Generalist Operations Planner

Hershey Company; Kansas; On-site; USD 81,000 - 101,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

The Hershey Company in Edgerton, KS is seeking a Generalist Operations Planner to translate demand into production and material plans within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

You will develop schedules, manage MRP, analyze inventory and capacity, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve service and cost efficiency. A Bachelor's degree and 3+ years of relevant experience are preferred; SAP/JDA and advanced Excel skills are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred in a related discipline such as supply chain, logistics, operations, business or engineering.
• 3+ years of experience in supply chain, manufacturing, production planning, scheduling, inventory management, or related field.
• Proficiency with SAP or similar ERP; advanced Microsoft Excel skills; JDA experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and communicate detailed production schedules for assigned operations in support of the master production schedule.
• Manage MRP parameters and material requirements to support timely purchasing and delivery while achieving inventory targets.
• Analyze inventory performance, material availability, capacity, and shared resources; recommend actions to improve service and cost, productivity, and material flow.
• Maintain accurate bills of material and routing data while supporting engineering and product changes.
• Own defined planning processes and small projects, monitor progress, resolve issues, and ensure commitments are delivered on time.
• Partner with Operations, Procurement, Logistics, suppliers, and other stakeholders to identify constraints, mitigate risks, and communicate recommended solutions.
• Apply structured problem-solving techniques to resolve non-routine planning challenges and drive continuous improvement.

Skills

Analytical judgment

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Excel

SAP

JDA

Job description

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Note:If you apply for a role at Hershey through our career’s website, we may use technologies that use automation to filter your candidacy based on objective criteria. We also use AI-enabled tools that help us facilitate the selection of our future Hershey talent. These tools may help with activities such as matching and scoring candidates to roles based on requirements and scheduling interviews. These systems process only the information you provide in your application, including your resume, work history, education, and responses to screening questions. While these technologies assist with certain steps in our recruitment process and may provide recommendations, all final decisions, including those affecting whether candidates advance to subsequent stages in the applicant process, are made by our talent acquisition teams with meaningful human review and independent judgment. Depending on your location and the specific role you apply for, additional disclosures about our use of AI in recruitment may be provided to you separately.

Generalist Operations Planner

Posted Date: Oct 22, 2026

Requisition Number: 130828

Job Location: Edgerton, KS

Why Hershey:

At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey’s enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally—is part of how we do business every day.

About the location: The Edgerton, Kansas plant pioneers cutting-edge technology in pretzel production and makes all flavors of Dot'sPretzels. This is an opportunity to support planning execution in a modern manufacturing environment where service, inventory, materials flow, and cross-functional partnership come together every day.

How will you fit in the big picture?

As a Generalist Operations Planner, you will independently execute planning activities across supply and operations planning. You will translate demand and operational requirements into accurate, executable production and material plans that support service, inventory, and financial objectives. Your intermediate planning expertise, analytical judgment, and cross-functional collaboration will help the Edgerton plant deliver reliable results in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

What will you do?

Develop and communicate detailed production schedules for assigned operations in support of the master production schedule and longer-term planning strategy.

Manage MRP parameters and material requirements to support timely purchasing and delivery while achieving inventory targets.

Analyze inventory performance, material availability, capacity, and shared resources; recommend actions that improve service, cost, productivity, and material flow.

Maintain accurate bills of material and routing data while supporting the successful execution of engineering and product changes.

Own defined planning processes and small projects, monitor progress, resolve issues, and ensure commitments are delivered on time.

Partner with Operations, Procurement, Logistics, suppliers, and other stakeholders to identify constraints, mitigate risks, and communicate recommended solutions.

Apply structured problem-solving techniques to resolve non-routine planning challenges and drive continuous improvement.

Education: Bachelor's degree preferred, ideally in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Management, Business, Engineering, or a related discipline.

Experience: 3+ years of relevant experience in supply chain, manufacturing, production planning, scheduling, inventory management, materials management, or a related field. Experience with SAP or a similar ERP platform and advanced Microsoft Excel skills are required. JDA experience is a plus.

Benefits and Perks

At Hershey, we offer competitive pay and a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, financial security, and life outside of work.

Health & Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus wellness programs that support your physical and mental health begin on Day 1.

Financial Security: Competitive pay, annual incentive opportunities, and a 401(k) with company match

Time Off & Flexibility: Paid time off, company holidays, and flexible ways of working where applicable

Growth & Development: Career development programs, learning opportunities, and internal mobility

Benefits may vary based on role, location, and eligibility.

The anticipated base salary range for this role is $80,560 to $100,700 per year. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of job‑related factors, including, but not limited to, experience, skill set, education, and training. In addition to a market-competitive base salary, our Total Rewards package includes performance‑based incentives and a comprehensive, competitive benefits package designed to support overall physical, mental, and financial well‑being (as applicable). Learn more about Hershey’s benefits and all the resources Hershey provides to support our employees’ physical, emotional, and financial well‑being by visiting the Hershey Digital Employee Experience at www.askHRbenefits.hersheys.com

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans. You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability.

You can request an accommodation via phone or email. To request an accommodation via phone, please call [phone] and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to [e-mail]. Please be sure to include "Accommodation Needed" in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.