Sr Demand Planner - Columbia, SC

Sr. Demand Planner - Columbia, SC 

Position Summary

The Senior Demand Planner specializes in carrying out research and analysis to predict consumer demand to manage inventory and guide supply chain operations. This role engages in a variety of tasks such as creating and maintaining forecast models for customers, as well as incorporating business intelligence and forecasting information gathered from other areas such as sales, marketing, finance, development, and supply. The Senior Demand Planner leads the discussion each month for meeting customer demand with these counterparts in the organization.  This position must consider data from many sources when arriving at their forecasts. These sources may include past sales data, advertising and marketing budgets and priorities, the actions of distributors and retailers, natural disasters, weather, and sometimes political and social events. Staying on top of market trends by watching sales data and communicating with sales personnel, customers, supply planners, and operations. Attend many meetings with purchasing, sales, and distribution operations. From the commercial team, you receive information regarding movement in market indicators and future demand. From supply planners, you receive information about demand that impacts production and capacity. Most days involve using demand planning software, databases, and modeling to forecast and plan.

Essential Functions

• Collecting data from internal and external sources on factors known to affect demand 
• Analyzing sales, stock, and other data statistics
• Reviewing historical sales trends
• Modeling the data to forecast future demand
• Obtaining information on occurrences that could impact demand like promotions and production delays
• Gathering updates on vendors, distributors, sales, and other stakeholders that can affect demand
• Developing demand forecasts at multiple levels of aggregation for multiple time horizons
• Coordinating cross-functional research activities to reconcile significant variances
• Interacting with sales, marketing, and customer finance to understand demand forecast drivers
• Using and maintaining the demand planning software 
• Providing input to the supply planning organization in developing inventory strategies on existing items, new products, and product phase-outs
• Refining systems and methods to improve forecasts to better anticipate customer needs

Position Specifications

• Required Education:  Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Required Experience and Skills:

• Proven experience as a Demand Planner, 5+ years of experience
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and trends
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time-management skills
• Experience with forecasting, vendor management and procurement
• Understanding of inventory management practices and procedures

• Physical Requirements / Work Environment:

• Majority sedentary desk work in an office environment
• Occasional work in manufacturing / warehouse environment:  not uniformly heated / cooled, exposure to dust/ fumes
• Required to wear PPE in plant:  steel-toed footwear, hearing protection, safety glasses.  Other PPE as required for specific tasks.

Specifics

• Competitive salary
• Full benefits package
• 401K with match
• Strong vacation and corporate holiday policy