Sr. Specialist, Demand Planning

Primient•Decatur, IL

3d•$85,528 - $106,910

About The Position

The Sr. Specialist, Demand Planning sits within Supply Chain Planning and refines future product needs into a unified 15-month forecast by synthesizing inputs from sales teams and customers. This role goes beyond forecast execution — it owns demand signal quality, statistical model design, and the continuous improvement of the tools and processes that drive the consensus plan. Operating across multiple business units with a complex mix of MTS, MTO, and spot demand patterns, creates a plan that is shared with Supply Chain Planning for operational feasibility and with Finance for budgeting and revenue projections.

Requirements

Advanced statistical forecasting methods
S&OP process design, facilitation, and continuous improvement
Demand segmentation methodology across MTS, MTO, lumpy, and campaign pattern types
ERP systems (SAP preferred) and advanced planning systems (Arkieva or equivalent)
Microsoft Applications — advanced Excel (Power Query, dynamic arrays), PowerBI
Advanced data analysis and statistical modeling
Strong verbal and written communication
Structured problem-solving and root cause analysis (RCCA)
Critical thinking; challenges assumptions with data
Planning tool design and development, including familiarity with AI/automation tools
Continuous Improvement orientation
Systems thinker — sees demand, supply, and inventory as interconnected
Data-driven and analytically rigorous
Collaborative and influential without direct authority
Composed and credible under pressure in executive settings
Bachelor's in Supply Chain, Operations, Mathematics, Statistics, Analytics, Engineering, or Business (required)
5+ years of progressive supply chain and demand planning experience (required)
Demonstrated ability working with large data sets with Excel, Access, etc. (required)
Experience in ERP systems, such as SAP (required)

Nice To Haves

Certificates in APICS CSCP/CPIM, Six Sigma or Lean Management (preferred)
Experience in continuous flow or process manufacturing environment (preferred)
Demonstrated history of continuous improvement and planning tool development (preferred)

Responsibilities

Lead SKU segmentation across MTS Baseline, Spot, and MTO demand patterns before applying any statistical methodology.
Build and maintain multi-variable forecasts to analyze market trends and demand drivers, assessing their potential impact on product needs. Adjust the forecasts accordingly to reflect these insights.
Own and facilitate the S&OP Demand Review across all business units.
Challenge and reconcile bottom-up and top-down commercial inputs, maintain a quantified upside/downside risk register in volume and revenue terms, and present demand assumptions and scenario analysis directly to senior leadership.
Lead structured Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) reviews on forecast threshold misses, distinguishing model error, process error, and execution error in all reporting.
Set and track quarterly continuous improvement targets for accuracy, bias reduction, and planning cycle efficiency.
Own MAPE, wMAPE, and directional bias KPIs by SKU, business unit, product format, and planning horizon.
Design and maintain the KPI reporting framework — not just the numbers — ensuring the organization measures planning quality correctly and acts on the right signals.
Continuously evaluate and improve demand planning processes, methodologies, and supporting tools.
Design and build practical planning tools for cross-functional use.
Leverage AI and automation selectively to accelerate tool development and improve analytical output quality.
Translate planning methodology into business language to align sales, finance, and operations without direct authority.
Lead the demand planning workstream for new business onboarding, acquisitions, and product launches.