COMPANY OVERVIEW
Join a dynamic and innovative consumer products company that specializes in creating fun and engaging products, including jigsaw puzzles, board games, tabletop games, outdoor games, and sporting goods. With a global presence spanning multiple campuses in the United States and China, we are committed to delivering high-quality products that bring joy to consumers worldwide.
POSITION OVERVIEW
We are seeking an experienced, metrics-driven leader to own production planning for one or more of our $50 jigsaw puzzle brand segments. This is a high-impact role that demands analytical rigor, process discipline, and cross-functional collaboration.
The Senior Manager will translate long- and short-range sales forecasts into executable manufacturing and purchasing plans — while continuously improving the underlying processes, tools, and measurement systems.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Production Planning & Master Scheduling
- Develop, maintain, and continuously refine the production schedules for a $50–100MM jigsaw puzzle segment, ensuring alignment with retailer orders, POS data, and forecasted demand.
- Translate short- and long-term sales forecasts into actionable production and purchasing plans (outsourced puzzle procurement).
- Ensure production schedules are synchronized with manufacturing capacity, material availability, and workforce constraints
- Resolve conflicts between demand orders and supply capacity through structured prioritization, rescheduling, and clear escalation communication across Manufacturing, Procurement, Sales, and Customer Service.
- Lead efforts to improve service rates across all major customer channels.
2. Metrics Implementation & Performance Management
- Establish baseline measurements and set improvement targets tied to business objectives
- Conduct structured root cause analysis after any significant service miss, translating findings into actionable process changes with tracked outcomes.
- Present production performance insights and trend analysis to executive management on a regular cadence, with clear recommendations for corrective action.
3. Process Improvement & Systems Retooling
- Standardize and document all planning SOPs — from demand signal intake through MPS publication — to eliminate key-person dependency and create a replicable, scalable operating model.
- Identify and execute automation opportunities in routine planning workflows (case packing schedule generation, purchase order triggers) to free planner capacity for higher-value analysis.
- Leverage ERP and IT team partnerships to enable data-driven decision-making; advocate for systems that reduce reliance on spreadsheet-based planning.
4. Inventory Management
- Monitor and manage finished goods and raw material inventory levels across SKUs, maintaining the balance between service levels and carrying costs.
- Refine inventory control procedures for raw materials and finished goods, with formal review cycles tied to demand signal changes and seasonal transitions.
- Collaborate closely with Procurement to ensure timely material availability
5. Team Leadership & Organizational Development
- Manage and develop the Production/POS Planner direct report(s) through structured coaching and clear performance objectives.
- Foster a results-oriented, analytically grounded team culture — where planners are expected to bring data to every conversation, raise exceptions early, and propose solutions alongside problems.
- Coordinate with cross-functional teams, including manufacturing, procurement, sales and customer service to ensure alignment and collaboration.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum 7–10 years of progressive experience in production planning, inventory management, or supply chain management in a manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated experience managing high-SKU-count portfolios ($50MM+ revenue segments) with accountability for MPS delivery and service level outcomes.
- Hands-on ERP experience with direct use of MPS/MRP modules; Epicor experience strongly preferred.
- Advanced Excel proficiency: scenario modeling, pivot analysis, and capacity planning tools.
- Proven track record of designing or overhauling production planning processes with measurable improvements in lead time, accuracy, or cost.
- Experience building and presenting executive-level KPI dashboards and performance reports.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams
- Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills; data-driven in approach and communication.
- Professional certification: APICS CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent (NAPM/ISM) a plus.
- Background in consumer products, seasonal goods, or retail-facing supply chains.
*Buffalo Games is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It is our policy not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran or military status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.*
Pay: $95,000.00 - $105,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Education:
Experience:
- production planning in manufacturing environment: 7 years (Required)
- inventory or supply chain in a manufacturing setting: 7 years (Required)
Location:
- Buffalo, NY 14206 (Required)
Work Location: In person
