Senior Capacity Planner

At The Schwan Food Company, we are driven to bring our customers delicious foods and reliable services. That's how we grew from a "one-man-and-a-truck" delivery business in rural Minnesota to a multibillion-dollar private company with thousands of team members nationwide. Our commitment to delicious foods shows in all we do, from careful ingredient selection and quality food making to delivering a great experience wherever you shop and eat.

The foods we make reach customers in many ways. We deliver directly to our customer's homes through our popular food-delivery business, offer well-known retail brands such as Red Baron®, Freschetta®, and Tony's® pizzas, Pagoda®snacks and appetizers, and Mrs. Smith's® and Edwards® desserts, and bring innovative food solutions to our customers in the food-service industry. To learn more, visit us at .

As a Senior Capacity Planner you will be responsible for leading the evaluation of demand requirements against plant capacity limitations, identifying and facilitating solutions among supply chain partners (sales, manufacturing, demand planning, distribution, purchasing), and providing long-term and mid-term production plans to our manufacturing facility which balances the costs and service expectations. Additionally this role contributes to the broader vision of overall capacity strategy within the Global Supply Chain. 

•  Develops a production plan each week for a 13 week period and a long- term 72 week plan to meet forecasted demand and create effective plant utilization.
• Manages inventory investment and coordinates inventory pre-builds to compensate for periods of capacity limitations.
• Responsible for oversight and collaboration with marketing and demand planning on strategies, policies, and objectives to support customer service targets, anticipate contingencies, and manage the quality of demand flowing into the manufacturing facilities.
• Leads monthly reviews with business unit planning teams.
• Identifies issues and successes. Leads efforts to incorporate data and feedback into future plans.
• Generates reports and compiles complex data for the development and evaluation of potential recommendations for Sales & Operations, planning, process, and senior management regarding production and inventory plans impacting multiple business units.
• Provides periodic assessments including\: manufacturing capacity for major capital strategy decisions, new product capacity evaluations, production alternatives, and implementation strategies to support new product introduction timing.
• Assists in driving supply chain decisions using complex financial assessment of manufacturing and inventory alternatives and preparing materials to present capacity inventory and cost realities for senior management.
• Leads weekly supply chain coordinator meeting with demand management plant schedulers, distribution planners, and master schedulers.
• Develops and manages safety stock strategies consistent with service level and inventory objectives.
• Monitors forecast trends and engages demand managers to formulate adjustments when necessary working to ensure that manufacturing plans are based on a sound demand basis.
• Evaluates manufacturing lot sizes to balance costs of manufacturing with costs of inventory.
• Monitors production attainment results and makes recommendations for routing adjustments as needed.
• Maintains APS computer system data including\: sourcing, dfu, sku, mapping, network lead times, routings, production calendars, SKU settings level, loading strategy, setting and address system corruption.
• Manage daily process of resolving low stocks and stock outs and schedule changes.
• Assists in the training and education of new staff within the department.
• Helps to guide to overall culture and approach to the attainment of department goals both personally and also with each of the team members.
• Assists with the planning and assigning of personnel for given projects or tasks and provides assistance with mentoring or evaluation of lower level staff.
• All other duties as assigned.

Education\: Bachelor's degree (B. A.) or Equivalent.

Years of Related Experience\: 7-10 years related experience

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities\: 

• Reporting and query ability in database tools such as Microsoft Access SAP Business Warehouse and BEX.
• Advanced skill level with Microsoft Excel intermediate skill level with Microsoft PowerPoint Computer skills literate. 
• Experience with Advanced Planning Systems (i.e. Manugistics/JDA) and Manufacturing systems (i.e. SAP). 
• Must possess an understanding of supply chain and inventory planning principles. 
• Knowledge and experience in manufacturing planning and/or distribution systems. 
• Knowledge in supply chain management. 
• Strong analytical skills and basic understanding of financial impact and cost alternatives. 
• Strong mathematical skills. 
• Effective interpersonal skills. 
• Formal supply chain training seminars or APICS certification preferred.