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Salary: USD 80,000 - 85,000 / annual
Misfits Market is a mission-driven, high-growth startup reducing food waste by delivering organic produce, high-quality meats, seafood, plant-based proteins, dairy, bakery, wine, and groceries to nearly every zip code in 48 states at up to 30% off traditional grocery prices. The company acquired sustainable e-grocer Imperfect Foods in 2022 and operates an in-house transportation network, saving an average of 500,000 pounds of food per week from waste.
The Production Planning Associate serves as the critical link between customer demand and operational execution. You will develop and maintain production schedules that maximize efficiency, meet customer fulfillment targets, and minimize waste. This role requires a blend of technical data analysis and hands-on shop-floor collaboration, with deep understanding of food manufacturing mechanics, food safety/sanitation constraints, and third-party fulfillment logistics.
Key Responsibilities:
Production Scheduling & Fulfillment: Develop and execute weekly and daily production schedules for multiple lines, balancing labor availability, machine capacity, and material readiness. Monitor Order-to-Ship cycles to ensure 100% on-time fulfillment for third-party clients and retail partners. Manage transitions between product runs, accounting for allergen washdowns and sanitation cycles. Adjust schedules in real-time to account for equipment downtime, labor shortages, or urgent orders.
Technical Systems & Data Management: Serve as Power User for ERP/MRP systems (SAP, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, or homegrown systems), ensuring data integrity for Bills of Materials and inventory levels. Analyze historical data to identify trends in production yields and fulfillment lags, using insights to improve scheduling accuracy. Automate reporting for KPIs including Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Schedule Attainment, and Scrap Rates.
Cross-Functional Operations Collaboration: Act as primary liaison between Engineering, Quality, and Operations teams. Lead daily Production Kick-off meetings to communicate plans to floor supervisors and troubleshoot bottlenecks. Work closely with Procurement to ensure raw ingredients and packaging materials are staged and ready, preventing stock-outs.
Process Improvement & Lean Initiatives: Identify opportunities to reduce changeover time and improve throughput using Lean methodologies. Partner with Engineering to optimize line layouts for new product launches or packaging configurations.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related technical field
- 2–5 years of experience in production planning or fulfillment role within a manufacturing environment
- Direct experience in Food & Beverage Manufacturing (understanding SQF, BRC, or FDA regulations) or 3PL/Contract Manufacturing highly preferred
- Advanced proficiency in Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, Data Modeling)
- Hands-on experience with ERP/MRP software
- Strong understanding of physical flow of goods through a plant
Desired Qualifications:
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Yellow Belt certification
- Ability to translate complex data into actionable instructions for shop-floor personnel
- Technical mindset with ability to troubleshoot mechanical constraints affecting production schedule
- Comfort working in high-pressure environment where schedules change rapidly due to client demands or supply chain disruptions
