distribution assets and provide a high level of customer order fulfillment. The Director of Supply Chain Planning will be a key contributor to achieving operational excellence and supporting the Cooperative's mission of nourishing lives with high-quality dairy products. Key Responsibilities:Strategic Planning Leadership

• Lead the development, visualization, and execution of the organization's Integrated Business Planning strategy to align with business goals for margin enhancement, operational efficiency, volume growth, and cost management.
• Work with Sales and Marketing Teams to maintain an understanding of demand trends, as well as existing and potential customer demand opportunities over 24 - 36-month horizon.
• Develop, audit and maintain an accurate understanding of manufacturing run rates, capabilities, and costs to allow us to evaluate asset utilization and align the supply chain capabilities and capacities to maximize the fulfillment of profitable demand.
• Will implement and manage the advance planning system application, performance, and associate competence and stays abreast of emerging technologies relevant to dairy manufacturing and the Supply Chain Planning Process to inform strategic decisions.

Operational Planning Management

• Oversee the replenishment of raw materials, packaging, and other goods critical to dairy production, ensuring alignment with quality standards and production schedules.
• Monitor and manage customer demand performance, recognizing and communicating changes in trends, and business gains or losses.
• Monitor supply chain performance to plan and work with Manufacturing Operations teams to address issues and align corrective action plans.
• Collaborate with sales, production, quality assurance, procurement, and logistics teams to address supply chain challenges and maintain seamless operations.

Cost Optimization and Efficiency

• Identify opportunities to lower demand fulfillment costs without compromising quality or operational reliability.
• Analyze and refine planning processes to enhance efficiency and transparency of Supply Chain capabilities and Costs.
• Leverage data analytics to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and improve decision-making.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Recommend and implement risk mitigation strategies such as dual plant sourcing or inventory pre-builds to comply with company objectives for supply chain agility.
• Assess and mitigate risks related to imbalances of customer demand and supply chain capacities through the development of inventory or demand management plans.
• Establish contingency plans to address potential demand fulfillment shortages.

Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing planning team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the department.
• Continually assess team members' skills and knowledge and provide training and support to build capabilities and competency.

Qualifications:Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field. A Master's degree or professional certification (e.g., APICS, CPIM) is preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in Demand and Supply Planning or supply chain management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience in the dairy manufacturing or food production industry is highly desirable.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong understanding of planning concepts, best practices, and inventory management.
• Familiarity with the unique planning needs of dairy manufacturing, including raw milk balancing, component balancing, and short shelf-life management
• Exceptional data analytic & visualization creation, and communication skills. Proficiency in tools such as Power BI and Tableau preferred.
• Proficiency in the management of interfaces between ERP systems and offline or integrated planning software systems (e.g., SAP Hana, Forecast Pro, Excel or similar systems).
• Strong understanding of Materials Requirements Planning strategy, parameters management, and application.
• Effective conflict resolution and facilitation skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage a diverse team in a fast-paced environment.

Other Requirements

• Willingness to travel as needed to customers, manufacturing plants, distribution providers, and other relevant locations.
• Commitment to Upstate Niagara Cooperative's values of collaboration, integrity, excellence, and making a difference.

Pay: $150,000 - $200,000 a year* *The salary range indicated in this posting represents the minimum and maximum of the salary range for this position. Actual salary will vary depending on factors including, but not limited to, budget available, prior experience, knowledge, skill and education as they relate to the position's qualifications, in addition to internal equity. The posted salary range reflects just one component of our total rewards package. Other components of the total rewards package may include participation in group health and/or dental insurance, retirement plan, wellness program, paid time away from work, and paid holidays. Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)