Supply Chain Planning Associate Manager

We are an Italian family-owned food company. And like all Italian families, we take food very seriously. We have been doing this for 147 years. Today we are committed to bringing people closer to the joy of good food and making quality the choice for a better life, from each individual to the planet.

Our origins date back to 1877 when Pietro Barilla opened a small bread and pasta shop in Parma: that moment marked the beginning of a story of passion for quality, continuous pursuit of excellent recipes, and ability to combine tradition and innovation.

Today, we are an international Group present in more than 100 countries through our brands: the world leader for pasta, the leader for ready-made sauces in Europe, the leader for bakery products in Italy, and the leader for crispbreads in Scandinavia. We employ over 9,000 people and own 30 production sites in 10 countries, which contribute to the production of about 2,000,000 tons of products every year.

We work every day to be the most reputable Italian food company worldwide, bringing to the world tasty, joyful, and wholesome products - made with selected raw materials from responsible supply chains - reducing our impact on the planet and fostering open and caring dialogue in the communities in which we operate. This is our commitment to people and the planet we live on and it involves understanding our true essence and sharing it with people; it is the philosophy reflected in our purpose "The joy of food for a better life".

At Barilla, we empower people to live and work responsibly and ethically, embracing our value system of integrity, trust, courage, intellectual curiosity, and passion. Moreover, we acknowledge diversity as a key factor driving our future: that is why our people are invited to bring their authentic selves to work and enjoy acceptance and understanding.

Target Compensation: $90-$95k

Introduction - Organizational Details:

Barilla America, Inc. wants to recruit a Supply Chain Planning Associate Manager - within the Americas Supply Chain team. The individual will report to the Production & Distribution Planning Associate Director.

This is a hybrid role based out of Northbrook, IL.

Job Purpose: Supports the medium and long-term development and profitability of the North American business by seeking to optimize the North America Sourcing Network, capacity allocation, and deployment of product inventory by ensuring correct operation and flow of the essential Planning tools along with the adoption of a simulation model developed by and linked with the Central Network Design Competence SC team. This position must also be able to cover Central Planning roles both in Production and Distribution Planning, giving timely support to back up the team.

Key Accountabilities:

• Simulate and analyze production and distribution capacity utilization and allocation using the tool and digital models developed and deployed by the Central Network Design team to support the Integrated Planning Unit with medium/long-term plans for two primary areas:
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  • Current Industrial Assets:
    
    - Defining production and distribution capacity needs to cope with business quarterly/monthly forecasts,
    
    - planning the optimal usage of resources,
    
    - identifying network optimization opportunities, alternative sourcing scenarios, and critical factors
    
    - Aiming at cost optimization and maximum return on investment while preserving the targeted service level.
  • Industrial Asset Development Projects (with 1+ year timelines):
    
    Actively collaborate with the Central Network Design team and the local SC team with the aim to provide medium/long-term recommendations for expansion/diversification of the Group's production capacities through:
    
    - assessing different scenarios;
    
    - analyzing any constraints arising from the existing organization,
    
    - co-operating with the other Supply Chain functions in developing investment needs,
    
    - assessing 'make or buy' choices
  
  
  
  
• Support Planning and Distribution teams as the resident expert in the essential business tools of SAP R/3-ECC, APO-SCM, BI (Business Intelligence), and others need in the following areas:
  
  
  
  • Complete the Master Data Management of the product portfolio including new products.
  • Diagnose, analyze and, with Information technology assistance, provide solutions to problems within the tools and flow of information to ensure the Integrated PlanningProcesses operate efficiently.
  • Manage implementation of new planning tools or systems at a local level with the support of Corporate Implementation team.
  
  
  
  
• Manage production or distribution plans as needed for a subset of the Barilla portfolio to support the Production and Distribution teams.
• Deliver to Integrated Planning those appropriate cost/effective inputs for the development of medium-term plans with the purpose of minimizing production and logistic costs and ensuring the target service level.
• Contribute to recommendations for the annual definition of the optimal production and distribution capacity allocation among plants (Budget process). Participate in the consolidation of data and the highlight of critical factors/opportunities for the coming year's budget and presentation to senior leadership.
• Collaborate with new product launch projects by supplying inputs on current and prospective internal production capacities, collecting feedback, coordinating activities with different corporate functions, carrying out analyses, and processing reports in observance of specifications and plans.

Education/Work Experience:

• Minimum 4 years of experience in Supply Chain at CPG Company
• 4 years experience using SAP R/3 and APO module in a Planning function as well as other simulation systems
• Logical and Mathematical mindset is a must
• Precision and analytic attitude
• Ability to think critically
• Willingness to learn and deal with advanced analytic tools
• Planning and organizational skills, as well as strong problem-solving
• High level of autonomy, proactivity, and engagement
• Strong collaborative and team-working orientation
• Good communication, networking, and interpersonal skills
• Previous experience in other Supply Chain units
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel
• Fluency in English, both spoken and written
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally if needed, less than 5% travel

Barilla is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of Barilla to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any protected characteristics including, but not limited to, age, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, culture, ethnicity, national origin or nationality, citizenship or immigration status, faith, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, (including childbirth and related medical conditions), familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression (perceived or actual), genetic information, predisposing genetic characteristics, veteran or protected veteran status, military status, political opinions, health, reproductive health decision making of the employee or the employee's dependent, victim of domestic violence, sex offenses, or stalking, disability, prior arrest history, prior criminal convictions, or any known associational status with a member or members of a protected class.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity not merely because it is our legal obligation, but because of our firm conviction that it is right and makes good business sense.