Plant-based foods have the power to change lives — and cultures too. Challenging the norm is our vibe, and it is the start of a larger movement. Kite Hill's chef-founders and employee-artisans are this movement. We craft 100% plant-based foods that deliver an eating experience that is as close to dairy as it gets. Our innovative range of foods enables the team at Kite Hill to surprise and delight our consumers every day. We believe that by choosing to eat plant-based foods instead of dairy, we are making a positive choice for our bodies and the world around us. This game-changing food is not just better for you, it is better for animals and the planet, too. Our commitment to innovation knows no bounds. With a portfolio that includes yogurt, cream cheese, dips, sour cream, cheese, and filled pasta we are elevating expectations of what plant-based food can be. Every day we are producing new ideas and pushing dairy-free food to taste better than ever before. Because at Kite Hill we do not play the game, we change it.
Our Core Values:
- We make Great Tasting Plant Based Foods
- Imagination Drives Innovation
- Do Good
- Do the Right Thing Even When No One is Watching
- We are Better Together
- We are Passionate and Enjoy the Journey
- Everyone is Included
Diversity and Inclusion at Kite Hill:
Kite Hill is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination or harassment of any kind. We passionately value diversity and inclusion on all levels and believe that everyone should bring their authentic self to work every day. We believe that the power of differences, active debate, listening, and a willingness to learn make us a more effective organization.
Position Summary:
The Demand Planning Manager is responsible for creating a plan to manage customer expected and actual orders with manufacturing ability in a weekly view by item (SKU) called the Demand Plan. The Demand Planning Manager projects order expectation to stakeholders and orders the necessary finished goods to deliver from the manufacturing plant to Third Party Logistics (3PL) location based on the Demand Plan and actual orders. This position is co-responsible for finished goods inventory with the Logistics and Inventory Control Manager kept at all Third-Party Logistics (3PL) locations. The Demand Planning Manager tracks finished goods order fulfilment targeting 100% On Time and In Full (OTIF) and avoids or manages inventory that is too old to ship.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Compile, maintain, and analyze data from the Sales Forecast into a Demand Plan.
- Continuously work with sales team to validate the Sales Forecast for each customer and product group by reviewing trending baseline volume, upcoming promotional volume, new business opportunities and new/seasonal product launches.
- Manage forecast compilation and publishing process which includes the rolling short-term (3-week), mid-term (12-week), and “period” Latest Estimates (LE) by product and product group.
- Uses a sales forecast tool to build and analyze reports that support overall sales forecast accuracy and provide strategic insights to key stakeholders.
- Lead S&OP meetings by working collaboratively with Sales & Operations on demand and supply needs considering constraints and highlighting areas in need of decision.
- Create a rolling 24-week Demand Plan for internal stakeholders by analyzing customer performance data, considering future promotions plans and considering manufacturing constraints (capacity and supply).
- Update Monthly through data collected in the S&OP process.
- Analize customer demand and production capability by SKU using Customer Inventories (leveraging customer portals) to assess inventory needs for orders/promotions.
- Be directly involved in DOT UNFI, KeHE, SDS, etc. inventory meetings positioning inventory for orders and/or upcoming promotions.
- Use customer/distributor (UNFI, DOT, KeHE, SDS, etc.) portals to proactively identify inventory issues.
- Issue a rolling 12-week rolling Production Plan by product group and SKU to manufacturing locations monthly.
- Review each Manufacturing locations Supply Plan weekly. Identify, report, resolve gaps.
- Anticipate inventory needs related to promotions and work with Co-manufacturing teams to have reactive capacity that enables incremental sales when needed.
- Agree to a 3-week Production Schedule with manufacturing location by balancing inventory with actual sales orders and manufacturing fill rates.
- Utilize and Manage the Open-to-Buy process.
- Issue Purchase Orders (PO’s) to fulfill the 4-week Production Plan
- Adjust close in PO’s as necessary to balance inventory with actual sales orders received and manufacturing fill rates.
- True up PO’s each weekly to match production receipts.
- Collaborate with Distributor buyers to adjust PO’s to improve retail in-stock position, while avoiding out-of-code situation due to over-ordering.
- Set minimum and maximum SKU inventory targets to maintain a healthy and balanced finished goods inventory mix enabling the company to react to unplanned volatility in customer orders.
- Track inventory levels at distribution centers to ensure customer order fulfilment.
- Monitor the daily manufacturer production fulfilment versus Production Plan requirements.
- Issue weekly fill (OTIF) report from our manufactures to Kite Hill and Kite Hill to our customers.
- Communicate short term material availability and production plans from manufacturer to Kite Hill Stakeholders. This includes recognizing and addressing shifts in production ensuring the plan fits to Coman production capacity with Kite Hill’s needs.
- Ensure risks such as production delays, 3PL, capacity, etc. are identified quickly and mitigated/solved, including escalation to management, so potential issues can be communicated by Sales to customers, as necessary.
- Report to Kite Hill stakeholders any manufacturing location capacity constraints. Work with manufacturer to solve.
- Actively participate with a cross functional team. This position is the point of contact for any questions or resolutions needed between Sales Forecast and manufacturing Production Plan.
- Provide support to Customer Service, Accounting, and Sales whenever appropriate.
- Continually evaluate the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process to identify and reduce inefficiencies within the system.
- Other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:
- Able to quickly analyze data and summarize complex situations for team members.
- Firm grasp of supply chain, inventory, distribution, business, and management principles
- Understand core logic driving demand planning, supply planning, and production scheduling.
- Possess strong organizational and communication skills.
- Extremely meticulous.
- Able to multi-task.
- Flexibility to adapt quickly to a fast-growing company environment with evolving customer demands and as well as changing product mix, volume, and delivery needs.
- Highly motivated self-starter who can think independently yet work as a collaborator in a cross-functional and highly collaborative environment.
- Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, follow-through on commitments, and provide input & feedback to the team.
- Inherent drive to take full ownership of the job and the outcomes of their work.
- Deeply proficient in Microsoft Excel including the use of pivot tables and complex formulas.
- Minimal travel (10%) domestically to meet with Coman production sites, Sales, and Operations.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) or equivalent education + experience in related field.
- 3+ years directly relevant Demand Planning work experience in a food production environment.
- Previous work with and management of 3PL’s preferred.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES AND REGISTRATIONS:
- APICS, ISM, or SCPro classes and/or certification is beneficial but not required.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
REPORTS TO:
- VP of Ops, dotted line to VP of Sales
LOCATION:
FLSA Status:
