Demand Planner
Demand Planner
Position Overview:
The Demand Planner plays a key role in supporting an organization's end‑to‑end supply chain by developing, maintaining, and continuously improving demand and supply plans. This position ensures accurate forecasting, optimal inventory levels, and high service performance across assigned markets and product categories.
The Demand Planner partners cross‑functionally with Sales, Finance, Purchasing, and Operations to balance customer demand with supply capabilities. The role also supports proactive risk mitigation through exception reporting, root cause analysis, and scenario planning to address variability in demand and supply.
Key Responsibilities
Demand & Supply Planning
- Lead the demand forecasting process in collaboration with Sales and Finance to align volume, inventory, and service level targets.
- Develop short‑term and long‑term demand forecasts by product, customer, and/or market.
- Analyze historical sales, trends, seasonality, promotions, and forecasts to improve forecast accuracy.
- Track forecast performance and provide regular feedback and improvement recommendations.
- Support availability commitments and support continuous improvement of forecast reliability.
Inventory Management
- Monitor inventory levels to support target Weeks of Supply (WOS), turns, and in‑stock goals.
- Identify and escalate potential inventory risks including shortages, excess, or obsolescence.
- Support product lifecycle management including new product introductions (NPI), phase‑ins, and phase‑outs.
- Respond to internal and customer‑facing inquiries related to product availability and delivery timing.
Supply Chain Coordination
- Maintain planned demand inputs in ERP/MRP systems for new and existing products.
- Partner with Purchasing/Procurement to support purchase order creation, supplier planning, and replenishment activities.
- Communicate supply requirements, priorities, and changes to internal stakeholders and external suppliers or manufacturing partners.
- Participate in regular planning, supply review, or S&OP meetings.
Reporting & Analysis
- Prepare and maintain reports highlighting demand, inventory status, supply risks, and key planning metrics.
- Perform exception reporting, root cause analysis, and post‑event reviews.
- Develop mitigation plans to address gaps between supply and demand.
- Present insights, risks, and recommendations to cross‑functional stakeholders clearly and concisely.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations Management, Finance, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
- 2-5 years of experience in demand planning, supply planning, inventory management, or related roles.
Technical Skills
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., PivotTables, lookups, data analysis).
- Experience using ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, or similar).
- Working knowledge of inventory planning concepts, lead times, and replenishment logic.
- Understanding of basic logistics concepts, shipping terms, and commercial trade terms (e.g., INCOTERMS) preferred.
Core Competencies
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
- Ability to interpret large data sets and translate insights into actionable plans.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating across functions.
- Comfortable working in a fast‑paced, changing environment with multiple priorities.
Preferred Attributes
- Experience working in a global or multi‑regional supply chain environment.
- Exposure to cross‑functional planning processes such as S&OP or IBP.
- Multilingual capabilities a plus, depending on business needs.
- Willingness to travel occasionally, if required.
FAQs
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