Senior Demand Planning Analyst

Topco Associates•Itasca, IL

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Topco Associates is currently seeking a Senior Demand Planning Analyst for the Supply Chain team in Itasca, IL. This position will be a hybrid role, with the successful candidate conducting work in our Itasca office three times per week and virtually twice per week. Topco’s mission is to deliver solutions that help our member owners, regional retailers, and wholesalers achieve a competitive advantage. We are committed to building high-performing, diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve and drive innovation across our business. The Senior Demand Planning Analyst plays a key role in driving accurate, timely, and actionable demand forecasts across a complex grocery and consumer products network. This position is responsible for developing and maintaining demand plans, identifying trends and risks, and partnering cross-functionally to improve forecast accuracy, inventory performance, and service levels. As a senior contributor within the Demand Planning organization, this role partners closely with Supply Planning, Category Management, Sourcing, Suppliers, and Member teams to align demand signals with operational and business objectives. The Senior Analyst supports both day-to-day planning execution and broader strategic initiatives, including supplier transitions, new item launches, forecasting process enhancements, and planning system improvements. Success in this role requires strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, effective communication skills, and the ability to influence stakeholders across a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Finance, Operations, Analytics, or a related field
4+ years of experience in Demand Planning, Forecasting, Supply Chain, Inventory Planning, or related analytical roles
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex data sets and translate insights into business decisions
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, formulas, and data analysis
Experience working with ERP and/or demand planning systems
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills

Nice To Haves

Experience within grocery, retail, consumer packaged goods (CPG), food manufacturing, distribution, or group purchasing organizations
Experience with demand planning platforms such as SAP APO, SAP IBP, Blue Yonder, or Kinaxis RapidResponse strongly preferred
Experience using data visualization and analytics tools such as Tableau or Microsoft Power BI
Knowledge of forecasting methodologies, inventory management principles, and supply chain planning processes
Experience supporting cross-functional planning initiatives

Responsibilities

Develop, manage, and continuously refine demand forecasts across assigned categories, suppliers, and product portfolios
Analyze historical sales, seasonality, promotional activity, market trends, and member inputs to improve forecast accuracy and responsiveness
Maintain forecast assumptions and adjust demand plans based on changing business conditions, supply constraints, and emerging risks
Support planning activities related to new item launches, item transitions, discontinuations, and supplier changes
Monitor forecast performance and identify root causes of forecast variance and bias to drive continuous improvement
Partner with Supply Planning teams to align demand forecasts with supply and inventory strategies
Collaborate with Category Management, Sourcing, Suppliers, and Member teams to validate assumptions and align on volume expectations
Lead collaborative planning discussions that improve forecast visibility, decision-making, and operational readiness
Proactively communicate demand risks, opportunities, and forecast changes to stakeholders across the organization
Monitor and report on key performance indicators, including forecast accuracy, forecast bias, and service-level performance
Translate data analysis and trend insights into actionable business recommendations
Maintain reporting tools, dashboards, and forecast performance metrics
Support leadership reporting and business reviews through clear, concise, and data-driven analysis
Identify forecasting gaps, process inefficiencies, and opportunities to improve planning effectiveness
Contribute to the development and standardization of demand planning processes, tools, and documentation
Support planning system enhancements, implementations, and data governance initiatives
Partner cross-functionally to improve planning workflows, reporting automation, and forecast collaboration processes