Demand Planner

Demand Planner

Highline Warren is looking for a highly analytical and detail-oriented Demand Planner to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for generating accurate and unbiased demand plans, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and communicating demand plan decisions to key stakeholders. This role serves as a key liaison between Commercial and Supply Chain teams to ensure that demand plans align with customer requirements, market intelligence, and strategic business goals.

The Demand Planner also plays a central role in supporting the monthly Integrated Business Planning (IBP) cycle by enriching baseline model demand forecasts with business insights to deliver the unconstrained consensus demand plan that supports operational execution and financial performance. This position requires strong analytical skills, and exceptional communication abilities.

Essential Functions

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function.

Demand Management

• Serve as a trusted advisor to key sales channels
• Collaborate closely with Sales, Marketing, Product/Category Management, Finance, and customers, to understand business insights, pricing, promotions, market dynamics, new products, and other supporting assumptions that impact demand
• Develop and maintain accurate and reliable demand plans by enriching baseline demand forecast models with input from cross-functional partners across the rolling 24+ month planning horizon
• Participate in new product launch planning and lifecycle management
• Monitor daily and weekly demand variances
• Liaise with Customer Operations and Supply Planning on abnormal demand identification and management

Collaborative Planning, Forecasting & Replenishment (CPFR)

• Facilitate regular CPFR alignment calls with key customers, sales, and supply chain teams to align promotional plans, order forecasts, and replenishment strategies that ensure optimal product availability and service levels
• Utilize POS, inventory, and order data from customer systems (Retail Link, Relex, web portals, etc.) to identify trends, forecast variances, and potential supply risks.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Logistics teams to resolve product availability issues, manage stock levels, and address order fulfillment challenges to meet customer fill rate and on-time delivery requirements
• Manage the end-to-end VMI process for designated customers, taking ownership replenishment order recommendations based on agreed-upon stock levels, sell out demand, and delivery lead times
• Proactively manage customer inventory levels within agreed-upon service level and fill rates
• Ensure all VMI system parameters (e.g., minimum/maximum stock levels, safety stock, lead times) are current and accurately reflect customer agreements and supply chain capabilities
• Lead root-cause analysis on service issues and proactively recommend order adjustments

Integrated Business Planning (IBP) Process Participation

• Support the Sales, Marketing, Product/Category Management and Finance teams including the Demand Review process leader, in preparing for the Demand Review step of the monthly IBP cycle
• Collaborate with Commercial teams to reconcile the demand forecast with business assumptions and strategic objectives
• Develop, document, update, and challenge the factors and assumptions supporting the demand plan
• Support Finance with volume projections for budgeting and financial forecasting
• Ensure seamless handoffs between Demand, Supply, and Financial Planning processes

Data Analytics and Reporting

• Utilize demand planning and analytics tools to generate demand forecasts and scenario analyses
• Maintain performance dashboards to monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) for demand plan accuracy, including (MAE/WMAPE, Bias, FVA, etc.)
• Identify root causes of variances and recommend corrective actions
• Translate data into actionable insights that drive decision-making

Continuous Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement in demand planning capability through analysis of demand trends, assumption tracking, and business intelligence
• Contribute to improving demand planning processes, tools, and data quality
• Participate in system enhancements, testing, and adoption of best practices
• Drive a culture of accountability and transparency around demand plan ownership

Minimum Experience, Education, and Certifications

An individual qualified for this job must have and maintain the following qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, data analytics, supply chain, or a related field
• 2-3+ years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, or supply chain planning
• APICS/ASCM (CPIM, CSCP, CTSC) or IBF (CPF/ACPF) certifications a plus
• Experience in the retail industry or consumer packaged goods (CPG) a plus
• Ability to use data to solve problems, make informed decisions, and implement effective solutions
• Strong organization skills and the ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication, to include presenting data effectively
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with advanced Excel and data visualization proficiency (e.g., Power Query, Power BI, Tableau etc.).
• Experience with forecasting tools and ERP/planning systems (SAP, Oracle, JDA, o9, Kinaxis, etc.) a plus
• Familiarity with Oliver Wight S&OP/IBP principals and best practices a plus

This is a unique opportunity to be at the center of Highline Warren's strategic planning process, influencing decisions that drive growth and shape production, inventory, and financial outcomes. The Demand Planner will work in a dynamic environment that values collaboration, continuous improvement, and innovation in planning excellence.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the Essential Functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Company will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendments.