Deployment Planner

Who We Are

At Lindt, we are a global fast-growing consumer goods company, enchanting the world with premium chocolate. We are driven by our passion for excellence and go the extra mile ensuring that every Lindt experience is nothing short of exceptional. Our collective efforts are geared towards making a positive impact, not only in the world of premium chocolate but also in the lives of our employees, customers, and communities. Our company embraces a culture defined by the core values of Excellence, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Responsibility, and Collaboration, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment where these principles drive our success.

Position Purpose:

This position is responsible for planning and executing the deployment of finished goods inventory between manufacturing facilities, co-packers, distribution centers, and customer fulfillment locations. The Deployment Planner balances customer service, inventory productivity, transportation efficiency, and storage capacity while responding to changes in supply and demand.

Working cross-functionally with Supply Planning, Demand Planning, Transportation, Customer Service, Distribution Operations, and Lindt & Sprungli North America (LSNA), this role proactively identifies risks, resolves inventory imbalances, and drives continuous improvement across the distribution network.

This is a hybrid role that requires three days per week in our Stratham, NH corporate office.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities:

Deployment Planning

• Design, develop, and execute inventory deployment plans across Lindt's North American distribution network.

• Plan and manage the movement of finished goods between manufacturing plants, co-packing facilities, hubs, and distribution centers.

• Create and maintain transfer orders to ensure product availability while optimizing transportation and inventory costs.

• Allocate constrained inventory across the network based on business priorities, customer service requirements, and available supply.

• Execute seasonal inventory build, replenishment, and wind-down strategies to support key business periods.

• Build and evaluate what-if scenarios to improve deployment decisions, balance service and cost, and mitigate supply chain risks.

• Maintain Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP) parameters and master data that enable effective replenishment and inventory positioning.

Inventory Management & Network Optimization

• Monitor inventory levels, weeks of supply, and inventory health across all distribution centers.

• Identify inventory shortages, excess inventory, aging stock, and network imbalances, and implement corrective actions.

• Recommend and execute inventory redistribution strategies that improve service levels and reduce inventory risk.

• Maintain inventory stocking targets, deployment parameters, and related planning master data.

• Support initiatives to reduce obsolescence, write-offs, and excess inventory exposure.

Strategic Planning & Collaboration

• Partner with Supply Planning to understand production constraints, inventory availability, and capacity limitations.

• Collaborate with Demand Planning to evaluate forecast changes, customer demand shifts, and allocation requirements.

• Work with Transportation and Distribution Operations to ensure inventory is moved efficiently and on time.

• Support Customer Service teams by proactively identifying supply risks, escalating issues, and developing mitigation plans.

• Build strong cross-functional relationships to balance customer service, inventory investment, and operational efficiency.

Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor and report key deployment, service, inventory, and transportation performance metrics.

• Analyze service failures, distribution center cuts, inventory shortages, forecast variances, and network inefficiencies to identify root causes and corrective actions.

• Identify and redistribute forecast allocations between distribution centers in planning systems to reduce the impact of developing variances.

• Develop and maintain KPIs including forecast accuracy at the distribution center level, customer and case fill rate, inventory turns, weeks of supply, truck utilization, transfer order accuracy, inventory balance, and expedite transportation costs.

• Drive adoption and continuous improvement of DRP, Transportation Management Systems (TMS), reporting tools, and analytics capabilities.

• Use data and scenario analysis to identify opportunities to improve service levels, inventory productivity, and transportation efficiency.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field required.

• 2+ years of experience in deployment planning, transportation planning, supply planning, inventory management, distribution, or a related supply chain function.

• Experience in a manufacturing or consumer packaged goods environment preferred.

Skills & Knowledge

• Working knowledge of Distribution Requirements Planning (DRP), inventory deployment, replenishment planning, and supply chain operations.

• Experience with SAP, SAP IBP, OMP, APO, ERP systems, or similar planning platforms.

• Experience with Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and distribution network operations.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make data-driven decisions in a fast-paced environment.

• Advanced Excel skills; Power BI or other reporting and data visualization experience is a plus.

• Basic understanding of truckload optimization, inventory management, and network planning concepts.

• Experience with network optimization, advanced analytics, Lean/Six Sigma, or continuous improvement initiatives is preferred.

• Exposure to omni-channel, retail, or e-commerce distribution models is a plus.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across multiple functions.

Total Rewards:

Compensation Range: $73,963 - $96,129

To learn more about our benefits visit https://jobs.lindtusa.com/total-rewards

Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The company will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.

Lindt USA’s salary range reflects market rates based on our size, revenue, and location. Starting pay is determined using a wide range of factors including, but not limited to, job-related skills, knowledge, and experience as well as market conditions. A bonus and/or long-term incentive may be included as part of this compensation package.

Lindt and Sprüngli is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, veteran status, or any other classification protected by state, local or federal law. Applicants for this position must successfully pass a background screening and may be required to pass drug screenings as well.

If you are looking to join a winning team and fast-track your career, contact us!

Join us on our journey of excellence, impact, and growth #LifeAtLindt