Demand Planner

Aston Carter • Sacramento, CA

7d • $35 - $46 • Onsite

About The Position

The Demand Planner supports the end-to-end demand planning process within an Integrated Business Planning (IBP) framework. The role develops and maintains rolling forecasts using market insights, historical trends, and promotional data to guide supply chain, commercial, and financial decisions. It contributes to monthly demand reviews and business initiatives such as product launches, SKU rationalization, and capacity planning.

Working with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, IT, and R&D, the Demand Planner helps optimize inventory, service levels, and operational efficiency. The role also supports financial forecasting, planning-system and process improvements, and data-driven decision-making. It is a contract-to-hire position based in Sacramento, California, with a hybrid schedule described as onsite Monday through Thursday and work-from-home optional on Fridays. The posting also separately describes the position as fully onsite.

Requirements

• At least 3 years of experience in data collection, planning, analysis, reporting, and project leadership.
• A total of 6 years of experience in production planning, inventory management, and logistics.
• Functional knowledge of supply chain processes, including production planning, inventory, and deployment.
• Hands-on experience with demand planning, inventory planning, replenishment, and schedule planning.
• Proficiency with SAP or other ERP systems for planning, inventory, and purchasing activities.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, data exports, and accurate data entry.
• Ability to analyze syndicated consumption data, shipment history, and market dynamics to build demand forecasts.
• Experience performing forecast performance analysis, including MAPE and bias, and applying insights to improve forecast accuracy.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable plans.
• Effective communication skills to present insights, risks, and opportunities to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, IT, and R&D.
• Experience working within an Integrated Business Planning (IBP) or similar planning framework.
• Must be located in the Sacramento area.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with Power BI.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education in a relevant field.
• Experience in a CPG or ingredient manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with IBP demand modules and integrated planning tools.
• Experience supporting Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and Latest Estimate (LE) financial cycles.
• Exposure to SKU lifecycle management, including innovation launches, product transitions, and SKU rationalization.
• Knowledge of logistics processes, including ocean freight, ocean export, ocean import, and LTL shipping, as they relate to inventory and demand planning.
• Experience with inventory control, inventory management, and purchasing within SAP/ERP environments.
• Strong general computer skills and comfort working with multiple systems and data sources.
• Ability to support process standardization and system adoption in planning and forecasting environments.
• Interest in contributing to continuous improvement and data-driven decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Support the end-to-end demand planning process within the IBP framework, developing and maintaining a rolling 0–24 month operational forecast at product and location level using the IBP Demand module.
• Analyze demand drivers, including sales plans, syndicated consumption data, distribution changes, shipment history, competitive dynamics, seasonality, and marketing initiatives.
• Perform forecast performance analysis, including MAPE and bias, and use findings to support continuous improvement.
• Communicate demand insights, risks, and opportunities to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Participate in monthly IBP Pre-Demand Reviews and support alignment on a consensus demand signal and visibility into assumptions, risks, and opportunities.
• Partner with Demand Planning leadership to prepare for IBP Integrated Demand Reviews and provide robust, documented demand inputs.
• Work with Sales and Commercial Planning to evaluate customer performance, promotional effectiveness, trade events, distribution gains and losses, and SKU lifecycle changes, and incorporate insights into the demand plan.
• Support demand planning for innovation launches, product transitions, and SKU rationalization, considering pipeline fill, cannibalization, and phase-in/phase-out strategies.
• Support financial forecasting cycles, including the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and periodic Latest Estimates (LEs), aligning demand plans with revenue expectations and financial targets.
• Assist with IBP system and process improvements, including adoption, standardization, and enhancements to planning tools, reporting, and forecasting capabilities.
• Partner with Supply Planning and Operations to translate demand plans into supply requirements, identify risks, and support service-level and inventory optimization.
• Participate in cross-functional planning meetings and support alignment across Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, IT, and R&D.
• Promote data-driven decision-making, collaboration, and continuous improvement in demand planning and IBP processes.
• Use SAP/ERP systems to manage planning data, inventory information, and replenishment activities, maintaining accurate planning inputs.
• Work with export and logistics data, including ocean freight, ocean export and import, LTL shipping, and bills of lading, as they relate to inventory and demand planning.
• Use Excel, including pivot tables and data exports, for detailed analysis, reporting, and data entry supporting demand and inventory planning.
• Support inventory control and management activities, including replenishment and schedule planning, to align inventory with forecasted demand.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Critical illness, accident, and hospital coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan, with pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Voluntary life insurance and AD&D coverage for employees and dependents
• Short- and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time off/leave, including PTO, vacation, or sick leave (eligibility and terms apply)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level