When it comes to being wild, we know a thing or two. We’re not afraid of trying something new or the hard work it takes to make it happen. It’s in our DNA. We’ve turned a family recipe into the world’ largest meat snack business, that’s still proudly family owned and operated.

We’re a company built by innovators, and are driven to not only satisfy your hunger, but to also feed your journey – whether that journey is on the road, on the run, at the campground, at the playground, in the office or in the moment. It’s a journey we share with you. It’s the journey forward of our people, of our communities, of our category…with a reverence for quality and an irreverence for the status quo.

At Jack Link’s Protein Snacks, we see every moment of every day as an opportunity to move forward, to forge new ground, to realize our vision of becoming the World’s #1 Protein Snack Company. We never give up. You never give up. Together, we keep going. Are you wild enough to join us?

Join the team, make a difference, be part of something bigger.

Link Snacks, Ink (“Jack Link’s”) is the #1 Meat Snack brand in the U.S. Headquartered in Minong, Wisconsin, Link Snacks is a family-owned and operated company that represents a heritage of quality, safety and innovation. The company is made up of passionate team members who share an uncompromising commitment to delivering awesome products. Sold in more than 40 countries, the Link Snacks’ family of companies owns a portfolio of brands that includes Jack Link’s®, Lorissa’s Kitchen®, Wild River®, Golden Island®, MATADOR®, BiFi®, and Peperami®.

This position is based in MInneapolis, MN. It is Hybrid and not a remote role. 

This Director of Supply Chain Planning role, reporting to the Sr. Director Supply Chain Planning & Procurement is responsible for demand and supply planning across the Jack Link’s product portfolio. This will include leading a team to balance supply and demand in a constraint-based environment (capacity, labor, planned downtime, working capital, inventory strategy, available storage etc.). This role is responsible for the development of the long-range production plan based upon various inputs and constraints that include the demand plan, factory capacity, labor, line rates, planned maintenance, holidays, capital installation, working capital etc. In this role you will partner with manufacturing plants, distribution centers, customer service, sales, marketing, finance, and R&D to help ensure we can deliver exceptional customer service by having the products our customers need, when they need them.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Leads inventory planning and coordinates replenishment in support of finished goods production. Recommends and maintains production requirements for finished goods inventory target parameters
• Balance finished goods supply with demand, ensure order fill target service levels, minimize loss, determine, and achieve inventory objects at the lowers delivered cost
• Analyzes inventory for shortages and expiring components to reduce waste. Monitors and reports inventory with respect to shelf life, over and under stocking, and conformance to schedule.
• Supervises Demand Managers and Supply Managers who are accountable for the finite schedule for all manufacturing facilities, while optimizing capacity, inventory, and financial objectives
• Plays an active role in preparing for and participates in Sales and Operations Planning meetings (S&OP)
• Performs capacity studies for long-term demand versus manufacturing capability
• With the team and a great sense of urgency, conducts root cause analysis daily of any supply chain network issues and works to understand, adapt, and prevent service issues from occurring in the future
• Creates, implements, and monitors supply chain KPI’s to drive improvements
• Identifies and continuously improves planning tools, systems, and process. Reviews finished goods for customer order shortages and notifies Customer Service, Manufacturing and Logistics as appropriate
• Ongoing education to those outside supply chain planning to ensure our teams understand core planning processes and the cross functional inter-dependencies that exist throughout our organization
• Facilitates new product first production and phases out discontinued products with Procurement, Sales, R&D and Manufacturing
• Works closely with the Sales, Manufacturing, Finance, Customer Service and Procurement to ensure timeliness of information and data accuracy to avoid supply chain disruptions
• Responsible for the timely aggregation and dissemination of reports and communications
• Proactively manages and develops the performance of direct reports and team members through performance management, calibration, resource review and planning, capability, disciplinary, training and development

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• 4-year degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering or Finance. is required.  Master’s degree a plus
• 8 plus years management experience in Supply Chain and Demand Planning
• 7+ years supply planning experience with integrated ERP system skills
• Experience in Food CPG industry, both in make-to-stock and make-to-order models
• Deep experience with S&OP, managing KPIs and change management
• Excellent analytical and quantitative skills
• Highly analytical with practical experience in Excel and BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, etc.)
• Experience implementing and using planning tools such as Microsoft D365, SAP APO, JDA, etc.
• Continuous improvement experience working with Kaizen or Six Sigma
• Understand the connectivity between manufacturing sites and distribution centers
• Demonstrate knowledge of all parameters, factors, inputs, and outputs required to develop effective supply/demand plans and drive best practice and process improvements
• 20% travel

Critical Leadership Competencies:

• Develops talent: Develops people to meet both their career goals and the organization’s goals
• Builds effective teams: Builds strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals
• Strategic mindset: Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies
• Business insight: Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization’s goals
• Organizational savvy: Maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related organizational dynamics
• Cultivates innovation: Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful

Other Personal Characteristics:

·         Enjoy spending time in plants and engaging in discussions about improvement opportunities

·         A ‘hands on leader’.  Willing to roll up your sleeves and get into the details to support your team

·         Effectively lead and communicate a safety, quality, and reliability culture

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

E-Verify
We provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. IMPORTANT: If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, we are required to provide you written instructions and an opportunity to contact SSA and/or DHS before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. We may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants or to re-verify current employees and may not limit or influence the choice of documents presented for use on the Form I-9. In order to determine whether Form I-9 documentation is valid, we use E-Verify’s photo screening tool to match the photograph appearing on some permanent resident and employment authorization cards with the official U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) photograph. If you believe that your employer has violated its responsibilities under this program or has discriminated against you during the verification process based upon your national origin or citizenship status, please call the Office of Special Counsel at 1-800-255-7688 (TDD: 1-800-237-2515).