Business Planning Manager

Overview:

The Business Planning Manager leads the development and execution of accurate, actionable demand plans at the style, color, and size level for assigned brands and categories. This role owns a rolling 24-month demand forecast and serves as a key leader in the SIOP process, connecting customer demand, sales, marketing, finance, supply planning, and inventory strategies to business objectives.


The Business Planning Manager combines advanced analytics, market and POS insights, and cross-functional expertise to improve forecast accuracy, reduce bias, optimize inventory, and proactively identify business risks and opportunities. The role requires a data-driven leader who can translate complex information into clear recommendations, influence stakeholders, develop talent, and drive continuous improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: (Includes the following, other duties may be assigned)

Primary Responsibilities:

Demand & Business Planning

• Develop and maintain accurate monthly demand plans at the style, color, and size level across a rolling 24-month horizon.
• Lead the development of customer and category forecasts by incorporating historical trends, POS performance, market dynamics, promotions, seasonality, and other causal factors.
• Translate business strategies, customer initiatives, and market opportunities into actionable demand plans.
• Monitor forecast performance and identify opportunities to improve accuracy, attainment, service levels, and forecast bias.
• Lead the Event and Outlier Management process, ensuring appropriate assumptions, documentation, and cross-functional approvals.
• Identify emerging demand trends, risks, and opportunities and provide proactive recommendations to leadership.

SIOP & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as a key leader in the monthly SIOP process, preparing and presenting demand plans, risks, opportunities, and recommended actions for assigned customers and categories.
• Develop and enhance the SIOP process to become best in class.
• Lead monthly Demand Review meetings with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Supply Planning to establish alignment to the demand outlook.
• Partner with Supply Planning to reconcile demand and supply, establish inventory targets, and proactively address service and capacity risks.
• Build strong relationships across functions and influence stakeholders toward fact-based decisions and a single-aligned business plan.
• Communicate complex planning and analytical information clearly and effectively to audiences at all levels of the organization.

Inventory Optimization

• Analyze inventory levels, demand trends, and supply positions to identify excess, aged, and at-risk inventory.
• Partner cross-functionally to develop and execute inventory disposition and recovery strategies.
• Balance customer service requirements, inventory investment, and financial objectives when making planning recommendations.
• Identify supply chain risks and develop mitigation strategies to protect service and business performance.

Analytics, Systems & Continuous Improvement

• Leverage planning systems, including Logility, and business intelligence tools such as Power BI to develop insights, improve planning processes, and support scenario modeling.
• Utilize advanced analytics and causal factors to strengthen statistical forecasting and improve planning performance.
• Develop standard and ad hoc reporting that provides clear visibility into forecast performance, inventory health, risks, and opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to enhance planning processes, tools, and capabilities through technology, automation, and continuous improvement.
• Promote a culture of data-driven decision-making and accountability across the planning organization.

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and development for Business Planning professionals supporting assigned brands, categories, or customers.
• Establish clear objectives, performance expectations, and development plans for team members.
• Build a high-performing planning organization through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous capability development.
• Foster an environment that encourages curiosity, innovation, accountability, and proactive problem-solving.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in demand planning, retail planning, customer planning, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading demand planning processes and developing forecasts at a detailed level.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with demonstrated data fluency.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and experience with planning and forecasting systems.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, the ability to translate complex data into recommendations.
• Demonstrated people leadership and talent development experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field.
• Experience with advanced planning platforms such as SAP APO, IBP, or similar systems.
• Experience with Logility, Power BI, or comparable planning and business intelligence tools.
• Experience leading SIOP/IBP or integrated demand and supply planning processes.
• Experience in retail, consumer products, home textile, or other SKU-intensive businesses.
• Demonstrated success improving forecast accuracy, inventory productivity, service levels, and planning processes.