Senior Regional Demand Planner

Location: Chicagoland Hybrid (Remote with periodic onsite collaboration)
Preferred: Candidates located in Midwest for 1-2x weekly onsite presence

About the Opportunity

Our client is a global manufacturing organization seeking a Senior Demand Planner to lead forecasting and demand planning activities across a large, complex North American business unit. This role will drive forecast accuracy, support Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes, and partner cross-functionally to optimize inventory, improve customer service levels, and support overall supply chain performance. The Senior Demand Planner will work closely with Sales, Product Management, Procurement, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Operations teams to develop actionable demand plans and ensure alignment between customer demand and supply capabilities. This is a highly visible position ideal for a strategic, data-driven supply chain professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys influencing key business decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly demand forecasting and consensus planning activities as part of the S&OP process.
• Develop and maintain rolling demand forecasts utilizing statistical models, market intelligence, business trends, and commercial inputs.
• Analyze forecast performance, customer demand patterns, sales trends, and business assumptions to drive continuous improvement in forecast accuracy.
• Identify risks and opportunities impacting demand and communicate findings to key stakeholders.
• Partner with Procurement, Manufacturing, Supply Planning, and Commercial teams to align supply plans with forecasted demand.
• Support inventory optimization and working capital objectives through effective demand planning practices.
• Provide analysis and recommendations during supply-constrained situations to support business prioritization decisions.
• Represent Demand Planning in cross-functional meetings and customer-facing discussions.
• Lead process improvement initiatives focused on forecasting tools, planning processes, and data quality enhancements.
• Mentor and provide guidance to less experienced team members as needed.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Logistics, Data Analytics, Operations, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, supply chain, inventory planning, or related disciplines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with experience managing and interpreting large datasets.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities across a complex business environment.

Preferred

• APICS, CPIM, CSCP, or other supply chain certifications.
• Experience with ERP and advanced planning systems (SAP, Kinaxis, APO, or similar platforms).
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and process improvement initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of S&OP and Integrated Business Planning (IBP) processes.
• Change management and leadership experience.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package including bonus potential
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Paid time off
• Opportunities for career advancement within a growing global organization