Operations Systems & Planning Lead

Discover your Purpose, Seize Opportunity and Build a Vibrant Community with Sweet Cow! 

We value bright, adaptable, energetic team players with a strong desire to contribute and lead. If you possess an insatiable curiosity and an eagerness to learn, we want you on our team.  We are an evolving company with a focus on four values: community, kindness, contribution, and growth.

Our mission is simple: At Sweet Cow, we are committed to making the best-tasting ice cream, served by the friendliest scoopers, in the cleanest shop on the planet. 

Your role: 

The Operations Systems & Planning Lead  is responsible for building, maintaining, and improving the operational systems and data infrastructure that drives the Sweet Cow production facility. This role ensures that purchasing, production, and inventory decisions are informed by accurate, timely, and actionable data.

This position partners closely with the Factory Manager to translate operational activity into structured systems, forecasts, and tools that improve efficiency, reduce waste, and support scalable growth. The role blends analytical thinking with operational execution—owning data integrity while actively supporting purchasing, planning, and factory operations.

As Sweet Cow continues to grow, this role will play a critical part in developing proprietary tools and systems that strengthen decision-making across the factory and shops.

If you are highly detail-oriented, systems-driven, and energized by turning data into clear operational action, this role is designed for you.

Your Contribution and Responsibilities:

Execution

• Collect, organize, and maintain production, inventory, and purchasing data across all factory operations.


• Build, maintain, and continuously improve proprietary data tools and systems (primarily in Google Sheets / Excel / R365).


• Ensure accuracy and integrity of all inventory data through regular audits, reconciliation, and variance analysis.


• Support daily, weekly, and long-term production planning through data analysis and forecasting.


• Develop and maintain purchasing forecasts aligned with production demand and inventory targets.


• Analyze product burn rates across shops and channels to inform production and purchasing decisions.


• Identify trends, risks, and inefficiencies in data and translate them into actionable recommendations.


• Create and manage internal purchase orders for shop and factory needs.


• Execute purchasing of raw materials, packaging, and supplies in coordination with the Factory Manager.


• Maintain clean, structured, and accessible datasets for cross-functional use.


• Support implementation and adherence to factory systems, standards, and procedures.


• Troubleshoot data discrepancies and system issues quickly and effectively.


• Support Budget / P&L / Accounting for the factory.


• Assist the Factory Manager in day-to-day operational responsibilities as needed.

Build Effective Systems

• Design and refine systems that improve visibility into production, inventory, and purchasing.


• Standardize data inputs and workflows to ensure consistency and reliability.


• Create dashboards, trackers, and reporting tools that enable better decision-making.


• Continuously improve processes to reduce manual work, errors, and inefficiencies.


• Partner with leadership to evolve systems as the business scales.


• Document processes clearly to ensure consistency and ease of training.

Focus on Customers and Community

• Ensure data accuracy supports consistent product availability and quality across all shops.


• Help minimize stockouts, overproduction, and waste through effective forecasting.


• Support timely and accurate fulfillment of shop and MooMobile needs.


• Contribute to a production system that delivers an outstanding customer experience.


• Uphold Sweet Cow values through reliability, accountability, and attention to detail.

Communicate with Impact

• Provide clear, accurate, and timely reporting on inventory, purchasing, and production performance.


• Provide operational decision support through forecasting, reporting, and trend analysis.


• Translate complex data into simple, actionable insights for the Factory Manager and leadership team.


• Communicate discrepancies, risks, and recommendations proactively.


• Collaborate effectively with Factory, Shop, and Leadership teams.


• Maintain organized and transparent documentation of systems and processes.


• Support a culture of accountability through clear and consistent communication.

Minimum Operational Competency (Required for Coverage)

To ensure continuity of operations, the Operations Systems & Planning Lead must be capable of effectively overseeing factory operations in the absence of the Factory Manager. This includes demonstrated competency in the following areas:

• Production Execution: Ability to run and oversee daily production, ensuring adherence to recipes, yields, quality standards, and schedules.


• Team Leadership: Ability to direct, support, and hold production staff accountable during a shift, maintaining pace, standards, and a positive working environment.


• Scheduling & Prioritization: Ability to assess production needs in real time and adjust priorities, staffing, and workflows to meet demand.


• Inventory & Materials Management: Working knowledge of inventory flow, including identifying shortages, making real-time purchasing or transfer decisions, and preventing production disruption.


• Food Safety & Compliance: Clear understanding of food safety standards and the ability to ensure compliance with all required procedures and regulations.


• Problem Solving Under Pressure: Ability to quickly identify issues (equipment, staffing, product, or logistics), make sound decisions, and escalate when appropriate.


• Systems Execution: Ability to operate and maintain all core factory systems, including production tracking, inventory management, and purchasing tools.


• Communication: Ability to clearly communicate status, issues, and decisions to the Factory Manager and leadership team during and after coverage periods.

Certification Requirement (Non-Negotiable)

The Operations Systems & Planning Lead may not independently oversee factory operations until they have been formally trained and signed off by the Factory Manager.

Certification will require demonstrated proficiency in all competency areas listed above, including successfully leading supervised production shifts and handling real-time operational decision-making.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED required; degree in Business, Supply Chain, Data Analytics, or related field preferred.


• 2+ years in data analysis, operations, inventory management, or similar role.


• Advanced proficiency in Google Sheets and/or Microsoft Excel (required).


• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.


• High attention to detail with a strong focus on accuracy and organization.


• Experience building and maintaining systems, trackers, or dashboards.


• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.


• Strong understanding of inventory flow, purchasing, or production environments preferred.


• Experience with Restaurant365 or similar systems preferred but not required.


• Digitally fluent with the ability to learn new tools and troubleshoot issues independently.


• Self-starter with a strong ownership mentality and follow-through.


• Ability to perform all physical requirements of the role as needed in a production environment.

Compensation

• $55,000-75,000/year 

Benefits

• Health insurance benefits (50% employer paid)


• Company Wellness Contribution of $1,200 annually ($100 monthly)


• 401(K) Plan with a 4% employer match


• Dental Plan (Employee Paid)


• Vision Plan (Employee Paid)

Paid Time Off

• Three Weeks Paid Vacation (tenure-based increases) + Additional Paid Sick Leave


• Paid Holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas)

JOINING THE HERD: OUR HIRING PROCESS
We’re excited you're interested in being part of Sweet Cow! Our hiring process is designed to be smooth, transparent, and efficient—so you know what to expect every step of the way. The following steps are tentative and subject to change. 

Application Submission Window

• Open until we find the right person for the role.

Resume Review 

• We check out resumes and applications as they come in. 

Google Meet Screening 

• If your resume looks like a great fit, we will schedule a quick virtual chat within a week of your submission.

Performance Tasks  

• You will receive two task prompts within one day of our Google Meet discussion.


• Responses are due within 48 hours of receiving the tasks.

In-person Interview, Performance Task Review & Stage 

• Within five days of your Google Meet screening, we’ll invite you in for an interview, review your performance tasks, and give you a chance to experience Sweet Cow in action via a stage.

Reference Checks & Offer

• If everything went great in our interview, we will reach out to your references and follow up with an offer letter within 48 hours of the in-person interview.

Start Date 

• We will work with you to determine the best start date.  Welcome aboard!