Demand Planner (Manufacturing)

Axalta•Houston, TX

25d•$75,000 - $90,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Position Summary: The Demand Planner – Industrial Americas is a strategic supply chain leader supporting Axalta’s North American Industrial business. This role serves as the primary voice of the customer, translating commercial demand into executable supply and inventory plans that support service excellence, working capital optimization, and profitable growth. The role partners closely with Commercial Business Leaders, Business Directors, Product Management, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to align demand, supply, and inventory strategies. The Senior Demand Planner provides indirect leadership and functional guidance across customer service, production planning, master scheduling, procurement planning, and sales teams, and plays a key role in the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process.

Requirements

Minimum of three years of relevant experience in a planning role within a manufacturing environment, with a strong understanding of end-to-end supply chain processes.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, negotiate, and collaborate effectively at all levels of the organization.
Proven ability to lead and facilitate cross-functional meetings and present information clearly to diverse audiences.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and MS Teams.
Experience working with SAP and Integrated Business Planning (IBP) systems.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to think quickly and make sound, independent decisions.
Demonstrated ability to manage complexity, balance competing priorities, and resolve conflicts effectively.
Strong sense of ownership and accountability, with the ability to lead initiatives while functioning effectively as part of a team.

Nice To Haves

Post-secondary degree or diploma in Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Demand Planning & Forecast Management: Own the end-to-end demand planning process for the North American Industrial business.
Develop, manage, and maintain accurate forecasts using SAP, IBP, and advanced Excel-based models .
Lead demand review meetings with Commercial Business Leaders and Business Directors , ensuring alignment on risks, opportunities, and mitigation plans.
Analyze demand trends, customer production variability, and market dynamics to proactively adjust forecasts.
Maintain demand assumptions, supply notes, and forecast documentation.
Supply, Customer Fulfillment & Execution: Partner with Master Scheduling and Operations to align production plans with customer demand and service commitments.
Track, manage, and rapidly resolve back orders through cross-functional collaboration and escalation when required.
Work closely with Customer Service to resolve daily supply, logistics, and delivery challenges.
Maintain and manage plant shutdown schedules and coordinate daily priorities with Operations.
Support North American Industrial leadership in meeting customer production and service requirements.
New Product Introduction & Lifecycle Management: Lead demand planning activities for new product launches, trial batches, and new business opportunities.
Collaborate with Product Management and Technical teams on phase-in and phase-out strategies to ensure seamless execution.
Manage trial batch prioritization with account teams and operations.
Support new GMC creation, BOM, and routing setup within SAP to enable production planning.
Drive phase-out and obsolete inventory to zero.
Inventory Management & Optimization: Own inventory performance for the Industrial business, balancing service levels with inventory and working capital objectives.
Identify and implement opportunities to reduce inventory while maintaining customer service expectations.
Manage consignment inventory at APC locations.
Monitor inventory health and compliance to support SOX and governance requirements.
Actively manage and reduce non-productive and excess inventory.
IBP, KPI Management & Executive Communication: Serve as a key contributor to the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process for Industrial Americas.
Drive alignment across demand, supply, inventory, and financial plans.
Track, analyze, and report key supply chain KPIs, including: Forecast Accuracy OTIF (On-Time In-Full) Inventory Turns and Non-Productive Inventory
Develop executive-level presentations using PowerPoint and Excel, and confidently present insights, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership, Commercial Business Leaders, and Business Directors.
Support continuous improvement initiatives across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, and Cost.