JOB SUMMARY:          

This role will create the structure that connects commercial demand with plant execution and material availability. The Director will establish demand planning processes and analytics, while partnering with existing site planners/schedulers responsible for day-to-day supply planning. This position requires a pragmatic builder who understands chemical batch manufacturing constraints (tanks, changeovers, shelf life, private label complexity, regulatory requirements) and can translate modern planning approaches—including AI-enabled forecasting—into practical operating routines that improve OTIF, reduce expedites, and optimize inventory.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Establish Demand Planning Capability

• Design and implement the first demand planning process
• Leverage statistical and AI-enabled forecasting tools to create baseline forecasts
• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Product Management to incorporate:
• Customer programs and bids
• Private label commitments
• Seasonality across sanitation, water treatment, and specialty chemicals
• New product introductions and transitions
• Lead a monthly demand review cadence with commercial leadership
• Measure and improve forecast accuracy and bias

Enable Supply Planning through Site Planner/Schedulers

• Define the supply planning framework used by site schedulers
• Convert demand plans into feasible supply plans considering:
• Tank and reactor constraints
• Changeover and cleaning requirements
• Shelf-life and lot control
• Raw material availability
• Co-manufacturing and tolling partners
• Establish rough-cut capacity planning to highlight bottlenecks
• Define make-to-stock vs. make-to-order strategies

Create Smart Inventory Targets & Controls

• Design service-level-based safety stocks by product family
• Establish reorder points and economic batch sizing
• Reduce slow-moving and obsolete inventory
• Balance OTIF performance with working capital objectives
• Partner with Procurement on supplier lead time assumptions

Elevate Scheduling Capability Across Sites

• Partner with existing schedulers as they transition to planner/schedulers
• Standardize scheduling playbooks, calendars, and priorities
• Implement consistent rules for:
• Batch sequencing and cleanouts
• Tank utilization
• Private label prioritization
• Shelf-life management
• Provide coaching, analytics, and governance rather than direct line management

Build the Planning Operating System

• Implement practical planning tools within the ERP environment
• Establish master data standards (lead times, BOMs, routings, pack sizes)
• Create dashboards and weekly planning routines
• Connect demand → supply → scheduling → inventory in one cadence
• Lay the foundation for a future S&OP process

EXPERIENCE

• 10+ years in planning, scheduling, or operations
• 5+ years in chemical, batch process, or regulated manufacturing
• Proven experience building planning processes rather than only maintaining them
• Hands-on scheduling experience in a plant environment
• Inventory optimization and service level design

SKILLS

• Demand forecasting methodologies (statistical + collaborative)
• MPS/MRP and capacity planning
• Understanding of batch chemistry constraints
• ERP planning (SAP, Oracle, JDE, or similar—Microsoft GP Preferred)
• Strong analytics (Excel/Power BI; AI forecasting tools a plus)

COMPETENCIES

• Builder mindset with bias for practical execution
• Comfortable on the plant floor and in commercial discussions
• Influences without formal authority
• Translates complexity into simple operating rules

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/ WORKING CONDITIONS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

·      Sit or stand for extended periods of time

·      Visual acuity necessary to utilize a computer monitor throughout the course of a normal workday

·      Ability to perform repetitive keyboarding activities and operate general office equipment.

·      Extra hours and 20-25% travel is required