Demand Planning Manager

Aston Carter•Pontiac, MI

1d•$100,000 - $140,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Demand Planning Manager partners with business leadership to translate market insights into a forward-looking, data-driven demand plan that enables profitable growth and operational alignment. The role serves as a strategic partner to commercial, supply chain, and operations teams, turning business strategy and market intelligence into a credible 12–18 month demand plan. The manager uses analytics to improve business outcomes, challenges existing assumptions, and helps align teams around shared goals while supporting accountability, respect, and performance excellence. This position leads demand planning discussions within the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process and communicates risks, trade-offs, and recommendations to senior stakeholders. It also includes leading, coaching, and developing team members. The position is permanent and fully onsite in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Requirements

At least 2 years of demand planning experience, preferably in a complex, cross-functional environment.
Experience developing and managing demand forecasts that align commercial, supply chain, and operations teams.
Demonstrated ability to use data and analytics to influence business decisions and drive measurable outcomes.
Experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment, with exposure to inventory management, logistics, or supply chain management.
Experience with advanced forecasting tools or dedicated demand planning systems.
Experience incorporating market, customer, or pricing insights into demand planning and forecasting.
Experience leading or developing others through direct people leadership or project leadership.
Experience presenting insights, assumptions, and recommendations to senior stakeholders in a professional setting.
Strong analytical and reporting skills, including the ability to turn complex data into clear, actionable insights.
Ability to constructively challenge assumptions and engage in difficult conversations to improve business outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing demand forecasts in a complex, cross-functional corporate environment.
Ability to bring an external market perspective and encourage future-state, strategic thinking.
Strong relationship-building skills and ability to collaborate across teams and organizational levels.
Confidence presenting to leadership, making recommendations, and influencing decisions.
Comfort with respectful, constructive challenge and being challenged to improve decisions.
Interest in working with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and broader industrial markets.
Motivation to grow within a large, growing organization with opportunities for internal advancement.
Commitment to fostering accountability, respect, and performance excellence.

Responsibilities

Own and continuously refine the rolling 12–18 month demand forecast, maintaining a documented, assumptions-based plan for aligned organizational decision-making.
Identify, communicate, and proactively manage demand risks and opportunities, partnering with commercial leaders on scenario planning.
Challenge demand assumptions using market trends, execution insights, and share-of-wallet analysis to improve forecast accuracy and business performance.
Translate commercial strategy and business objectives into actionable demand assumptions and opportunity pipelines that support profitable growth.
Support new business initiatives and key account strategies with demand insights and data-driven analysis of unconstrained market opportunities.
Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to align demand with capacity, identify demand shifts, and support prioritization and allocation decisions.
Deliver analytics and reporting that highlight gaps between plan and execution, and drive corrective actions with cross-functional stakeholders.
Lead demand planning discussions within the S&OP process, communicating risks, trade-offs, and recommended actions.
Communicate insights, assumptions, and recommendations clearly and influentially to senior stakeholders.
Lead, coach, and develop team members, fostering accountability, respect, and performance excellence.
Collaborate with commercial, supply chain, and operations teams to align demand, capacity, and execution and enable data-driven decisions.
Integrate market, customer, and pricing insights into demand planning to improve forecast quality and strategic alignment.