Supply Chain Planning Analyst

Supply Chain Planning Analyst

The Supply Chain Planning Analyst will lead the effort to prepare, analyze and operationalize a volume forecast based on expected and historical patterns. The outputs from this effort will be used cross functionally to plan movements, capacity, labor, materials and expected costs. This role will include both short term and long term planning responsibilities, staying focused on current trends and business performance to ensure all plans are as informed as possible for execution.

Responsibilities

• Gather, interpret, and analyze large data sets spanning multiple channels of operations
• Cross functionally develop accurate forecast models based on customer demand, industry trends, historical patterns, and external signals including macroeconomic indicators, customer POS data, and relevant market intelligence
• Collaborate within Supply Chain to operationalize the output of the models in terms of transportation, labor, capacity and inventory
• Participate as a key resource in S&OP process to review capacity and impact of sales growth by opportunity; own the formal demand review meeting and prepare executive-facing demand outlook narratives for leadership
• Compare volume forecasts to operating plans and budgets on weekly, monthly and quarterly basis, determine variances between the two and work cross functionally to prepare mitigation plans or update operating plans and budgets accordingly
• Continually refine forecast models to account for changes in demand and availability for both internal and external business partners
• Collaborate with Sales & Account Management to develop and validate detailed customer demand and distribution of demand across their network, including demand planning support for new customer onboarding, product launches, and network expansions
• Utilize demand forecasts and develop surplus and deficit areas, collaborate within Supply Chain to create stock balancing plan
• Own forecast accuracy metrics (MAPE, bias, etc.) and track KPIs for the demand planning function; conduct regular performance reviews and drive continuous improvement based on results
• Identify, flag, and respond to demand outliers, anomalies, and one-time events (promotions, seasonal spikes, atypical customer activity) to maintain a clean statistical baseline
• Document forecast assumptions, methodologies, and model logic to ensure auditability, cross-functional alignment, and continuity
• Own and administer demand planning systems and tools, including data governance, master data integrity, and platform optimization
• Drive improvements in forecasting processes, data quality, and planning systems
• Identify data and reporting automation opportunities to reduce manual reporting

Requirements

• A minimum of 3 years' experience in a demand planning/forecasting role.
• Solid understanding of inventory management practices and procedures.
• Strong analytical, modeling, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Capability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Independent, energetic, self-starting, resilient and thrives in a challenging environment.
• Proven experience in people and change management
• Strong communication skill set: be able to manage, influence, partner, negotiate, and deliver presentations

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field; a Graduate Degree is preferred