Analyst, Demand Planning (based in Bentonville, AR)

  Analyst, Demand Planning

COMPANY OVERVIEW :

Studio Distribution Services (“SDS”) is the premier sales and distribution partner for the home entertainment industry, handling new release and library content of both film and television for a wide range of famous labels, including Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., Focus Features, HBO, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination Entertainment.

SDS is strategically aligned with Conectiv Supply Chain Solutions (“Conectiv”), the global supply chain and logistics leader in manufacturing, fulfillment and distribution solutions across entertainment, media and consumer markets. With Conectiv, SDS benefits from expanded supply chain capabilities, operational expertise, and a global network supporting growth and innovation in media distribution.

A trusted steward for a variety of content partners and retail accounts, we lead with an entrepreneurial spirit and bold innovation, anchored by data-driven strategy. SDS believes in fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture, and we embrace diverse backgrounds and creative thinking. Headquartered in Los Angeles, SDS also has sales offices in Bentonville, AR, and Toronto, Canada.

The annual salary is $70,000 - $80,000.

ROLE SUMMARY : The Analyst, Demand Planning supports a cross-functional planning team in executing day-to-day forecasting, reporting and administrative functions. This role is for a candidate seeking foundational experience in supply chain planning within a fast-paced retail or CPG environment. The analyst will work closely with senior planners and supply chain leadership to ensure data integrity, reporting accuracy and process efficiency across the demand planning cycle.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES :

Data Management & Reporting

• Update and upload demand planning databases, spreadsheets and ERP/planning system inputs on a daily and weekly basis

• Assist in generating standard and ad hoc reports for senior planners and leadership, including weekly sales actuals, forecast variance and inventory status

• Prepare historical reporting and analysis to identify risks, opportunities, and changes in supply or demand trends

• Reconcile demand from retail customers, internal systems and third-party sources for accuracy and completeness

• Analyze demand vs. inventory to highlight gaps, excess exposure and potential service risks

Planning Support

• Assist senior demand planners in preparing and maintaining statistical baseline forecasts

• Generate reports for promotional initial ship planning and support ongoing reforecasting based on sales performance, inventory position and customer demand signals

• Support monthly S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) meetings consolidating inputs, updating templates and preparing meeting materials

• Track and document new title setup, forecast adjustments, and promotional calendars

• Support open-to-buy activity by setting up historical demand, POS, and shipment reports

• Review new release and replenishment demand inputs from studio partners to ensure alignment with internal planning assumptions and customer requirements

• Reconcile new release and promotional distribution plans across systems, partners and internal planning files

• Generate supporting post-mortem activity on promotional, catalog and new release performance to capture learnings and improve future planning accuracy

Administrative & Process Support

• Maintain and organize shared planning files, SharePoint/Teams folders and version control for planning documents

• Schedule and coordinate recurring planning meetings; capture and distribute meeting notes and action items

• Support onboarding of new planning tools or process improvements by documenting procedures and creating user guides

• Complete ad hoc analytical projects to support demand planning, customer planning and supply chain leadership needs

• Handle ad hoc research, data pulls and special projects, as assigned by planning leadership

QUALIFICATIONS :

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Economics or a related field

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, basic formulas)

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy

• Effective written and verbal communication skills

• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment

Preferred

• At least one year of experience

• Internship or co-op experience in supply chain, retail buying or operations

• Exposure to ERP or planning systems (SAP, Oracle, Blue Yonder, or similar)

• Familiarity with Walmart Retail Link, Amazon Vendor Central and other supplier portals

• Basic knowledge of demand planning and statistical forecasting concepts

• Experience with Power BI, Tableau or other data visualization tools  

CORE COMPETENCIES :

• Analytical thinking - confidently analyzes large data sets and spots discrepancies

• Intellectual curiosity - keen to learn planning processes and supply chain basics

• Collaboration - contributes effectively to a team, follows direction and raises issues appropriately

• Reliability - honors commitments and consistently meets recurring deadlines

• Adaptability - responds to changing priorities in a fast-moving retail environment

Notice :

Studio Distribution Services’ policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law. Studio Distribution Services will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with relevant legal requirements, including the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, where applicable.