Demand Planner

Lactalis American Group Inc•Buffalo, NY

52d•Hybrid

About The Position

Lactalis American Group, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is hiring a Demand Planner based in Buffalo, NY. The role is responsible for short-, medium-, and long-range demand forecasting for assigned product lines and/or channels of business. The Demand Planner analyzes demand and uses forecasting software to generate resource- and distribution-center-level forecasts, maintaining a thorough understanding of the relationships among the market, distribution channels, sales forecast, strategic plan, and master production schedule. The role works across Commercial, Finance, Sales, Central Planning, Customer Service, and Supply Planning to develop and align forecasts, analyze variances and risks, improve forecasting processes, and support effective inventory deployment. It also contributes to process changes and projects and may train new or associate demand planners. The position requires physical presence in the office in accordance with the Hybrid Work Policy. Occasional travel and extended hours may be necessary depending on project needs. Tools such as a computer and phone, or allowances for them, may be provided. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities. The employee is expected to support a safe working environment that promotes employee health and well-being.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree is preferred.
2+ years of Demand Planning experience is preferred.
Strong communication skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and communicate clearly and concisely to pertinent audiences.
Ability to learn and use FuturMaster, Kinaxis, Stratum, and AS/400.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Power BI and Microsoft Excel, including the ability to work with Pivot Tables.

Nice To Haves

A major in Supply Chain, Finance, or Statistics is preferred.
Experience in the food industry, related supply chain, or financial analysis is preferred.
APICS or CPIM certification is a plus.

Responsibilities

Continuously improve the sales forecasting process within the S&OP process.
Drive the CDP process with Commercial and Finance teams to align the financial forecast with the Consensus Demand Plan, analyzing significant variances.
Obtain and analyze data from the industry, Sales force, Central Planning, and Customer Service for inclusion in rolling short-term and long-term demand forecasts.
Regularly validate forecast splits down to the Item/D.C./week level and adjust short-term D.C. week forecasts as needed to support effective inventory deployment.
Produce and publish CDP reports and forecast accuracy metrics; explain variances, note uncertainty, and highlight risk areas for audiences unfamiliar with departmental tools and terminology.
Analyze key customer buying patterns and predict responses to incentives.
Analyze market response to new products and use findings to forecast items that have not yet been introduced.
Work with the Demand Planning manager on projects and drive changes through implementation of new processes when applicable.
Communicate regularly with Central Supply Planner(s) to identify challenges and bottlenecks.
Analyze factors affecting forecasts and develop forecasts in a timely manner for communication.
Provide necessary training to new demand planners or associate demand planners.
Demonstrate commitment to a safe working environment that promotes employee health and well-being.