We are seeking a demand planner with an entrepreneurial spirit who excels in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment to join our team. As a crucial member of our supply chain management, you will play a pivotal role in forecasting, analyzing, and optimizing our demand planning processes to ensure the seamless flow of products through our supply chain. The ideal candidate will bring a wealth of expertise in demand forecasting methodologies, data analysis, and market trends to drive accurate predictions and enhance overall supply chain efficiency.
In this role, you will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including sales, marketing, and operations, to gather relevant data and insights for demand forecasting. Your responsibilities will encompass development and maintain robust forecasting models, monitor inventory levels, and implement strategies to mitigate potential risks. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication skills, strategic thinking, and a proven track record of successfully managing demand planning functions in a fast-paced and ever-changing business environment.
What You'll Do (Job Duties)
- Demand Forecasting:
- Develop and maintain accurate demand forecasts based on historical data, market trends, and input from various stakeholders.
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure and improve forecast accuracy, providing regular performance reports and insights into management.
- Define action plans by region to improve forecast accuracy and mitigate demand variations.
- Utilize advanced analytics and statistical models to analyze large datasets, identify patterns, and generate insights to improve forecasting accuracy.
- S&OP Process Implementation:
- Collect and analyze data related to sales, production, inventory levels, and other relevant metrics. Evaluate historical performance and trends to provide a foundation for the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
- Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process, ensuring alignment between demand and supply plans.
- Organize and facilitate regular S&OP meetings where cross-functional teams come together to review and discuss demand forecasts, production plans, and inventory strategies. Ensure that decisions are documented and communicated to relevant parties.
- Document the S&OP process, including standard operating procedures, key performance indicators (KPIs), and decision-making frameworks. Identify areas for improvement in the S&OP process and work towards enhancing its effectiveness and efficiency.
- Collaboration with Cross-Functional Teams:
- Work closely with sales, marketing, and operations teams to gather information, understand market dynamics, and align demand planning strategies.
- Communicate demand plans, changes, and insights effectively to internal teams, suppliers, and other stakeholders, fostering transparency and alignment.
- Monitor the performance of the S&OP process against established KPIs. Generate regular reports to highlight key insights, performance metrics, and any deviations from the plan. Provide actionable recommendations for improvement based on the analysis.
- Risk Management:
- Identify potential risks to the supply chain, such as changes in market conditions or disruptions in the supply chain and develop strategies to mitigate these risks.
What You'll Need (Job Requirements)
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent and 7 years’ experience in a relevant supply chain, industrial engineering, or operations role. Prior exposure to a manufacturing environment, business applications, or data science is preferred.
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Fluent in English. Strong written and verbal communication skills, presentation skills, and ability to interact with associates at all levels of the organization. Ability to communicate business capabilities and technical concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
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Structured problem solver – has an analytical or scientific approach to finding optimal and timely solutions to day-to-day and strategic challenges including previous experience with lean or six-sigma frameworks.
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Data savvy – demonstrated expert-level of experience and capability with MS Excel.
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Effective communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with stakeholders at all levels, as well as Executive presence and leadership skills.
- Able to work effectively with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
- High level of integrity and ethical conduct.
- Experience with extracting data from ERP applications as well as developing visualization tools for summarizing extracted data.
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Excellent Project Management skills are required.
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Proven ability to lead, influence, and work well at all levels and in a cross-functional team environment.
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Demonstrated change management expertise and ability to influence and gain commitment at all organizational levels and positively transform the organizational culture to adapt to improved processes and performance metrics.
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Application knowledge in Dynamics 365 and Infor CSI preferred will be a big plus.
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Candidate to share a portfolio of work that demonstrates experience in process improvement in supply chain and virtual value streams.
