Senior Demand Planner

About the role

The Senior Demand Planner owns and is accountable for leading planning and consensus discussion between the Demand Team, Sales Leadership, General Managers, and Category Management leaders. They analyze, adjust, and review statistical forecasts based on product movement including seasonality, industry and market trends, and probability of anticipated sales. They focus on driving continuous improvement with customer in-stock performance, inventory turns, product loss, and capacity planning.

Responsibilities

• Segment Level analysis and reporting for each Division
• Focus on key customers, new items, category initiatives
• Serves as a team lead by supporting, coaching and educating the team on best practices along with developing & implementing innovative ideas
• Acts as a lead for cross-departmental projects to implement and develop best practices along with representing the team's needs
• Is accountable for analyzing historical trends and addressing concerns and opportunities with key stakeholders; Sales Leadership, General Managers, and Category Management Leadership
• Leads consensus planning meetings for the Regions they serve and provide direction to team members on action items
• Initiates planning solutions with the key stakeholders
• Evaluates KPI’s weekly by segment to identify and provide areas of improvement
• Builds relationships and trains all Sales representatives that support our Education Segment on the Customer Demand Planner tool
• Reviews financial forecasts and demand forecasts to complete a gap analysis
• Develops reporting and explores new ways to utilize data and statistical methods to improve the quality of the demand forecast and generate a forecast value-add (FVA)
• Aids leadership with key meetings and covers leadership responsibilities when needed
• Builds accurate statistical forecasts that incorporate market intelligence gathered from collaboration with the various customer segments
• Analyzes and reviews seasonal historical sales trends and researches demand drivers to prepare forecast data/reporting for collaboration with stakeholders
• Makes necessary adjustments to demand/forecast for future events, item transitions, limited time offerings, new business, and product discontinuation
• Participates in functional teams to propose methods and ideas that drive innovation for improvement in the forecasting system and existing business processes (ex. Seasonal Planning, Statistical Exceptions Management, etc.)
• Communicates to Replenishment Planners any significant changes in demand that may warrant adjustments to fulfillment parameters
• Performs other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor Degree in Supply Chain Management, Statistics or related preferred
• Four or more years experience within the food industry or supply chain management field preferred
• A proven capability to perform the essential functions of the job, including an equivalent, relevant combination of education, training and experience will be considered in lieu of the specified education and experience requirements
• Ability to lead the team and interact with leaders in other departments/roles, develop relationships, etc.
• Able to lead meetings and manage the responsibility of follow up with collaborating team members
• Self directed with ability to deal with distraction, repetition, prioritization, fluctuations in workload, ambiguity, etc.
• Proficient in statistical concepts and forecasting methods
• Excellent written, verbal, organizational and communication skills
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and execute efficient work processes
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer service. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction
• Ability to problem solve and develop solutions to a variety of complex problems by comparing, classifying, innovating, analyzing, coordinating, copying, etc. May refer to established precedents and policies

Qualifications

• Ability to lead the team and interact with leaders in other departments/roles, develop relationships, etc.
• Able to lead meetings and manage the responsibility of follow up with collaborating team members
• Self directed with ability to deal with distraction, repetition, prioritization, fluctuations in workload, ambiguity, etc.
• Proficient in statistical concepts and forecasting methods
• Excellent written, verbal, organizational and communication skills
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and execute efficient work processes
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer service. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction
• Ability to problem solve and develop solutions to a variety of complex problems by comparing, classifying, innovating, analyzing, coordinating, copying, etc. May refer to established precedents and policies

Skills

• Statistical concepts and forecasting methods
• Customer service principles and processes
• Problem solving and solution development

Benefits

Hybrid Work Schedule: 4 days in office, 1 day from home

Pay

Commensurate with experience