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.
