S&OP Planner

Harvest Food Group LLC; East Chicago (IN); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvest Food Group is seeking a Sales & Operations (S&OP) Planner to lead the monthly S&OP process and align demand, supply, inventory, capacity, and financial objectives.

You will partner across Sales, Operations, Procurement, Customer Service, Finance, and Supply Chain to drive forecasting accuracy, inventory optimization, and improved service levels. 4+ years in planning with ERP exposure, and a focus on continuous improvement, are preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Business, Engineering, or related field.
• APICS/ASCM CPIM, CSCP, or IBF certification preferred.
• 5–7+ years of progressively responsible experience in supply chain planning, demand planning, production planning, inventory management, or S&OP; food manufacturing experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the monthly S&OP cycle including Demand and Supply reviews and executive S&OP meetings.
• Develop and maintain a rolling 18–24 month demand and supply plan.
• Facilitate cross-functional decision-making to balance demand, capacity, inventory, and financial objectives.
• Present recommendations, risks, and mitigation plans to executive leadership.
• Drive inventory management strategies and monitor service levels and KPIs.

Skills

Forecasting

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional leadership

Executive-level communication

Advanced Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain/Operations/Business/Engineering

APICS/ASCM CPIM/CSCP/IBF certification preferred

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Microsoft Dynamics

Plex

Job description

Job Title: Sales & Operations (S&OP) Planner

Reports To: Director Supply Chain

FLSA Status: Exempt

The Sales & Operations Planner (S&OP) is responsible for leading the company's monthly S&OP process to align demand, supply, inventory, capacity, and financial objectives. This role serves as the primary link between Sales, Operations, Procurement, Customer Service, Finance, and Supply Chain to ensure the organization achieves service, inventory, productivity, and profitability goals. The S&OP Planner develops and maintains an integrated demand and supply plan, identifies risks and opportunities, facilitates executive decision-making, and drives continuous improvement in forecasting accuracy, inventory management, and operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

• The following are essential job duties. Additional responsibilities may be assigned based on business needs.
• Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance is required to effectively perform the responsibilities of this role.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises the Production Planner.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.

S&OP Leadership

• Lead the monthly S&OP cycle including Demand Review, Supply Review, Pre-S&OP, and Executive S&OP meetings.
• Develop and maintain a rolling 18-24 month demand and supply plan.
• Facilitate cross-functional decision-making to balance customer demand, production capacity, inventory, and financial objectives.
• Present recommendations, risks, and mitigation plans to executive leadership.

Demand Planning

• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service to develop accurate demand forecasts.
• Analyze historical sales, promotions, seasonality, customer trends, and market intelligence.
• Monitor forecast accuracy and bias metrics.
• Coordinate new product launches, customer transitions, and promotional events within the demand plan.

Supply & Capacity Planning

• Develop capacity plans for manufacturing, packaging, labor, and key suppliers.
• Identify capacity constraints and recommend solutions to meet customer demand.
• Collaborate with Operations to optimize production schedules and asset utilization.
• Ensure long-term capacity requirements are visible and actionable.

Inventory Management

• Establish inventory targets and safety stock strategies.
• Monitor raw materials, packaging materials, WIP, and finished goods inventory levels.
• Balance inventory investment against service level objectives.
• Drive inventory reduction initiatives while maintaining customer service performance.

Procurement & Materials Planning

• Partner with Procurement to ensure continuity of supply for ingredients and packaging materials.
• Identify supply risks and develop mitigation plans.
• Support strategic sourcing decisions with demand and inventory insights.

KPI Management

• Track and report key performance indicators including:
  • OTIF (On-Time In-Full)
  • Forecast Accuracy
  • Forecast Bias
  • Inventory Turns
  • Days of Supply
  • Schedule Attainment
  • Capacity Utilization
  • Service Levels
  • Obsolete Inventory
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for performance gaps.

Continuous Improvement

• Improve planning processes, tools, and reporting capabilities.
• Enhance ERP, APS, and forecasting system utilization.
• Standardize planning procedures and governance.
• Support the evolution from S&OP to Integrated Business Planning (IBP).

Cross-Functional Leadership & Alignment

• Serve as the primary facilitator of alignment between Sales, Operations, Procurement, Customer Service, Finance, and Supply Chain.
• Drive consensus and decision-making regarding demand, capacity, inventory, and service trade-offs.
• Escalate significant business risks and opportunities to leadership with recommended actions.
• Support new product launches, customer transitions, and strategic growth initiatives through integrated planning processes.

Systems, Data & Analytics

• Maintain and improve planning data, assumptions, and master data used in forecasting and supply planning processes.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting tools to improve visibility into demand, supply, inventory, and capacity performance.
• Leverage ERP, planning, business intelligence, and analytics tools to support decision-making.
• Support implementation and optimization of planning systems, forecasting tools, and reporting capabilities.

Performance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor and report key planning metrics including:
• OTIF (On-Time In-Full)
• Forecast Accuracy
• Forecast BiasInventory Turns
• Days of Supply
• Schedule Attainment
• Capacity Utilization
• Service Levels
• Obsolete Inventory
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for performance gaps.
• Identify opportunities to improve forecast accuracy, inventory performance, capacity utilization, and customer service levels.
• Support the evolution of planning processes from S&OP toward Integrated Business Planning (IBP).

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Business, Engineering, or related field required.
• APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP, or IBF certification) preferred.

Experience

• 5-7+ years of progressively responsible experience in supply chain planning, demand planning, production planning, inventory management, or S&OP.3+ years leading S&OP, SIOP, demand planning, supply planning, or production planning processes.
• Food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, or frozen food experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Plex, or similar platforms.

Skills

• Strong analytical and forecasting capabilities.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and data analysis skills.
• Executive-level presentation and communication skills.
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing, inventory management, procurement, and customer service processes.
• Proven ability to drive organizational alignment and accountability.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods while working on a computer.
• Frequent use of a computer, telephone, and other office equipment.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and electronically.
• Occasional walking through warehouse and production areas.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds if needed.
• Ability to work in a refrigerated manufacturing environment when visiting operational areas; appropriate personal protective equipment will be provided.

Additional Information

• This role requires strong business acumen, strategic thinking, analytical capabilities, and cross-functional leadership.
• Responsibilities may evolve based on business needs and company growth.

WHY JOIN US?

• Play a key role in optimizing and scaling our new, next-generation facility
• Work with a collaborative and innovative-driven team
• Help deliver high-quality, safe, and delicious food products to consumers
• Contribute to the future of food manufacturing through automation and sustainability
• Comprehensive Benefits Package including: Medical, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Life and AD&D insurance, Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance, 401(k) matching, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays

Harvest Food Group is committed to providing equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, reproductive health decisions, parental status, family responsibilities, age, disability, genetic information, political affiliation, military service, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Harvest Food Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.