Job Responsibilities
Planning and allocating finished goods inventory and production
to satisfy customer demands at distribution centers across North
America and for some products globally. Assignments for products
are broken up by families of products within the Ocean Spray
product portfolio. work with marketing and demand planning to
forecast, launch, and deploy new products and phase out
(rationalize) unprofitable sku's. Perform analysis to determine
future budgetary and capacity needs for the cooperative's
business units.
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Job Requirements
Industrial Engineering degree from Virginia Tech. Extremely
challenging engineering curriculum with several students dropped
from the program in first 2 years. Heavy workload and highly
analytical classwork, few electives and few easy grades. Program
foreces even the brightest of individuals to become serious
students or else workload will overwhelm individual.
Organization and preparation are keys to success and once
mastered can allow student to enjoy experience more. If you
think you can cram and pass core engineering classes forget it.
Few electives available within engineering curriculum (core takes
up most classes). Important to talk to upper classmen and find
out who the effective professors are or you will be stuck with
whoever you get.
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Uppers
The work is challenging and the company is just the right size for an individual
to feel their effort is making an impact while also having the benefits of a
large corporation. Opportunities for advancement are available in both
headquarters and at outside facilities. Supply chain improvements in the last
few years have contributed significantly to the bottom line which has been
noticed and recognized.
The location is beautiful. The building is designed to be like an old farmhouse
and has cranberry bogs, woods, and walking trails surrounding it.
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Downers
Stuck in cubicle for several hours a day - it can be tedious.
Unrealistic demands have been placed on supply chain regarding
product availability. Suppport from upper management is great
but occasionally I have to deal with salesman who have promised
product that is already allocated. The cranberry industry has
been rocked with oversupply for the last few years and Ocean
Spray has been hit hard by this issue. Hiring freezes and
cutbacks have been the norm, little room for advancement
currently.
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Lifestyle
Position is typically 8 to 5 but added hours are needed frequently for special
projects, completing plan on Tuesdays, and communicating with distant facilities
(west coast and overseas). Travel is minimal with trips to communicate with
planned facilities once every year or two years. Company social events have been
scaled back dramatically due to financial issues with company - very few now and
not mandatory. Dress code is business casual which is nice. Location in
Lakeville, MA has a good cafeteria with reasonable prices that serves breakfast
and lunch.
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Compensation
Mid $60's on salary. Bonus of up to 5% standard for corporate
non-sales management. No stock options as company is a grower
owned co-operative. Benefits are good (better than most major
companies) with 401k and pension, company matching, good health
benefits, life insurance, dental.
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Advice to Jobseekers
Consumer products is a small world and if you switch companies
but stay in the industry you will run into people you have worked
with in the past.
Supply chain analysis and management should grow and be a solid
career path as companies become more global and source products
and materials from around the world. The more varied the
sourcing the more complex the system becomes. The added
complexity means that sharp individuals are needed to manage the
issues with that come up to keep product moving. Supply chain
management will dominate operations at consumer product companies
for the near future.
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