Aftermarket Demand Planner - The Toro Company

The Toro Company • Bloomington, MN

32d • $85 - $95 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Aftermarket Demand Planner is a vital role focused on planning and executing inventory management activities to meet customer needs, marketing requirements, and service level objectives. This position necessitates a proactive approach to managing inventory levels and ensuring system integrity. The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to develop and implement advanced inventory strategies, optimize complex supply chains, and drive significant improvements in efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This role is critical to ensuring optimal inventory levels that meet customer demand while aligning with the company's financial and strategic objectives. This role will play a key role in creating strategy and execution of all inventory management processes, including demand forecasting, inventory planning, control, and optimization across the network. Additional responsibilities include mentoring junior inventory professionals, championing best practices, leveraging technology, and collaborating extensively with cross-functional teams including procurement, sales, operations, and finance to ensure inventory strategies support overarching business goals. This position requires a proactive leader with exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive experience in inventory management, supply chain planning, or a related field.
• Proven track record of developing and implementing successful inventory strategies that have resulted in cost savings and efficiency improvements.
• Strong understanding of advanced inventory management principles, forecasting methodologies, and supply chain best practices.
• Expert proficiency in inventory management software, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics), and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS).
• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex data, identify trends, and make data-driven strategic decisions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization.
• Strong financial acumen and experience with inventory valuation and cost accounting.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

• Masters Degree n Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field.
• Professional certifications such as APICS Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM), Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP), or Certified in Logistics, Transportation3 and Distribution (CLTD).
• Experience in manufacturing industry and aftermarket support of durable goods
• Experience with Lean or other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience managing a large and diverse SKU portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and refine long-term inventory strategies, to optimize inventory levels, minimize costs (carrying costs, obsolescence, stockouts), and maximize inventory turns.
• Utilize statistical analysis of consumption trends to develop forecasts
• Synthesize sales and inventory data, providing guidance and actionable insights that execute on major initiatives
• Proactively identify sales opportunities and inventory concerns and generates potential solutions to address
• Forecast & manage promotional spend to ensure vendor is maximizing sales while maintaining budget
• Ensure overall vendor satisfaction with service, actionable insights, data application and deliverables by managing relationships at the retailer and leveraging all available resources to build a reputation for excellent service and positive referrals
• Contribute to creation of policies, and procedures governing inventory management team
• Oversee advanced demand forecasting processes and models to accurately predict inventory needs based on sales trends, seasonality, promotions, and market dynamics.
• Establish and manage optimal safety stock levels, reorder points, and economic order quantities (EOQ) across all SKUs and locations.
• Lead the development and execution of Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) processes related to inventory.
• Drive initiatives for continuous improvement in inventory accuracy, efficiency, and overall supply chain performance.
• Analyze inventory data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities; develop and implement corrective actions and preventative measures.
• Manage slow-moving, excess, and obsolete (SLOB) inventory, developing and implementing strategies for disposition or reduction.
• Ensure the integrity of inventory data within ERP, and other inventory management systems.
• Collaborate closely with procurement teams to ensure timely and cost-effective sourcing of materials based on inventory requirements.
• Partner with sales and marketing teams to understand demand drivers, promotional impacts, and new product introductions, aligning inventory plans accordingly.
• Interface with finance to ensure accurate inventory valuation, reporting, and alignment with budgetary goals.
• Manage relationships with key suppliers to improve lead times, reliability, and overall supply chain performance.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for inventory management, such as inventory turnover, days of supply, stockout rates, inventory accuracy, and carrying costs.
• Prepare and present regular reports and analyses on inventory performance, trends, and strategic initiatives to senior leadership.
• Utilize data-driven insights to make informed decisions and recommend strategic changes.
• Oversee the effective utilization and optimization of inventory management systems such as ERP and other forecasting software
• Identify opportunities to leverage new technologies and tools to enhance inventory visibility, control, and analytics.
• Mentor and advise junior team members
• Lead projects as needed

Benefits

• Dress for your day - We know you're more productive when you're comfortable, which is why TTC employees are encouraged to take advantage of our casual, corporate environment.
• Food - Take advantage of our onsite café, which serves both breakfast and lunch. With a Caribou Coffee attached, you can grab a snack and a coffee at any time during your day.
• Wellness - The Toro Company’s HQ offers complimentary use of our onsite fitness facility to employees. In addition to physical well-being, TTC offers a variety of mental health and financial health resources to all employees.
• Volunteerism - The Toro Company is proud to provide employees 20 hours of paid time to volunteer` in the community.
• Summer Hours – Enjoy a flexible schedule during the summer! By working a little more during the first few days of the week, TTC employees at our Bloomington HQ are able to start their weekends early and leave by noon on Friday.
• Competitive Salary – A reasonable salary estimate is $85K-$95K for this opportunity.
• If you need to, you can access your pay early with the One@Work app, formerly the Even app.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level