Demand Planner

Smithfield Foods•Smithfield, VA

1d•$55,000 - $82,500•Onsite

About The Position

The Demand Planner will be the strategic force behind forecast accuracy and supply chain alignment, transforming market insights into actionable plans that drive business performance. This role involves owning and refining SKU-level forecasts across product categories, integrating input from Sales, Business Management, and Finance, along with syndicated data sources like Circana and Nielsen, to ensure precision and agility. The work directly influences inventory optimization, customer service levels, and profitability, making it a key contributor to commercial success. The Demand Planner will lead monthly consensus meetings and play a central role in the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, fostering cross-functional collaboration and enabling data-driven decisions. This high-impact role offers the opportunity to grow as a subject-matter expert, continuously enhancing forecasting tools and methodologies while gaining exposure to broader business strategy, sharpening analytical skills, expanding influence, and building a career.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university and 2+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Solid understanding of sales analysis, demand planning, and forecasting principles within a supply chain context.
Proven analytical ability, strong mathematical aptitude, and attention to detail, with excellent problem-solving skills to support data-driven decision-making.
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a complex matrix organization to drive productivity and enhance supply chain performance.
Skilled in multitasking with the ability to plan, prioritize, and set goals to meet deadlines and organizational objectives.
Highly organized and detail-oriented, with a strong commitment to delivering excellent customer service.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present ideas clearly and professionally across various levels of the organization.
Capable of working independently while managing responsibilities and contributing to team goals.
Thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while being respectful, approachable, fostering a positive and collaborative work culture.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Anaplan, SAP and Power BI a plus.

Responsibilities

Apply advanced statistical modeling techniques to develop accurate demand forecasts using historical and market data.
Utilize forecasting software to generate predictive models, review performance outputs, and implement error analysis strategies to continuously refine forecast accuracy and support smarter supply chain decisions.
Collaborate with Sales and Business Management to present and assess forecast performance, incorporating feedback and promotional plans to refine operational forecasts.
Track inputs from new and lost business, analyze demand shifts by distribution center, and identify root causes of forecast errors.
Recommend adjustments and contribute to setting annual forecast accuracy targets to drive continuous improvement and strategic alignment across the supply chain.
Support the reconciliation of significant variances and refine forecast models based on updated commercial assumptions.
Drive SKU rationalization within assigned categories and analyze shipment trends and category dynamics to validate and enhance total volume forecasts.
Monitor weekly SKU and location-level performance to meet accuracy targets, analyze forecast error trends, and take corrective action to improve reliability.
Leverage tools such as Anaplan, SAP, and BI platforms to ensure high data integrity, incorporate market and competitive intelligence, and deliver timely insights to Supply Chain partners for scenario planning and agile decision-making.