The Demand Planning Senior Manager leads the end-to-end demand forecasting process to ensure accurate, data-driven projections that support supply chain, finance, sales, and operations strategies. This role oversees the demand planning team, drives continuous process improvement, and partners cross-functionally to optimize inventory, improve service levels, and reduce costs.

Key Responsibilities

1. Forecasting & Planning

Lead the development of short-, medium-, and long-term demand forecasts using statistical models, market intelligence, and cross-functional inputs.
Manage the monthly demand planning cycle (S&OP/IBP), ensuring alignment with sales, marketing, and supply chain.
Analyze forecast accuracy and bias; implement improvement initiatives and accountability across teams.
Oversee the integration of new forecasting technologies, tools, and automation.

2. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Supply Chain to incorporate promotions, new product launches, distribution changes, and market trends into forecasts.
Facilitate demand review meetings and provide insights to leadership.
Support Finance in budget planning, revenue projections, and scenario modeling.

3. Inventory & Supply Optimization

Drive demandsupply balancing to minimize stockouts, excess inventory, and obsolescence.
Provide clear demand signals to Supply Planning and Procurement teams.
Monitor service levels and customer fill rates; identify root causes and corrective actions.

4. Leadership & Team Management

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of demand planners and analysts.
Establish best practices, standard operating procedures, and KPIs.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decision making.

5. Reporting & Analytics

Deliver regular forecasting reports and executive-level dashboards.
Track key performance metrics such as forecast accuracy, inventory turns, and service levels.
Conduct deep-dive analytics to understand demand drivers and business risks.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

710+ years of demand planning or supply chain experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
Experience in S&OP/IBP processes required.

Technical Skills

Proficiency with demand planning tools (e.g., SAP APO, IBP, Oracle, Kinaxis, Blue Yonder, Anaplan).
Strong analytical skills; advanced Excel and data visualization tools (Power BI/Tableau) preferred.
Familiarity with statistical forecasting methods.

Soft Skills

Excellent communication and stakeholder-management abilities.
Strong leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Ability to operate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage ambiguity.

Demand Planning Assistant Manager

Demand Planning Senior Manager