THE COMPANY

Website: www.nielsenmassey.com

Nielsen-Massey is a leader in the specialty foods world, specifically in the production and marketing of the world’s finest vanillas and flavors. The company operates a branded consumer goods business (CPG/B2C) as well as a business-to-business (B2B) ingredient and flavor business. The portfolio includes various forms of pure and natural vanilla ingredients, extracts, pastes, and powders plus other flavor extracts including: lemon, almond, chocolate, coffee, peppermint, and rosewater to wholesale, culinary, and industrial customers throughout the world. The global headquarters and state-of-the-art production facility are in Waukegan, Illinois, with an additional plant in the Netherlands. The brand is well established with culinary professionals and big branded players as the premiere vanilla brand in the marketplace while the next phase of growth will come from expanding the brand to a broader base of consumers via an aggressive retail and eCommerce strategy as well as diversifying and expanding the ingredient and flavor business.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas (NMV) was founded in 1907 and is still owned by three members of the Nielsen family, who work as senior executives at the company. The fiduciary Board is composed of a majority of independent directors as well as the three family shareholders. The four independent members all have CEO experience in a variety of industries, including CPG, eCommerce and Industrial/ Manufacturing.

The Company is committed to sustaining the plants, people and communities that supply their ingredients. Since 1907, NMV has demonstrated its commitment to civic and social responsibility. The company’s Community Relations initiatives encompass three main objectives: building relationships with the communities in which they live and work; showing their commitment through financial contributions to charities in support of education, youth, veterans and the environment, actively promoting volunteer service among their employees - and demonstrating as a team that they make a difference.

NMV supports approximately 18 organizations that represent their mission-driven values. They published their first annual “Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibilities Report” in 2018. Some past ESG programs include the funding of a new Malagasy school and the construction of a solar-powered water pump in the Madagascar Village that grows Nielsen-Massey’s fair-trade vanilla.

In 2009, The Nielsen-Massey Foundation was founded with a mission to assist disadvantaged children and adults with education and leadership development, especially in the field of culinary arts. The Foundation also considers requests for assistance in the development of sustainable environmental practices or for programs benefiting people in countries of need. The Foundation’s board of directors consists of Craig, Beth and Matt Nielsen—third-generation owners of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas—and their mother, Camilla.

Throughout its more than 110-year history as a family business, NMV is proudly and fully committed to the ethical manner in it conducts business, including how employees and customers are treated. As a company, NMV remains committed to honesty and integrity, as well as openness and respect for the rights and interests of its employees. Employees are “treated like family,” in particular, with generous health care benefits.

Position: Planning Manager

Reports to: Vice President of Supply Chain and Operations

Location: Waukegan, Illinois, about 40 miles north of Chicago’s Loop

Position Summary:

The planning manager provides strategic and tactical leadership for the planning activities within the supply chain based on demand requirements. Owns Supply Chain Planning activities to maintain required product availability to meet strategic and financial needs of NMV/NMVI whether manufactured within NMV/NMVI or at Third Party manufacturers. Drives continuous improvement culture and initiatives, lead and participate in improvement initiatives and projects.

The Manager is responsible for all aspects of Supply Chain planning; Demand planning, Capacity planning and Production/ line scheduling.

The Planning Manager will be a working manager with 1 direct report.

Key Responsibilities:

• Demand Planning
  • Review and maintain supply chain statistical forecast models at the item, region, and aggregate level within assigned categories.
  • Utilize demand planning tools and software to review historical sales trends, research demand drivers, tune forecast models and evaluate forecast results.
  • Collaborate and utilize "like item" demand history to develop new item forecasts.
  • Drive the collaborative forecasting process through category reviews, partnering with Sales, Marketing, Finance and Manufacturing teams to understand demand forecasting drivers.
  • Improve the forecasts accuracy (statistical models, software…)
  • Coordinate customer projects with Operations and Commercialization teams.
  • Communicate the product inventory strategies (high runners, new products, substitutions, end life…) to Operations team.
  • Build on US demand planning process and create a global demand planning process; collaboration meetings, system tools and coordination with Production & Procurement.
  • Drive forecast KPI’s
• Capacity Planning
  • Expand capacity planning to include a global view for a rolling 18 months.
  • Anticipating factors that might influence demand, such as seasonal slowdowns or upcoming promotions and develop inventory plans/goals to minimize production fluctuations and not lose needed production capacity during slower months.
  • Manage Inventory levels ensure production is making “right levels at the right time.”
  • Collaborating with operations, production, and other supply chain department team members to ensure an efficient total delivered cost model approach.
  • Drive inventory KPI targets
• Production Scheduler
  • Create short and long-term detailed production schedules.
  • Manage multiple simultaneous production schedules.
  • Ensure production teams meet critical deadlines.
  • Optimize production workflow and performance.
  • Partner with production to find areas of improvement.
  • Prioritize production based on customer’s demand and requirements.
  • Monitor and problem solve schedule adherence along with other production KPI’s

Personal Characteristics:

• Results Oriented
  • High energy, results-driven, determined, and flexible, with a strong and disciplined work ethic. Sets a quick pace, and constantly raises the bar and presses the organization toward higher levels of achievement.
  • Measures and tracks key business results and processes against best competitors or market.
  • Assesses improvements and success in these terms. Promotes superior performance against stretch goals, Entrepreneurial mindset.
• ChangeManagement
  • Develops a clear case for change to the organization and mobilizes the team accordingly.
  • Creates a sense of urgency and enthusiasm about the future path and where they are going as a team.
  • Communicates frequently with employees and ensures that his/her message to the organization is clear. Perseveres with the ability to lead a team through challenging times.
  • Challenges the status quo and can quickly develop and execute improvement plans.
• Leadership Capability
  • Has the leadership acumen and credibility to work collaboratively across the entire organization and develop talent. Should be hands-on, but able to delegate appropriately with the ability to motivate, inspire and commit an organization to a course of action and achieve results. It is important that this individual has the capacity to assume greater responsibilities over time. S/he must have unquestioned integrity and strong values; non-political and non-bureaucratic.
• Communication Skills
  • High level of emotional intelligence (EQ).
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively deliver and reinforce consistent messages at all levels. Leverages these capabilities to interact with, and persuade, executives throughout the organization.
  • Excellent listening skills.

Knowledge and Characteristics:

MUSTS:

• Education and/or Experience – bachelor’s or equivalent degree is required. Minimum of 15 years of proven planning experience required
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal – ability to communicate to teams helping to clearly communicate goals, objectives, and timelines.
• Self-motivation – ability to anticipate challenges and plan work to accomplish goals and solve issues.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills – ability to evaluate a situation, using data to make the best decision to handle the situation, determine cause and create a practical long-term solution.
• Ability to multi-task
• Highly organized
• Ability to take tactical tasks and understand how they apply to the strategy and vice-versa strategy to tactical.

WANTS:

• Experience in a family or privately held business
• Advanced Excel experience
• Understanding of ERP systems and implementation support
• Lean manufacturing knowledge