Distribution Planner

About Company:

At Island Way, we believe frozen snacking should be a moment of pure joy — bright, refreshing, and a little unexpected. Our handcrafted sorbets, served in real fruit shells, have delighted fans for years and are now making waves across new retailers.

As one of the fastest growing brands in the frozen novelty category, we are looking to expand our team to include integral operational positions.

Why You’ll Love Working at Island Way

• Work with a passionate, creative, and supportive team that loves what they do.
• Help shape a growing, beloved food brand.
• A chance to make consumers smile. 
• Competitive compensation and benefits package.

About the Role:

The Distribution Planner plays a critical role in ensuring the efficient and timely delivery of products across the supply chain network within North America. This position is responsible for developing and implementing distribution strategies that optimize inventory levels, reduce transportation costs, and meet customer service requirements. The Distribution Planner collaborates closely with procurement, warehouse, transportation, and sales teams to align distribution plans with overall business objectives. By analyzing demand forecasts, inventory data, and logistics constraints, the planner identifies opportunities for process improvements and risk mitigation. Ultimately, this role drives operational excellence by balancing cost efficiency with service quality to support the company’s growth and customer satisfaction goals.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 7+ years’ experience in supply chain, with increasing levels of responsibility.
• 4+ years’ experience in logistics and distribution management.  

• Strong Excel skills and the ability to communicate status updates through data to stakeholders and peers.
• CPG supply chain experience.
• Ability to work across teams and with remote team members.
• Strong attention to detail.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• ERP working knowledge (NetSuite, Oracle, SAP or similar).

• B.S. in Business, Finance or Supply Chain Management.

• APICS certification.

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate across multiple departments, customer locations, and 3PL portals to align distribution operations with organizational goals.
• Maintain clear communication with stakeholders to ensure alignment of inventory and delivery schedules.
• Provide exceptional customer service by addressing inquiries and resolving issues promptly.
• Monitor and track shipment schedules to ensure timely deliveries.
• Continuously monitor freight volume and flow to ensure product arrives when needed.
• Manage exceptions and be the escalation point for 3PL / outbound issues.
• Audit freight invoices and costs, resolve discrepancies in a timely manner, and ensure accuracy and compliance with budgets.
• Support process optimization within the supply chain.
• Develop and execute plans to address supply chain challenges and improve overall efficiency.
• Analyze supply chain performance data to identify areas for improvement.

Skills:

The Distribution Planner utilizes analytical skills daily to interpret complex data sets, forecast demand, and optimize distribution routes. Strong communication skills are essential for coordinating with internal teams and external partners to ensure alignment and resolve issues promptly. Proficiency with supply chain software and ERP systems enables efficient planning, tracking, and reporting of distribution activities. Problem-solving skills are applied to identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements that reduce costs and enhance service levels. Additionally, organizational skills help manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a dynamic environment, ensuring consistent and reliable product delivery.