Senior Planning/Forecasting Specialist

Airbus•Grand Prairie, TX

13d•Onsite

About The Position

Airbus Helicopters, Inc. is seeking an autonomous, analytical Senior Planning/Forecasting Specialist to manage material forecasting, inventory strategy, and enterprise system optimization. The role bridges production assembly and IT, managing causal forecasting, inventory allocations across facilities, and SAP support for the Operational Procurement team. The position is based at Airbus Helicopters’ U.S. regional headquarters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and is primarily onsite, with the possibility of working one day per week in a hybrid arrangement as work allows. The role requires 10% domestic and international travel and current authorization to work in the United States. The specialist manages demand and material planning, inventory parameters, kit planning, requisition auditing, and forecasting tools. They serve as the Procurement team’s SAP focal point, collaborate with IT on system changes and testing, support staff training, and maintain master data, procedures, and documentation in line with AS9100 quality and aerospace audit requirements. The position also analyzes and reports forecasting, procurement, and inventory performance to senior leadership. Airbus describes a suburban work environment near Dallas, Texas, with office and production-area work. Shop-floor visits require steel-toed shoes; appropriate hearing and eye protection may also be required. The position includes frequent computer and meeting work, walking through office and production areas, and occasional handling of office materials and equipment weighing up to 10 pounds.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Material Management, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience (four years).
Seven years of specialized, directly related experience in demand forecasting, customer demand management, material planning, inventory control, purchasing, production planning, or scheduling.
At least five years of experience involving SAP.
Strong knowledge of bills of materials (BOMs) for production materials and services.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office or Google Suite, SAP, and basic material planning (MRP) skills.
Current authorization to work in the United States; the posting states that Airbus does not sponsor visas for U.S. positions unless specified.
Able to meet the position’s physical requirements, including reading screens and documents, communicating in person and remotely, operating office electronics, sitting for extended periods, and walking through office and production areas.
Able to travel domestically and internationally; travel is required at 10%.
Wear steel-toed shoes for shop-floor visits; appropriate hearing and eye protection may also be required.

Nice To Haves

Aviation industry experience.
Experience with Skywise.

Responsibilities

Evaluate assembly line order books, sales velocity, and stocking restrictions to determine optimal materials for stock collection; adjust planning-tool parameters.
Make stocking decisions that balance operational fill rates with working capital and cash-flow impact.
Serve as the primary SAP subject matter expert for the Procurement team, providing daily navigation support, troubleshooting, and process guidance.
Prepare functional specifications for SAP modifications, manage change tickets through Jira, and work with IT to implement and test production-environment upgrades.
Perform job-function testing, user acceptance testing, and system-integration validations for procurement and planning workflows.
Develop training materials and lead workshops on SAP features, system updates, and best practices.
Maintain SAP databases and conduct periodic audits to protect master-data integrity across procurement and planning modules.
Maintain documentation, procedures, and change logs to support AS9100 quality and aerospace audit compliance.
Monitor sales-order trends and shop-floor consumption, identify outpacing demand, and apply supplemental adjustments in the forecasting tool.
Work with Work Prep, Program Managers, and shop leads to calibrate forecasting parameters, validate historical models, and resolve forecast discrepancies.
Administer, test, and continuously improve proprietary forecasting and planning software.
Plan internal shop kits and STC kits end to end, validate planning proposals, and coordinate production-order releases with Kit Administrators.
Configure and maintain SAP planning parameters, including safety stock, minimum order quantities, rounding rules, and minimum lot sizes, to support accurate automated purchase requisitions.
Communicate part requirements across internal backshops and Purchasing, and proactively expedite critical supplier components to meet delivery milestones.
Maintain part-master records by technically screening materials for interchangeability and alternate-spare classification.
Maintain and develop analytical tools to validate automated material recommendations before purchase-order execution.
Track, analyze, and present forecasting, procurement, and inventory performance metrics in presentations for senior leadership.
Regularly audit sales-order books, identify discrepancies, and collaborate with requesting departments to resolve demand anomalies.
Act with integrity and maintain awareness of potential compliance risks.

Benefits

Competitive base salary.
Incentive compensation, which may include profit-sharing schemes.
Retirement savings plan.
Ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Paid time off, including personal time and holidays.
Paid parental leave program.
Medical insurance, including traditional and high-deductible health plans.
Prescription coverage.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Life insurance.
Disability coverage.
Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) and other supplemental benefit coverage.
Upskilling and development opportunities through the global Leadership University, including access to more than 10,000 e-learning courses.
Opportunities for certifications, career development, accelerated development programs, and national and international mobility.