Director of Demand Planning

About the Role

We’re seeking a Director of Demand Planning to transform how we forecast, plan, and deliver for our customers. This role drives the end-to-end Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process with cross-functional business leaders, ensuring demand insights shape inventory strategy, optimize service levels, and fuel business growth. You’ll leverage Blue Yonder (JDA) planning expertise to lead a high-performing team, influence senior leadership, and deliver actionable insights that directly impact company performance.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Demand Planning & Forecasting
  • Lead the demand planning function, overseeing accurate forecasts that incorporate historical data, market trends, sales insights, and promotional activity.
  • Drive forecasting for new customer onboarding, ensuring demand projections support seamless ramp-ups and sustained customer satisfaction.
  • Integrate long-term strategic planning into operational forecasts, supporting business growth objectives.
• Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) Leadership
  • Own and enhance the S&OP process, facilitating alignment between demand planning, purchasing, sourcing, and sales teams.
  • Lead cross-functional S&OP meetings, presenting actionable insights and recommendations while collaborating with cross-functional leaders.
  • Ensure demand plans are executable, balancing customer service targets with inventory and operational efficiency.
• Data Analysis, Reporting & Technology Enablement
  • Leverage Blue Yonder (JDA) and other advanced planning tools to analyze demand trends, forecast accuracy, and inventory performance.
  • Develop dashboards and reports for executive leadership, highlighting forecast performance, service levels, and inventory health.
  • Implement process improvements and corrective actions based on forecasting accuracy metrics.
• Inventory Optimization & Operational Excellence
  • Align inventory strategies to demand forecasts to minimize stockouts and excess inventory across multiple distribution centers.
  • Drive continuous improvement in planning processes to enhance service levels and operational efficiency.
  • Collaborate with procurement, logistics, and sourcing teams to ensure timely replenishment and optimal inventory positioning.
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing demand planning team with expertise in forecasting, S&OP, and planning technologies.
  • Champion best practices and continuous learning, promoting adoption of advanced tools and data-driven decision-making.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and strategic thinking within the team.
• Customer & Stakeholder Collaboration
  • Partner with sales, sourcing, and service teams to understand demand drivers, product lifecycle changes, and market dynamics.
  • Engage directly with key customers and suppliers, as needed, to ensure forecasts accurately reflect customer requirements and align inventory strategies with demand.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• Proven leadership experience in demand planning, forecasting, or S&OP within a complex supply chain environment.
• Hands-on expertise with Blue Yonder (JDA) Demand Planning and Supply Planning modules.
• Strong analytical skills and experience leveraging data to drive strategic decisions.
• Exceptional cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to optimize inventory, balance service levels, and improve forecast accuracy.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries.
• 401k with a company match.
• Comfortable work environment.
• Full range of benefits.

Bunzl Distribution is a Great Place to Work® certified employer.