Demand Planning Manager

The Demand Planning Manager is responsible for leading the development, management, and continuous improvement of the company’s demand forecasting and planning processes within a fast-paced Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), manufacturing, and food distribution environment.

This role ensures accurate, data-driven forecasts that balance customer service levels, inventory optimization, production efficiency, and product shelf-life constraints. The Demand Planning Manager translates cross-functional inputs into actionable demand and supply plans while leading the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) / Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process.

As a leader within the supply chain organization, this role partners closely with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, Purchasing, and Production, while also developing and mentoring the demand planning team and driving best-in-class planning capabilities.

100% on site in New Stanton/Mount Pleasant Area

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and manage statistical and consensus-based demand forecasts at SKU, customer, and channel level
• As a people manager with direct reports/team - Lead, mentor, and develop the demand planning team; establish best practices and scalable processes
• Lead the monthly S&OP / IBP process, ensuring alignment across demand, supply, financial, and operational plans
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to incorporate promotions, seasonality, new product launches, and customer-specific programs into forecasts
• Utilize retailer POS data (e.g., Nielsen, IRI, retailer portals) to enhance forecast accuracy and demand insights
• Partner with Purchasing and Production to align forecasts with raw material availability, manufacturing capacity, and production scheduling
• Translate demand forecasts into actionable purchasing, production, and distribution plans
• Incorporate shelf-life limitations, spoilage risk, and freshness requirements into all planning decisions
• Optimize inventory levels to balance service levels, working capital, and waste/shrink reduction
• Analyze forecast performance & accuracy and lead continuous improvement initiatives
• Identify demand and supply risks (e.g., variability, promotions, constraints, disruptions) and develop mitigation strategies
• Define, track, and report KPIs including forecast accuracy, service levels, fill rates, inventory turns, and spoilage
• Drive data integrity and enhance forecasting tools, systems, and reporting capabilities
• Support rapid SKU growth, innovation pipelines, and evolving business needs

Qualifications

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Statistics, or a related field preferred (or equivalent experience)
• Professional certifications are a plus:
  • APICS / ASCM CPIM (Certified in Production & Inventory Management)
  • APICS / ASCM CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional)
  • IBF CPF (Certified Professional Forecaster)

Experience

• 5 years of experience in demand planning, supply chain planning, or forecasting within a CPG environment (food industry strongly preferred)
• Proven experience managing SKU-level forecasts across multiple retailers and sales channels
• Experience leading or owning S&OP / Integrated Business Planning (IBP) processes
• Demonstrated success collaborating cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and external partners
• Experience with new product launches, promotional forecasting, and innovation pipelines
• Experience working with retailer POS data (e.g., Nielsen, IRI, or retailer portals)
• Prior experience leading or mentoring team members is strongly preferred

Technical Skills

• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (pivot tables, Power Query, forecasting models)
• Experience with ERP and demand planning systems (e.g., SAP, NetSuite, Oracle)
• Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to interpret:
  • POS data
  • Shipment history
  • Promotional lift
  • Seasonal trends
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI) preferred

Leadership & Business Skills

• Proven ability to lead S&OP / IBP processes and facilitate cross-functional alignment
• Strong leadership and team development capabilities
• Ability to translate sales pipelines and promotional plans into actionable forecasts
• Experience improving forecast accuracy and driving KPI-based performance management
• Ability to balance customer service levels, inventory investment, and operational constraints
• Strong business acumen, with the ability to connect demand plans to financial outcomes

Industry Knowledge

Strong understanding of food CPG and distribution dynamics, including:

• Retailer replenishment processes and lead times
• Promotional calendars and trade spend management
• Shelf resets and product lifecycle management
• Perishability and shelf-life considerations
• Co-manufacturing and supplier constraints

Key Competencies & Additional Attributes

• Ability to balance freshness, service levels, and operational efficiency in a perishable environment
• Hands-on leader who can build and adjust forecasts while guiding a team
• Comfortable working with incomplete or imperfect data
• Strong partnership mindset with sales leaders and key account managers
• High attention to detail with the ability to manage rapidly changing priorities
• Effective problem-solving in time-sensitive, high-variability environments
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to scale processes, tools, and team capabilities in a growing organization

You’ll be working in a collaborative and innovative environment with an abundance of opportunities to learn and develop. Here, you will find a culture that encourages an entrepreneurial mindset that is focused on the future. You will work with an amazing team that helps and supports professional growth as well as works as a team to make sure the job gets done.  

Compensation

• Competitive wages
• Bi-weekly pay
• 401k with company match

Time Off

• Paid time off (can be cashed out in lieu of time off, if desired)
• Paid holidays off: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas

Health Insurance & Ancillary Benefits (available after 14 days for full time employees)

• Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental and Vision
• Hospital Indemnity
• Term Life Insurance
• Pre-tax spending accounts
• Free flu shots (all employees)

Life Events

• Short- term and Long-term disability
• Accident
• Employee Assistance Program (Counseling, Legal, Financial, Work/Life)

Career Opportunities

• Career Advancement
• Opportunities to transfer to other locations or departments
• Training & Development
• Individualized Leadership Training Opportunities
• Individualized Intern Development

Team Member Perks

• Referral Program
• On-Line Purchase Discount

Founded in 1950, the George DeLallo Company is a family-owned manufacturer and distributor of specialty Italian and Mediterranean foods. As pioneers and leaders of the industry, we have expanded from our beginnings in Jeannette, PA, as a roadside Italian marketplace to multiple locations. Our corporate office and distribution center is in Mount Pleasant, PA, where we lead our national sales teams and operate our fleet to service customers. We operate three olive and antipasto production facilities in Mount Pleasant, Penn, PA, and Oroville, CA. In addition, we own and operate our very own olive orchard in Oroville, CA, as well as an industrial bakery in Bridgeville, PA.

The tenured team at DeLallo is enthusiastic about the continued growth and innovation of our company. Because our owners participate in day-to-day operations, dedicated team members who exhibit a strong work ethic, teamwork and professionalism are recognized and can more rapidly further their careers. As our company continues to grow, so does our need to build a solid team who offers experience, education and specialization to key fields of operation and who can continue to drive innovation. DeLallo provides quality products and programs to create partnerships with customers, to build brand loyalty with consumers and to give employees a sense of pride in the products that they bring to the market—to delight their neighbors with innovative, authentic and wholesome foods.