Director of Supply Chain Planning

THE COMPANY

Our client is a leading U.S. marketer and distributor of highly perishable fresh produce, serving national retail, wholesale, and foodservice customers. The company operates a sophisticated sourcing, packing, production, and distribution network with a strong focus on customer service, quality, and continuous improvement.

THE POSITION

The Director of Supply Chain Planning owns the end-to-end planning rhythm—demand, supply, inventory, and production scheduling—to balance customer demand with sourcing and operational capacity. Success is defined by achieving industry-leading service levels and order fill rates, while simultaneously reducing aging risk and reliance on outside fruit through stronger forecasting, mix planning, and ripening/production scheduling.
This is a hands-on leadership role that builds a data-driven, tech-enabled planning culture and directly influences the company’s growth and profitability. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the position is based on-site in Southern California (no remote/hybrid).

Main Responsibilities

1.         Planning & Execution

• Own the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) cadence to align demand forecasts, supply plans, and production/ripening capacity.
• Design and manage sourcing, packing, ripening, and production schedules aligned to sales forecasts and operational constraints.
• Balance supply/demand to minimize excess inventory, maintain freshness, and reduce reliance on outside fruit.
• Monitor perishable inventory closely to mitigate aging risk and protect service levels.

2.         Optimization, Analytics & Automation

• Implement advanced Excel-based models (scenario/sensitivity analysis for yield, lead-time, capacity, promotions, and mix) to guide planning decisions.
• Leverage AI, data analytics, and process automation to improve forecast accuracy, inventory turns, and plan adherence.
• Establish and track KPIs (forecast accuracy, OTIF/fill rate, days of inventory/aging, reliance on outside fruit, expedite costs).
• Drive continuous improvement across planning processes, master data, and exception management.

3.         Cross-Functional & External Collaboration

• Partner with Sales, Operations, Logistics, Grower Relations, QA, and Finance to align plans with commercial and cost objectives.
• Anticipate demand shifts (seasonality, promotions, customer programs) and translate them into executable supply/production plans.
• Coordinate with suppliers/3PLs to protect service and freshness targets.

4.         Leadership & Team

• Lead, mentor, and scale a planning team (currently 1 Manager of Supply Chain Operations + 3 Supply & Demand Planners).
• Build a high-performance, data-driven culture with clear roles, routines, and development paths.

THE CANDIDATE

a.         Experience

• 8–10+ years of progressive experience in supply chain planning for perishables (fresh produce or other short-shelf-life foods strongly preferred).
• Proven leadership of the S&OP process, with a record of accomplishment of aligning demand, supply, and production.
• Depth in demand forecasting, supply planning, inventory optimization, and production/ripening scheduling.
• Demonstrated success improving service levels/fill rate, forecast accuracy, inventory turns/aging, and reducing reliance on outside supply.
• History of building and developing high-performing planning teams and managing cross-functional collaboration.

b.         Technical Expertise

• Advanced Excel-based modeling (complex formulas, Power Query/pivot modeling, scenario/sensitivity analysis).
• Proficiency in ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Blue Yonder, Anaplan or equivalent) and skilled in Microsoft Excel and Access.
• Familiarity with data analytics, BI tools, and AI applied to supply chain planning.

c.         Communication & Collaboration

• Strong executive presence with the ability to translate complex analyses into clear recommendations.
• Effective influencer across Sales, Operations, Finance, and external partners.

d.         Additionally

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or related field (Master’s/MBA a plus).
• Bilingual English/Spanish highly preferred (not required).
• Must be able to work on-site in Southern California.