Director of S&OP and Production Continuous Improvement
About The Position
The Director of S&OP and Production Continuous Improvement strengthens alignment between Operations and Commercial teams so internal and external customer expectations are met while efficiency and cost are continually improved to achieve business financial commitments. The role manages and develops the company’s Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP) process, connects demand planning with production commitments and operational capacity, and coordinates operational budgets and forecast updates. It works with global Commercial Demand stakeholders, Procurement, Animal Production, and Logistics to align resources with demand and to identify short-, mid-, and long-term resource needs for the Operations Leadership Team. The director also develops a LEAN Production culture and identifies, develops, and executes continuous-improvement projects across operational resources and metrics, including people, safety, quality, animal welfare, customer service, and cost. The role establishes success metrics to support accountability and improvement and leads, manages, and develops the Operations Planning Team. The position is primarily remote, with occasional onsite needs averaging 5%–10% of monthly time. A location within two hours of Albany, New York, or Germantown, New York, is preferred but not required. The schedule is Monday through Friday during core business hours. The work is sedentary, with some walking, standing, bending, carrying small items, and driving. Employees may be exposed to workplace allergens, including those associated with animals or animal bedding.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering or a similar field.
- Experience managing professional staff and making senior-level decisions.
- Extensive experience in a specialized field, including responsibility for strategic technical direction, high-impact problem-solving, or enterprise-level initiatives.
- 10 or more years of relevant experience and/or training.
- Experience in industrial production or manufacturing.
- At least 10 years in an industrial operations area.
- At least 6 years in production or manufacturing.
- At least 5 years leading teams and experience in change management.
- At least 3 years in S&OP, including IBP (Integrated Business Planning).
- Skill in designing, implementing, and coordinating projects.
- Experience making strategic decisions or recommendations to improve or change organizational policies, procedures, and processes.
- Structured, well-organized analytical thinking.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree.
- Laboratory animal production experience.
- At least 3 years managing Operations or Manufacturing costs.
- At least 3 years of project management experience (PMO).
- Knowledge and practical experience with statistical forecasting methodologies.
- APICS certification.
- Experience applying AI to S&OP.
- Multi-site or global responsibility.
Responsibilities
- Manage and develop the SIOP (Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning) process across the business.
- Ensure effective communication between Commercial and Operations regarding demand and production commitments.
- Develop and maintain operational capacity figures and identify capacity expansion needs in a timely manner.
- Coordinate efforts to develop Operations’ yearly budgets (AOP) and forecast updates.
- Work with global Commercial Demand stakeholders—including sales, marketing, and R&D—Procurement, Animal Production, and Logistics to align operational resources with demand.
- Identify and communicate short-, medium-, and long-term resource needs to the Operations Leadership Team based on commercial demand plans and changes.
- Develop a LEAN Production culture focused on continuous improvement across relevant metrics, including people, safety, quality, animal welfare, customer service, and cost.
- Identify, develop, and execute continuous-improvement projects to optimize the use of Operations resources across people, machines, materials, time and schedules, and methods.
- Develop and implement success metrics that drive accountability and continuous improvement.
- Lead, manage, and develop all members of the Operations Planning Team.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, vision, and pet insurance options, with insurance available within 30 days or less.
- 20 days of paid time off, six additional holidays, and one floating holiday.
- 401(k) plan with up to 4% employer match.
- Tuition reimbursement.
- Career advancement opportunities.
- Training and skills development for success.
- 24/7 telemedicine, including mental health services.
- Short- and long-term disability insurance.
- Life insurance.
- Work-life balance.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
