Sales & Ops Planning Mgr

Enjoy a career, packaged with care, whilst helping protect food, people and the planet 

We are a key global provider of sustainable packaging solutions. We’re on a mission to make all packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable. Every day, we ensure the hygiene and safety of food and drink for people around the world. We are Huhtamaki.  

You could be part of our vision. Because it’s our talented people that make it happen. Our people on the shop floor producing innovative, sustainable products. Our people in our offices delivering excellence for our customers every day. It’s every one of us working together. 

We offer a place where you can feel safe, be supported, and make an impact so we can all focus on the future together.  

Job Summary

A highly visible supply chain role that oversees the technology specific demand planning (forecasting and inventory), requirements planning, S&OP & IBP processes and replenishment of traded goods. This is a hands-on position responsible for developing and executing demand, inventory & replenishment plans that will enable the respective commercial divisions to meet sales and service objectives and reduce the costs and improve the efficiency of both the supply chain & purchasing processes. Collaboration with members of supply chain, procurement, sales, product management, marketing, commercialization managers and customer support teams is paramount in achieving these sales and service objectives.

Essential Functions

• Generate monthly forecasts using historical sales, statistical models, seasonal profiles, inventory parameters & customer demand forecasts. Meet with Sales and Product Managers on a regular basis to review sales forecasts and inventory goals (emphasis on brand transitions, new product introduction, and promotions). Identify items with high forecast error and collaborate with Sales to improve.
• Monitor and identify requirements for replenishing finished goods inventory to ensure the correct products are in the appropriate facility at the required time to service customers. Generate supplier purchase orders based on target inventory levels, lead times and physical space limitations, maintaining awareness of Logistics expenditures associated with purchase orders.
• Determine supplier lead times and set the inventory parameters used to establish safety stocks, initial order quantities, and achieve target inventory levels. Engage with replenishment coordinators and customer service to manage inventory allocations in times of constraints.
• Measure & relate the impact of forecast accuracy. Drive strategies & set targets that optimize replenishment efficiencies while meeting customer service & working capital targets. Support the annual budgeting process as necessary.
• Support projects for new product introductions, product transitions & lost business. Work with sales to determine the most accurate initial forecasts & monitor sales vs. forecast following launch.
• Continuously improve demand, inventory & replenishment planning techniques. Develop & maintain standard operating procedures for demand, inventory & replenishment planning processes and systems. Lead re-engineering of best practices & build consensus amongst functional experts (Demand & Inventory Planning, Purchasing, Sales & Marketing, Finance, and IT). Identify and coordinate structure improvements in data flow between the ERP, BI & Logility applications.
  
  

Required

Job Qualifications

• Knowledge of demand & inventory management processes & experience collaborating with Sales & external Customers on forecasts
• Understanding of challenges faced in balancing forecasted demand and manufacturing capacities/constraints
• Strong analytical abilities & detail oriented with consistent data accuracy
• Comfortable working with numbers & large amounts of data via databases and spreadsheets
• Knowledge of key inventory performance metrics, turn rates, margin contributions, etc.
• Good communication and consensus building skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with executive level management
• Extensive spreadsheet analysis and strong mathematical abilities
• 4-year college degree (Business, Operations, Supply Chain or related field)
• 5 years related experience with demonstrated knowledge of demand, inventory & purchasing planning processes, preferably within packaging industry
• Experience with ERP, MRP & statistical forecasting applications
• Experience in cross-functional leadership & collaboration
• Experience collaborating to resolve long and short positions in inventory
• Experience in managing end-to-end product life cycles (long and short)
  
  

Environment

• Hybrid work environment that mixes in-office and remote work to offer flexibility and support to employees. In-office hours are set by group Manager.
• Work hours are usually 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but could require after hours and weekend work to complete projects on time.
• Travel as needed, up to 10%.
  
  

Join us. Help protect food, people and the planet.