Demand Planner I

Hillman•Cincinnati, OH

About The Position

The Demand Planner I ensures products are available at the right time to meet customer demand and support company growth. The role owns customer forecasting within the GAINs planning system and collaborates with Sales, Supply Chain, and S&OP teams to achieve fill rate, inventory, and service-level objectives. The planner analyzes customer demand trends, point-of-sale (POS) data, and sales forecasts to develop demand plans that guide purchasing decisions and inventory performance. The position also supports new product launches, business planning initiatives, continuous improvement projects, and the monthly Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process. It may lead customer- or product-specific projects as experience develops and may require occasional travel based on business needs.

Requirements

0–3 years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, supply chain, inventory management, or a related discipline.
Understanding of financial concepts and key business drivers in manufacturing, sourcing, or distribution environments.
Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
Ability to interpret data, identify trends, and recommend practical solutions.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills.
Effective written and verbal communication abilities.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Sound judgment and decision-making skills.
Ability to work independently while contributing to team objectives.
Professionalism and a customer-focused mindset.
Understanding of customer fulfillment requirements and supply chain operations.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, Finance, or a related field.
Experience in retail distribution or consumer products industries.
Exposure to forecasting, logistics planning, transportation, or inventory management processes.
APICS/ASCM certification or progress toward certification.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain demand forecasts in the GAINs planning system to support inventory, service, and fill rate objectives.
Analyze system-generated forecasts, customer POS data, sales trends, and market insights to improve forecast accuracy.
Align demand forecasts with sales forecasts and proactively address variances to support inventory optimization and business goals.
Monitor customer, category, and channel performance to identify trends and recommend actions.
Partner with Supply Planners and other Supply Chain stakeholders to maintain customer service levels and resolve inventory or fill rate issues.
Monitor inventory positions, demand fluctuations, and service metrics to support company KPIs.
Communicate demand and supply impacts, customer performance issues, and business risks to leadership and stakeholders.
Support financial forecasting, including demand plan analysis and Annual Operating Plan (AOP) forecasting requirements.
Prepare analyses, reports, and data for monthly Demand Review Workshops as part of the S&OP process.
Collaborate with S&OP team members to implement approved demand plan adjustments and planning strategies.
Assist with new product launches and business initiatives to support successful and timely execution.
Research and communicate out-of-stock situations, recovery plans, and supply chain updates across the organization.
Communicate demand and supply issues to Sales and other business partners.
Help manage and evaluate performance within assigned customer channels and product categories.
Participate in cross-functional projects and process improvement initiatives.
Perform ad hoc analysis and reporting to support business decisions.
May lead customer- or product-specific projects and initiatives as experience develops.
Travel occasionally as business needs require.