Senior Demand Planner

Description

The Senior Demand Planner is responsible for driving Middleby Residential’s forecasting accuracy, inventory optimization, and sales & operations planning (S&OP) process across brands for merchandise and parts. The ideal candidate has deep experience in demand planning, supply chain analytics, and cross-functional collaboration with the sales, marketing, operations, and procurement teams. The Senior Demand Planner builds accurate demand forecasts, analyzes market trends, and ensures alignment between business strategy and supply chain execution.

Essential Functions

Demand Forecasting and Analysis

• Develops and maintains rolling forecasts using historical data, market trends, and business intelligence.
• Owns key performance indicators (KPIs) such as forecast accuracy, inventory turns, fill rate, and service level.
• Analyzes demand drivers, product lifecycle changes, promotions, and customer trends to improve forecast accuracy.
• Monitors and adjusts forecasts based on seasonality, customer orders, and distribution channel requirements and macroeconomic factors such as housing starts, refinance data, mortgage rates, existing home sales.
• Leverages advanced planning tools and ERP systems for demand planning and forecasting.
• Gathers field intelligence for use in forecasting through face-to-face collaboration with key accounts.
• Leads continuous improvement initiatives for implementing/improving demand planning processes and selecting forecasting and demand planning tools/software.
• Develops risk matrices and mitigation plans for demand volatility, supply disruptions, and geopolitical factors.
• Conducts scenario planning to prepare for demand surges, supply disruptions, and market volatility.
  
  

Inventory Strategy and Optimization

• Analyzes inventory levels and implements strategies to reduce excess and minimize stockouts.
• Defines safety stock parameters and reorder points based on demand variability and service level targets.
• Designs and implements inventory segmentation strategies (e.g., ABC analysis, demand variability).
• Supports product launches through the New Product Introduction (NPI) process, promotions, and customer programs with aligned demand plans.
  
  

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Leads S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) meetings and drives consensus across departments.
• Communicates insights and recommendations to senior leadership to support strategic decisions.
• Collaborates with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to align forecasts with strategic goals.
• Partners with procurement teams to ensure timely and cost-effective sourcing aligned with demand.
• Partners with production teams to translate demand into level-loaded schedules that optimize labor and equipment.
• Coordinates with manufacturing and operations teams to balance workloads and avoid bottlenecks.
  
  

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Statistics, or related field.
• 5 years of experience in demand planning or supply chain roles, within a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Proven experience leading S&OP or IBP (Integrated Business Planning) cycles.
• Strong proficiency with forecasting tools and ERP systems (i.e., SAP, SysPro, IBP, Logility, Intuendi, etc.).
• Advanced Excel and data analysis skills; knowledge of SQL, MS Excel, Power BI, or other analytics tools is a plus.
• High-level understanding of procurement processes, inventory management, and production planning.
• Excellent analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to effectively facilitate discussions and influence without authority in a team environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally, in writing, and through formal presentations.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changes in goals and objectives.
• Experience in fast-paced, high SKU-count environments preferred.