Demand Planner II

Vestis•Lawrenceville, GA

43d

About The Position

The Senior Demand Planner (Direct Sales) plays a critical role in the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, leading the Demand Review to align sales and operations on a 12-18-month operational forecast. This role is responsible for maintaining the Direct Sale forecast in Oracle, which informs supply planning, manufacturing, and procurement decisions. Additionally, the planner develops long-range forecasts to support annual inventory target setting and capacity planning. Demand Planners develop the operational forecast by combining input from sales teams gathered during the S&OP process with the statistical forecast generated in Oracle. This forecast also incorporates installation data provided by sales. Planners are responsible for preparing pre-alignment and demand review meetings and are measured against a set of predefined performance metrics.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree - BS/BA in business, finance, marketing, industrial engineering or Supply Chain Management
5-8 years of analytical/systems experience
Demonstrates strong initiative and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
Excellent oral communication and presentation skills
Experienced in actively participating in Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) routines
Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously while consistently meeting deadlines.
Possesses excellent analytical skills with a proven track record of effective problem-solving and data-driven decision making.
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint

Nice To Haves

Experience with Oracle, Power BI and Access
Practical experience in Supply chain planning, purchasing or distribution of product

Responsibilities

Ensures best-in-class forecast performance by managing and improving key metrics such as forecast accuracy and bias.
Benchmarks forecast accuracy against industry standards across multiple product categories to support strategic planning and operational excellence.
Collaborates with the Direct Sales team to develop a comprehensive 12-18-month demand plan that aligns with business goals and market expectations.
Partners closely with the Supply Planning Manager to ensure alignment between demand forecasts and supply strategies, supporting optimal inventory levels and service performance
Maintain the install forecast in Oracle, ensuring it reflects the most up-to-date and accurate demand signals.
Monitor and track actual bookings versus forecast to identify variances and improve forecast accuracy.
Review the statistical forecast (bookings forecast) generated in Oracle and evaluates its alignment with market trends and historical performance.
Make informed adjustments to the forecast based on data analysis, cross-functional input, and business intelligence.
Leverage forecast management experience to drive continuous improvement in demand planning processes and support strategic decision-making.
Partner with Supply Chain New Install Manager and Supply Planning Manager where key forecast oversells/undersells are identified to create action plan to resolve.
Review and incorporate key economic indicators and market trends into the demand plan to enhance forecast accuracy and support long-term business planning.
Prepare pre-alignment and Demand Review presentations in weeks one and two of the S&OP cycle.
Update Oracle with the consensus forecast.
Make necessary adjustments to maintain target performance metrics.
Supports annual planning by ensuring the demand forecast accurately reflects growth assumptions and input provided by Sales and Finance.
Participate in seasonal strategy development & execution, led by Direct Sale Leadership Team and Marketing