Production Planning Manager

About Misfits Market:

Misfits Market is a mission-driven, high-growth startup dedicated to reducing food waste and making shopping for sustainable, high-quality groceries easier and more affordable. We deliver organic produce, high-quality meats and seafood, plant-based proteins, dairy, bakery, wine, and other grocery items to nearly every zip code in 48 states at up to 30 percent off traditional grocery store prices. In 2022, Misfits Market acquired sustainable e-grocer Imperfect Foods and now leverages its in-house transportation network to deliver directly to consumers with one of the most carbon-efficient grocery delivery models on the market. By tackling inefficiencies in the food system, our passionate and motivated team of problem solvers helps save an average of 500,000 pounds of food per week from waste or lesser outcomes, with an all-time savings of 190+ million pounds of food.

As Misfits we support our customers and mission by embracing our core values of

Prioritizing our Customers                             

Doing more with less

Thinking Differently         

Respecting one another                             

Moving deliberately and quickly                   

Taking initiative and delivering 

About Role:

The Production Planning Manager is a strategic leadership role responsible for the end-to-end synchronization of manufacturing assets and market demand. You will oversee the Master Production Schedule (MPS) and play a pivotal role in the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process. Beyond tactical scheduling, you are expected to mentor junior staff, drive enterprise-level process improvements, and serve as the technical authority for our ERP/MRP ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Master Scheduling & S&OP Leadership

• Lead the monthly S&OP process, reconciling demand forecasts with plant capacity to create a robust 12-month rolling production plan.
• Perform high-level capacity modeling to identify long-term constraints, recommending capital expenditures (CapEx) or shift adjustments to leadership.
• Manage complex co-packing and 3PL fulfillment logic, ensuring inventory velocity matches seasonal spikes and promotional periods.

1. Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Act as the functional lead for the planning department, providing guidance, training, and professional development to junior planners and coordinators.
• Standardize planning SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) across different shifts or production facilities to ensure consistency.
• Facilitate "Conflict Resolution" between Sales (who want more) and Operations (who want stability), using data-backed evidence to find the most profitable path forward.

1. System Architecture & Digital Transformation

• Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for ERP/MRP optimization, leading system upgrades or implementing new scheduling modules to reduce manual work.
• Develop and maintain complex data dashboards (PowerBI/Tableau) that provide real-time visibility into production variance, labor efficiency, and material yields.
• Integrate "Shelf-Life" and "Allergen Management" logic into automated scheduling tools to minimize food waste and risk.

1. Continuous Improvement (Lean Six Sigma)

• Lead cross-functional "Kaizen" events to reduce changeover times (SMED) and optimize product flow.
• Utilize DMAIC methodologies to investigate systemic failures in fulfillment or chronic inventory inaccuracies.
• Implement "Visual Management" tools on the shop floor to bridge the gap between office-based planning and floor-based execution.

Required Qualifications

• Education: BS in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, or Operations Management. (Masters/MBA is a plus).
• Professional Experience: 5–7 years of progressive experience in manufacturing. You must have a track record of moving from a tactical role to a strategic one.
• Industry Context: Deep expertise in Food Manufacturing (FSMA, SQF, HACCP compliance) and Third-Party Fulfillment (managing multiple SKUs and client-specific requirements).
• Certifications: Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (preferred but not required)

Technical & Leadership Competencies

• Expertise in Constraints Management: Ability to identify "The Bottleneck" and build the entire facility’s rhythm around it.
• Influence Without Authority: Ability to command respect from both the C-Suite and the maintenance crew on the floor.
• Advanced Analytics: Not just "using" Excel, but building predictive models that account for machine MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) and labor attrition.
• Expertise with inventory management and inventory systems 

Details of Position & Benefits:

• Salary range: $100,000 - $115,000 
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) 
• Annual Misfits grocery box credit of $1200 paid in weekly installments
• Life insurance
• Paid vacation time
• Paid holidays 
• Paid sick days
• Commuter benefits

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