Director of Planning

In This Role You Will:

• Leadership & Organizational Development 
• Build, develop, and inspire a high-performing, end-to-end planning organization across Demand, Supply, and Materials Planning, setting clear expectations, cultivating accountability, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. 
• Provide strategic direction, coaching, and structured career development to planners and planning leaders, ensuring the team has the skills, tools, and support needed to scale with the business. 
• Establish the planning organization’s operating model-defining roles, responsibilities, workflows, governance, and cross-functional interfaces to ensure seamless execution. 
• Champion change management related to system upgrades, process maturation, network expansion, and the planning discipline expected of a newly public company. 
• Create a culture of analytical excellence, proactive problem-solving, and cross-functional partnership, enabling the team to influence decisions across Commercial, Operations, Finance, Procurement, and Executive Leadership. 
• Drive talent capability building in forecasting, scenario planning, analytics, communication, and integrated planning processes to support both short-term performance and long-term organizational growth. 
• Integrated Planning and Systems (S&OP/IBP) 
• Support an S&OP/IBP process that improves cross-functional alignment and drives clearer decision-making in a rapidly changing environment. 
• Connect demand and supply plans to provide predictable, reliable signals for operations and commercial teams. 
• Lead the rollout and evolution of planning tools and systems, balancing the need for better analytics with the realities of a small, fast-moving team. 
• Demand Planning 
• Build scalable forecasting capabilities—including statistical tools, AI/ML, and structured cross-functional inputs—to enhance demand signal reliability across channels and customers. 
• Drive continuous improvement in forecast accuracy through disciplined review cycles, root-cause analysis, and effective collaboration with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Commercial partners. 
• Own the demand planning pillar of the S&OP/IBP process, ensuring transparency, actionable scenarios, and clear recommendations for executive decision-making. 
• Supply Planning 
• Execute a scalable supply plan that balances service, cost, inventory, and capacity across a fast-growing, multi-node co-manufacturing network. 
• Implement robust capacity planning, scenario modeling, and constraint-based planning tools to guide short-, mid-, and long-range decisions. 
• Partner with Operations, Procurement, and Commercialization to anticipate constraints, mitigate supply risks, and ensure production plans are fully aligned with demand priorities, innovation timelines, and network capabilities. 
• Communicate supply risks, trade-offs, and service implications clearly and proactively to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders. 
• Lead continuous improvement efforts to enhance responsiveness, reduce lead times, and improve throughput across the supply network. 
• Collaborate with external network partners, including co-mans, logistics providers, and suppliers, to support reliability improvements, capacity expansion, and long-range network planning. 
• Materials Planning 
• Oversee material contracts and coverage, ensuring adequate supply levels and strong alignment with Procurement on new contracts, and supplier performance. 
• Manage VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory) suppliers, ensuring replenishment of reliability, inventory accuracy, and adherence to service and quality standards.  
• Establish scalable processes that provide end-to-end visibility across raw materials, packaging, components, and all supplier-managed inventory programs. 
• Lead material risk management by proactively identifying shortages, supplier constraints, lead-time shifts, and cost exposures, while developing mitigation plans and communication protocols. 
• Partner closely with Procurement and R&D to support commercialization timelines, supplier readiness, and material availability for new product launches and innovation projects. 
• Ensure material availability and readiness to support ongoing production plans and service-level commitments across the network. 
• Own safety stock strategy, inventory optimization, and slow-moving/obsolescence management in a cost-conscious environment. 

 In This Role, You’ll Bring with You:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Supply Chain Management, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred. 
• 7+ years of progressive experience in supply chain planning, including years in leadership roles and direct oversight of demand planning. 
• Proven ability to operate in a small or mid-sized, fast-growth environment, ideally within a company transitioning to or operating under public-company standards. 
• Strong expertise in S&OP/IBP, forecasting methodologies, capacity planning, and inventory optimization. 
• Experience managing co-manufacturers, third-party suppliers, and multi-node supply networks. 
• Demonstrated success building or scaling planning organizations, including establishing standards, structure, and integrated planning processes. 
• Track record of owning end-to-end planning processes with measurable outcomes such as improved forecast accuracy, inventory health, service levels, or cost optimization. 
• Ability to lead systems strategy, optimization, and integration to support scalability, automation, and improved decision-making. 
• Strong analytical capability with the ability to translate data into clear insights and recommendations for leaders at all levels. 
• Excellent communication and cross-functional influencing skills; able to drive alignment among Operations, Sales, Finance, Procurement, and Executive Leadership. 
• High attention to detail with a commitment to data integrity, accuracy, and planning discipline. 
• Skilled problem solver with experience in root cause analysis, continuous improvement, and ambiguity management. 
• Proficient with Microsoft Suite, collaboration tools such as Slack, and modern planning platforms. 
• Up to 10% of travel required for team-on-sites, supplier visits, and company-wide gatherings. 
• Passion for purpose-driven work, especially improving childhood nutrition and contributing to a healthier planet. 
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in ambiguity, make high-judgment decisions, and adapt in a dynamic, high-growth environment. 
• Must reside in the United States; visa sponsorship not available. 

Compensation:

• Full-Time, Salaried, Exempt 
• The anticipated salary range for this position is $150,000.00 to $200,000.00. The actual salary offer will carefully consider a few factors, including skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Certain positions are eligible for additional forms of compensation, such as bonuses, stipends, equity, and role-specific perks.  

Additional:

• Remote-first work environment 
• Annual Bonus 
• 401(k) program + 4% company match after three months 
• New Hire Remote Life Stipend + annual Nourish and Nurture Allowance 
• Monthly Cell and Internet Stipend  
• Quarterly Farm-to-Fridge home deliveries and Employee Discounts 
• New Parents: Up to 18 weeks of paid Parental Leave, Baby Steps Back To Work, 3 months’ supply of Once Upon a Farm products, and breast milk shipping service and support for those who travel after birth for the duration of your breastfeeding journey 
• Unlimited Paid Time Off 
• Paid Volunteer Time 
• Paid Time Off to fulfill civic responsibilities, including jury duty and voting in local, state, and national elections  
• Medical Insurance for the employee is covered at 100% on select plans, with additional plan options at a reduced cost to the employee 
• Vision and Dental Insurance are covered at 100% for the employee and dependents 
• Life insurance 
• Flexible spending account and Health Savings Accounts for applicable plans 
• Employee assistance program (EAP) 
• All other benefits, leaves, and insurance as required by law, based on your specific residence