Manager, Bulk Spirits Planning

Where Conviviality is at work.

Pernod Ricard is a global premium international champagnes and spirits company. We’re the team behind leading brands such as ABSOLUT® Vodka, Jameson® Irish Whiskey, Malibu®, Kahlúa® Liqueur, The Glenlivet®, Beefeater and Malfy Gins, and a leading portfolio of American whiskey brands including Jefferson’s, Rabbit Hole, TX, Smooth Ambler and Skrewball™ whiskey.

Working at Pernod Ricard is all about igniting conviviality in all that we do. Derived from the French word, convivialité…it means human connection, authenticity, friendly, and jovial. Conviviality is energy and spirit with a splash of je ne sais quoi and is a core philosophy around how we live and work at Pernod Ricard.

Guided by our 4 core values: (1) grounded in the real; (2) fiercely authentic; (3) passion for challenge; and (4) connected beyond borders; we are team players, dream makers, trailblazers, movers and (cocktail) shakers. We have a passion for living life to the fullest, making new friends every day, and realizing our potential as people and as a business!

The salary range for this role, based in New York, is $109,100.00 to $136,400.00. The range may vary if the role outside of this location.  Base salaries are determined during our interview process, by assessing a candidate’s experience, skills against internal peers and against the scope and responsibilities of the position.

Note: This role is located in Fort Smith, AR. If not currently withing commuting distance to our Fort Smith Facility, we welcome all candidates that are open to relocation.

Position Overview:

The Manager, Bulk Spirits Planning is responsible for leading all bulk liquid planning activities for the Fort Smith manufacturing facility specializing in the procurement, storage, blending, and processing of distilled spirits, flavors, extracts, sweeteners, and specialty liquid ingredients. This facility does not perform distillation or barrel aging operations; instead, it relies on effective planning, procurement, inventory management, and blending of purchased liquid components to meet customer and production requirements. This role is accountable for developing and executing liquid supply plans, managing bulk spirits and ingredient inventories, ensuring accurate setup and maintenance of blends and liquid materials within ERP and planning systems, and coordinating blending operations to support business objectives. The Manager serves as the primary liaison between Procurement, Bulk Processing, Quality, R&D, Customer Service, Finance, and Commercial teams to ensure uninterrupted supply and efficient execution of production plans.

What you will do:

Bulk Spirits & Liquid Supply Planning

• Develop and maintain short-, mid-, and long-term supply plans for bulk spirits, flavors, extracts, and liquid ingredients.

• Ensure adequate inventory levels to support customer demand, production schedules, and service requirements.

• Monitor inventory health and establish appropriate inventory targets and safety stock levels.

• Identify material supply risks and develop mitigation plans to prevent production disruptions.

• Balance customer service, operational efficiency, and working capital objectives.

Blending & Production Planning Support

• Translate demand requirements into executable blend and liquid supply plans.

• Coordinate with Bulk Processing to ensure blending schedules are aligned with material availability and tank capacity.

• Review production requirements and proactively resolve material constraints.

• Partner with manufacturing teams to optimize blend sequencing and resource utilization.

• Support new product launches and commercial initiatives through effective liquid planning.

ERP & Planning System Master Data Governance

• Serve as the business owner for all liquid-related master data within ERP and planning systems.

• Ensure all spirits, ingredients, blends, formulas, intermediate liquids, and planning parameters are properly established and maintained.

• Oversee material masters, bills of materials, formulas, recipes, routings, production versions, planning parameters, yield/loss factors, and tank/storage locations.

• Ensure planning systems accurately reflect operational capabilities and inventory structures.

• Partner with R&D, Quality, Operations, and Finance to implement formula changes and product introductions.

Inventory Management

• Manage bulk liquid inventories to achieve service, freshness, and working capital objectives.
• Conduct regular inventory reviews and identify opportunities to reduce excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory.
• Ensure inventory accuracy through robust controls and reconciliation processes.
• Analyze inventory trends and provide recommendations to improve utilization and reduce waste.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Procurement to communicate future bulk spirit and ingredient requirements.
• Collaborate with Customer Service and Commercial teams to understand demand drivers and customer priorities.
• Support S&OP and Integrated Business Planning processes through inventory, supply, and capacity analyses.
• Work with Finance to support inventory valuation, forecasting, and cost management activities.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive improvements in planning processes, system utilization, and inventory management practices.
• Develop and maintain planning KPIs and performance reporting.
• Identify opportunities for automation and enhanced planning capabilities.
• Lead initiatives that improve planning accuracy, operational efficiency, and service performance.

What you bring:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in supply chain planning, production planning, inventory management, or process manufacturing.
• Demonstrated experience managing ERP and planning system master data and supporting S&OP or Integrated Business Planning processes.
• Strong ERP experience such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or equivalent.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and data analysis skills.
• Strong understanding of inventory management, BOMs, recipes, formulas, and formulation-based production environments.

Preferred

• Experience in beverage alcohol, spirits, food and beverage, ingredients, flavors, chemicals, or other liquid-process manufacturing environments.
• Experience with planning systems such as SAP IBP, Kinaxis, OMP, Blue Yonder, or similar platforms.
• APICS/ASCM CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent certification preferred.

Key Competencies:

• Supply planning expertise
• Inventory management
• ERP and master data governance
• Analytical problem solving
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Process improvement
• Change management
• Results orientation
• Communication and influencing skills
• Strategic thinking

Financial Responsibility:

• Greatly influences goals but does not have final authority.  Manages and deploys resources to meet the goals.

Job Posting End Date:

Target Hire Date:

When you join Pernod Ricard, you’ll experience a workplace that is rich in heritage, driven by our iconic brands and a long-standing commitment to sustainability, safety, and giving back to the people and communities where we work. We know that happiness at work starts with that feeling of belonging you get from an inclusive culture where being uniquely you is celebrated. Our values are lived, they drive our behaviors, and it’s what brings our culture to life.

Our work philosophy celebrates the magic of human connection with the flexibility needed to provide one's most meaningful contribution. We offer a flexible work policy, with most of our positions offering a a hybrid option with flexibility to work remotely 2 days a week. As a global employer, we understand that not everyone’s working hours are the same, and we empower our employees to work the hours that make the most sense for them and their team’s schedules.

We offer employees great benefits and perks to toast to a life filled with support. Check out PRUSABenefits.com for details.

This recruitment process uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to match applicant skills with role requirements and qualifications.

Pernod Ricard USA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It employs qualified individuals based solely on ability, training, and experience, and does not and will not, discriminate for or against any employee or applicant for employment or promotion based upon actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, national origin, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service or any other classification protected by law. Offers will be subject to United States local terms.

Pernod Ricard USA is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Pernod Ricard USA will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. To request reasonable accommodation during the application process, contact us at [email protected].