Demand Planner

POSITION SUMMARY

The Demand Planner is responsible for developing accurate and timely demand forecasts to support inventory, supply, material, and production planning. This role analyzes historical demand, statistical forecasts, market trends, and commercial intelligence to develop and maintain a consensus demand plan. The Demand Planner partners cross-functionally with Account Management, Supply Planning, Purchasing, and other stakeholders to incorporate customer activity, promotions, new product launches, and other demand drivers into the forecast.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage demand planning data integrity by continuously reviewing and validating source data, identifying and resolving outliers or anomalies, maintaining accurate historical demand records, and ensuring data integrity within planning system.
• Develop and maintain statistical demand forecasts by refining baseline forecasting models, reviewing system-generated forecasts, measuring forecast accuracy against actual results, and adjusting model parameters to improve performance.
• Incorporate commercial and market intelligence into forecasts by gathering customer and account-team inputs, evaluating promotions, new store openings, new product launches, and other demand drivers, and translating these factors into forecast adjustments.
• Lead cross-functional demand consensus activities by partnering with Account Management, Supply Planning, and other stakeholders to review assumptions, align on demand expectations, and establish an approved consensus forecast.
• Own forecast publication and communication by facilitating ongoing forecast review and sign-off, publishing approved forecasts within planning systems, distributing forecasts to Supply Planning, and maintaining documentation of key assumptions and changes.
• Drive continuous forecast improvement by monitoring forecast accuracy, identifying trends and sources of forecast error, and recommending improvements to data, processes, statistical models, and commercial inputs.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Demonstrate ability to complete all tasks with a high degree of accuracy, attention to detail, and follow-up
• Ensure professional, accurate, and timely communication to complete tasks and resolve issues
• Analyze and problem-solve effectively and efficiently
• Work calmly and effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Organize and plan for multiple customer accounts at one time
• Oversee all phases of assigned projects to ensure completion within budget and schedule
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality in all tasks

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or similar field or 4+ years of experience in a related role
• Thorough understanding of statistical models
• Proficient in MS Office applications, including PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, and Word
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to multitask/prioritize based on urgency
• Preferred familiarity with SQL, MS Access, and SQL Server
• Experience with advanced planning and scheduling software, GAINS or ATLAS preferred