Network Supply Planner

Simmons Foods; Rogers (AR); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturer in Arkansas is seeking a Network Supply Planner to ensure efficient supply of finished goods while minimizing costs. The role involves creating supply plans, collaborating with teams to manage production, and monitoring inventory to maintain customer service levels. Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor's degree in a related field and experience in supply chain management. This role offers a competitive salary and the opportunity to work within a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years’ working experience in supply chain or related roles is preferred.
• Hands-on experience with partners to resolve exceptions is desired.
• Education in operations, supply chain management, or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Ensure efficient supply of finished goods to customers.
• Create and manage an end-to-end supply plan each month.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for production and inventory decisions.
• Monitor customer service levels and ensure uninterrupted delivery.

Skills

Supply chain management

Forecasting

Collaboration

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in related field

Certification in supply chain (e.g. APICS)

Job description

The network supply planner ensures continuous and efficient supply of finished goods (FG) products to customers while minimizing costs and improving efficiency throughout the network. The role is responsible for creating an end-to-end supply plan each month, for the medium to long term horizon, and manages key risks and opportunities associated with demand variation, capacity constraints, and material constraints.

Essential Position Responsibilities

This is a salary exempt position.

Analyst

Acquire medium- or long-term demand forecasts for all FG inventory-consuming events and translate those forecasts into a network supply plan by collaborating with cross-functional partners to ensure the network supply plan is managed according to constraints and targets that align with the business strategy. Translate FG requirements into an RCCP that considers current and future manufacturing constraints and seeks to maximize manufacturing efficiency while minimizing working capital costs. This should be a result of a strong understanding of line/site capacities, planned down times and demonstrated performance of the different assets. Create a mid- to long-term view of raw materials, packaging, components and work in progress (WIP) to support supply plans. For contract manufacturing, create an FG net requirement and purchasing plan based on timing and location. Review and maintain critical network planning parameters—such as resource allocations and safety stock settings, replenishment quantity, and product life cycle management—considering constraints and input, such as lead time and order cycle time. Using scenario planning and risk/opportunity management, monitor and track customer service levels and leverage production and inventory to ensure uninterrupted delivery to customers while minimizing working capital costs. Utilize load leveling to optimize the supply plan (production and inventory) within the midterm and long-term time horizons while accounting for decisions made within S&OP. This could involve making decisions to balance across lines and / or across sites. Support delivery of all network supply metrics. Identify potential risks and prepare scenarios to address and follow up on all supply-related issues to full resolution.

Systems Expert

Use and maintain current planning systems to create an optimized network supply and capacity plan using established processes. Oversee maintenance system related planning parameters to deliver an achievable network supply plan. Familiarity with the standard network planning system features, like scenario/what-if analysis. Drive enhancement requirements through COE group and future design needs.

Internal Collaborator

Working with production schedulers, continually assessing operational network planning assumptions in conjunction with purchasing, planning, manufacturing operations and logistics/warehousing including safety stocks, lead times, order quantities, campaign or production strategy, batch yields and cycle times. As part of S&OP, work with supply chain and business leadership to discuss the potential risks and opportunities associated with changes to the supply operating or network model. Develop monthly S&OP input (medium- or long-term network supply plan and working capital position) by working with a cross-functional S&OP team to evaluate and transparently communicate multiple options while also making recommendations where appropriate.

Communicator/Reporter

Report on capacity utilization, working capital position (inventory levels and slow-moving and obsolete stock) production constraints, raw material availability and actual consideration of supply chain costs when building the plan. Measure, analyze and report key process metrics, and monitor adherence to key performance indicators (KPIs).

Process Improver

Improve and upgrade planning systems, reporting and processes (including interfaces in and out of other functional and cross-functional processes; e.g., demand planning, factory planning, product life cycle management and S&OP). Analyze network supply performance and provide input to improvement initiatives to optimize network performance, reduce obsolescence across the network, improve customer service and maximize production efficiency.

Success Criteria

Service: FG product availability and customer fill rate. Cost Management: Capacity utilization and accuracy—Master Schedule Quality, inventory obsolescence/write-offs. Working capital: (actual stock vs. target or planned safety stock levels, overall inventory value, cycle stock, days forward cover, inventory turns).

Inventory Management

Projected Inventory vs Target Inventory Levels and Budget/Latest Forecast.

Participates as a member of the Team

Participates in the ongoing development, communication and implementation of team concepts, programs and policies; coordinates work to ensure best practices with all team members. Attends appropriate team meetings. As a member of the Team, fosters strong cohesiveness regarding all major issues, e.g., direction, annual plan, budget, policy changes, etc. Accepts responsibility to quickly identify any areas that lack cohesiveness, bringing them to the attention of the team leader and working with the team in a supportive manner to resolve issues and actively look for ways, and reinforce actions needed, to achieve synergy possible within the larger organization.

Simmons Operating systems principles and objectives

Is familiar with Simmons’ established operating systems (e.g. quality, security, office environment, company policies, LEAN); understands the responsibility to maintain familiarity with the systems and this position’s role in support of these systems - including a consideration of the impact of individual actions on the systems and the responsibility to communicate concerns and improvement ideas.

Performs other duties as necessary in support of business objectives

This position description is intended to guide the activities of the person in this position and is not intended to limit the thinking and creativity of the person as to the work of this function nor is it intended that this describe all the work that may be required of the person in this position.

Physical Activities

Enters and locates information on a computer. Visually verifies information, often in small print. Communicates with Customers, Vendors, or Employees via telephone, in person, and/or electronic mail. May present information to small or large groups. Move about in a manufacturing environment, office environment, and surrounding property.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

As needed by facility.

Travel

May travel within North America to and from multiple facilities or worksites, requiring overnight stays.

Technical Experience

3-5 years’ working experience in similar or related roles is desired but not mandatory. Hands-on experience working with multiple partners to resolve exceptions and negotiating the best alternatives is desired but not mandatory.

Industry Experience

Education in the field of expertise like operations, supply chain management, business (B.Sc.) or equivalent years of experience is required for the role. A certification in supply chain from APICS, certified in production and inventory management (CPIM) or lean is desired but not mandatory.

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s Degree in related field or 4 years related experience

Preferred Education

N/A

We value military experience and welcome veterans to join our team.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.