Sr Customer Replenishment Planner

Location: Bentonville, AR

Summary:

On-site in Bentonville, AR, this position is accountable for the following:

• Manage forecasting and replenishment for assigned Wal-Mart and/or Sam’s business segments, typically one of the following depending on size and complexity: seasons, candy aisle, front end, grocery, snacks, and Sam’s (multiple categories).
• Monitor performance against key supply chain metrics such as case fill, in-stock, and inventory and drive corrective actions.
• Build and maintain multiple customer-facing and internal Wal-Mart Team relationships, e.g. with Wal-Mart and/or Sam’s Replenishment Manager and Buyer, internal Customer Sales Executive and McLane third party distribution planning teams.
• Participate in a limited number of select special projects and strategic initiatives.
• Forecasting must be managed at the item-store level within Wal-Mart’s Retail Link tool utilizing the Wal-Mart CPFR Decision Tree to identify forecast exceptions and implement corrective actions which consider multiple factors such as in-stock percentage, promotion activity, seasonality, point of sale trends, de-seasonalized demand, and inventory. This includes periodic proactive analysis of item selling patterns and the development of productive relationships with the Wal-Mart and/or Sam’s Replenishment Mangers in order to execute required forecast changes. These changes must be effectively communicated to internal Sales and Operations Planning contacts in order to maximize production efficiency and supportability.
• This role is also responsible for developing and communicating accurate and timely factory shipment forecasts specific to promotion events, modular transitions, and item changes.
• Replenishment is managed by assigned business segment according to established “idea to store shelf” timelines, otherwise known as the product life cycle. This position is responsible for establishing, and monitoring progress against, key milestones in the life cycle for all promotion events, modular transitions, and item changes. This involves careful planning, coordination, and communication among multiple functional areas, including Customer Marketing, Research and Development, Packaging, Finance, Sales, Category Development, Sales and Operations Planning, and Customer Service. By leading regular multi-function meetings, the person in this role must quickly identify potential problems, implement corrective actions, and update all affected parties with urgency in order to protect customer on-shelf commitments.
• This position has primary responsibility for the relationship with the Wal-Mart and/or Sam’s Replenishment Manager by business segment and also participates in sessions, which create regular interaction with the Wal-Mart and/or Sam’s Buyers. The relationship with the Replenishment Manager is critical and is managed formally via replenishment planning sessions led by the Hershey Customer Replenishment Planner.

• Those in this role will be assigned to participate with Wal-Mart and/or Sam’s, Hershey Bentonville, and Hershey, PA (some will also involve McLane Bentonville and/or McLane Temple) covering strategic initiatives, projects, policies, and industry groups. Activity against each of these must be carefully considered and represented to the customer based on cost, benefit to Hershey, and sensitivity to those which have been assigned a high priority by Wal-Mart. Work in these areas provides an elevated level of exposure to key customer decision-makers and multi-functional leadership within Hershey.

Key Responsibilities:

• Identify, implement, and communicate forecast changes by exception to internal Hershey supply and Walmart replenishment
• Forecast, communicate, and monitor business segment promotion and modular volumes and timing.
• Manage the product life cycle for all promotion events, modular changes, and item changes.
• Weekly reporting of key performance measures to internal sales, Hershey supply and Walmart replenishment.
• Report against and drive corrective actions as necessary for all key performance measures.
• Actively participate in formal internal and external meetings and events to manage peer relationships and facilitate business planning.
• Represent, and lead as applicable, the Wal-Mart Team on assigned strategic initiatives, projects, policies, and industry groups.

Qualifications:

• Strong Project Management skills
• Advanced analytical and problem solving skills
• Minimum Bachelor degree

*LI-MG1

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans