Demand Planner I

Readerlink Distribution Services•Oak Brook, IL

2d•$60,000 - $65,000

About The Position

The Demand Planner I supports the company’s S&OP demand review process and works in the demand planning system to deliver forecasts to supply planning, procurement, finance, and operations. The role helps define solutions and support change adoption to improve forecasting performance, cross-functional communication, and integrated planning, while making demand management more efficient and responsive to internal and external customer needs. The position oversees customer demand streams, collaborates with inventory, operations, sales, and marketing teams to develop forecasts and mitigation plans, and analyzes demand-related issues and trends. It maintains forecasts, demand-planning processes, data integrity, and forecasting software parameters; supports ERP planning tools; and provides reports and analysis to help improve forecast accuracy and adapt to changing business conditions. The work is performed in an office environment with usually moderate, low-decibel noise, in a fast-paced team environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, Mathematics, or a related field.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to think creatively.
Knowledge of databases, SQL, and query writing.
Strong to advanced experience with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Attention to detail and ability to multitask and work independently or as part of a team.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to build customer relationships and communicate throughout all levels of the organization and with outside partners.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as instructions and procedure manuals.
Ability to create and write reports.
Proficiency in basic mathematics, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Ability to perform algebra, calculate figures and amounts, and apply fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Ability to perform statistical analysis.
Ability to apply common-sense understanding to carry out written, oral, or diagram-form instructions and deal with problems involving variables.
Ability to work in a fast-paced team environment.

Nice To Haves

Two or more years of planning experience and experience working with large data sets.
Experience with JDA Demand, Blue Yonder Fulfillment, SAP, Oracle, or similar systems.
Experience in forecasting, forecast management, and weekly forecasting cycles.
Experience in Retail and/or CPG.

Responsibilities

Oversee daily activities to manage customer demand streams that drive operations.
Work with inventory, operations, sales, and marketing teams to develop forecasts, forecast risks, and mitigation plans.
Communicate goals, status changes, and other information regularly.
Review numerical trends and goals.
Analyze and troubleshoot demand-related issues efficiently and accurately.
Develop routine and ad-hoc demand-related reports for management.
Update forecasts for new products, promotions, and seasonality.
Assist in developing annual budgets and support cost initiatives.
Coordinate with the inventory team to monitor and maintain optimal inventory levels.
Support demand inputs within ERP planning tools that drive planning, operational, and procurement processes.
Provide and review reports on forecast accuracy, bias, and trends for continuous improvement.
Act as a subject matter expert for demand planning tools and software.
Ensure promotional adjustments are accounted for and synchronized into planning software.
Maintain demand planning processes and ensure the appropriate algorithm is used to optimize accuracy and minimize bias.
Ensure data integrity for demand planning.
Own unit forecasts for demand-planned items, discontinued items, and swaps; account for cannibalization and scenario-planning needs.
Oversee reporting to identify categories requiring further analysis and adjust strategy based on changing business conditions.
Maintain required parameters in forecasting software.
Perform other duties as assigned, directed, or requested.