Senior Demand Planning Manager
About The Position
The Senior Demand Planning Manager executes demand forecasting strategy for the Americas region, supporting the United States and Canada and carrying accountability for annual sales revenue. The role provides leadership for cultural and process transformation and robust planning processes, combining deep analytical expertise with collaboration across Finance, Marketing, Sales, and other functions. It requires strong communication and influencing skills with senior leaders across the CPD organization. The position leads the monthly Commercial Review and consensus process within the IBP framework and participates in Supply Review and Financial Reconciliation meetings. It provides business insights on long-range volume forecasts for Marketing and tactical and strategic volume outlooks for Sales, while developing volume projection assumptions, risks, and opportunities aligned with financial objectives. It also supports Product Life Cycle through supply chain forecasting, error detection, and resolution. Accurate forecasts help McCormick deliver predictable financial results and meet cost, service, and working-capital goals. The role is also expected to develop processes and capabilities that enable future growth. The position is based at McCormick’s Global Headquarters in Hunt Valley, Maryland, in a hybrid 50/50 capacity. It leads and coaches a team of four to five.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Finance, Supply Chain, or a related field.
- At least 8 years of planning experience and a strong understanding of end-to-end processes.
- CPG experience.
- Experience leading and coaching high-performing teams.
- Strong collaboration and business-partnering skills.
- Strong professionalism and ability to influence senior leaders in Marketing, Sales, Finance, Supply Planning, Commercialization, and related functions.
- Excellent communication, influencing, and presentation skills, with high emotional intelligence.
- Excellent analytical skills and ability to synthesize complex, disparate data into key insights and clear, actionable leadership takeaways.
- Proven problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
- Ability to manage large, high-profile projects and develop and implement process-improvement initiatives across cross-functional teams.
- Knowledge of SAP, Microsoft Office tools, ERP packages, and other relevant IT systems, with a focus on planning and forecasting.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, ERP systems such as SAP, ECC, APO, IBP, and forecasting tools.
Nice To Haves
- MBA.
- Experience in statistical forecasting and knowledge of demand planning systems.
Responsibilities
- Lead and coach a team of four to five.
- Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Customer Supply Chain, Finance, Commercialization, Supply Planning, and other functions to gather current and accurate information.
- Analyze and triangulate historical trends, statistical and machine-learning models, sales and marketing assumptions, external consumption, customer forecasts, and new-product commercialization inputs to create, validate, and develop the demand plan.
- Collaborate with the Data Science team to drive adoption and translation of AI/ML algorithmic forecasting models.
- Lead the monthly Commercial Review portion of the IBP process, ensuring input and insights from General Managers and senior leaders across Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Supply.
- Challenge unrealistic demand plans, identify gaps against business and strategic plans, and develop actions to eliminate or narrow those gaps.
- Assess downstream and cross-functional impacts of material long-term plan changes.
- Work with Marketing and Sales to understand upside opportunities and downside risks versus the demand plan, and align with Finance on which risks and opportunities belong in the financial plan.
- Conduct Forecast Value-Add (FVA) analysis and implement it as part of the mid-to-long-term demand planning strategy.
- Develop and execute demand planning strategy, adjusting it to changing business needs.
- Maintain working relationships with business leadership and commercial units to assess growth plans, go-to-market plans, customer strategies, and industry trends.
- Identify, develop, and drive continuous and process-improvement initiatives across end-to-end Planning and Supply Chain, aiming for breakthrough, broadly applicable, value-creating, or cost-reducing improvements.
- Provide leadership in IBP and S&OE processes, owning Commercial Review and engaging in and supporting Supply Review, Integrated Reconciliation, and Monthly Business Review.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation
- Career growth opportunities
- Flexibility and support for diverse life stages and choices
- Comprehensive health plans covering medical, vision, dental, life, and disability benefits
- Paid parental leave
- Fertility benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Caregiver support
- 401(k) and profit-sharing plans
- Incentive Bonus (MIB) Plan for eligible participants
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
