Sr Dir, Demand Planning & Strategy

Jazwares, LLC•Bentonville, AR

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Demand Planning & Strategy is responsible for owning the end-to-end integration of demand forecasting, inventory optimization, assortment strategy, and retail execution for assigned national retail accounts. This position serves as the strategic connector across Sales, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, and Operations to drive in-stock excellence, forecast accuracy, and profitable growth. This role elevates demand planning from a transactional forecasting function into a proactive business leadership capability that directly influences revenue growth, inventory productivity, margin performance, and retailer partnerships. The Senior Director will lead both strategic and tactical decision-making to optimize supply and demand alignment while advancing enterprise and customer objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Supply Chain, Analytics, or related field is a plus.
10+ years of progressive experience in demand planning, sales planning, merchandising, forecasting, supply chain, or related functions within consumer goods or retail environments.
7+ years of leadership experience managing cross-functional teams and strategic business initiatives.
Proven experience managing large national retail accounts and complex forecasting environments.
Strong expertise in demand planning methodologies, inventory management, assortment optimization, and retail analytics.
Demonstrated success driving forecast accuracy improvements, inventory productivity, and retail sales growth.
Advanced analytical and financial acumen with the ability to translate data into strategic recommendations.
Strong executive communication and presentation skills with experience influencing senior leadership and retail partners.
Experience leading S&OP, demand review, or integrated business planning processes.
Strategic mindset with strong operational execution capabilities.
Exceptional cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
Strong business acumen with understanding of retail economics, category management, and supply chain dynamics.
Ability to thrive in fast-paced, high-growth environments while managing multiple priorities.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, G-Suite, forecasting/planning systems, and retailer vendor portals.
Strong project management and organizational leadership skills.
Excellent problem-solving, negotiation, and conflict-resolution abilities.
Ability to influence without direct authority and drive alignment across diverse teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the toy, baby, costume, pet, or broader consumer goods industries.
Experience working with major national retail accounts and retailer vendor systems.

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end demand, inventory, and retail integration strategy for assigned national retail accounts, ensuring alignment across Sales, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, and Operations.
Lead development and execution of item-level baseline, promotional, seasonal, and event-driven forecasts, delivering rolling 13-week and 6-month outlooks that support revenue growth and operational efficiency.
Drive continuous forecast accuracy improvement with a target performance range of ±5–8% through root-cause analysis, demand modeling, and cross-functional alignment.
Manage inventory as a strategic business lever by optimizing in-stock performance, inventory turns, weeks of supply, fill rates, and OTIF metrics while minimizing excess and aged inventory.
Identify and proactively resolve inventory risks, replenishment constraints, and supply disruptions through close partnership with Operations, Production, and Supply Chain teams.
Lead modular planning, assortment optimization, SKU productivity analysis, and shelf strategy initiatives to maximize category performance and retail productivity.
Develop and optimize Good/Better/Best pricing ladders and assortment architecture aligned with consumer segmentation, retailer objectives, and margin targets.
Partner with Sales leadership on line reviews, retailer presentations, and strategic business planning using data-driven insights and category analytics.
Ensure execution readiness for all promotional, seasonal, and retailer-specific events including features, rollbacks, endcaps, and innovation launches.
Evaluate promotional lift, ROI, incrementality, and post-event performance to improve future planning effectiveness and financial outcomes.
Deliver executive-level reporting and business analytics including POS performance, forecast accuracy, inventory trends, SKU productivity, financial risks, and growth opportunities.
Lead monthly demand reviews and weekly operating cadences to ensure a single, aligned version of truth across forecasting, inventory, and sales assumptions.
Build and maintain strong strategic relationships with retailer partners while identifying emerging trends, market dynamics, and opportunities for long-term growth.
Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing planning and analytics teams while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Drive process optimization, planning capability enhancements, and strategic initiatives that improve scalability, decision-making, and overall business performance.

Benefits

Basic medical insurance that is 100% company-paid for employees and their children
Employee basic life and AD&D insurance
401(K) retirement program with Jazwares matching up to 4% of pretax or post-tax deferrals
Short and long-term disability
Tuition reimbursement
Flexible work schedule
Monday through Thursday on-site, with an optional WFH on Fridays
Up to 20 workdays fully remote each year
Time Off for vacation and sick leave
Opportunity to volunteer for up to 16 hours a year on community service projects through Jazwares Cares