Demand Planner

Demand Planner

BayWa r.e. Solar Systems LLC (BayWa r.e.) is dedicated to supporting local, independent installers the foundation of a robust and healthy solar industry. We offer best-in-class products coupled with unrivaled customer support and a growing suite of services aimed at helping installation companies run more efficiently.

For our employees, the tangible value in our company comes from the growth opportunities available to those with initiative and curiosity. We believe that the work is the boss : figure out what needs to get done and then it's all hands-on deck.

This Demand Planner is responsible for coordination of all forecasting and demand planning activities in alignment with organizational revenue goals and Sales & Operations Planning cadence. The Demand Planner creates and maintains demand plans incorporating business intelligence, forecast information gathered from sales, marketing and product strategy. The role is also responsible for reporting on performance to plan and to highlight gaps to S&OP leadership.

The position reports into the Manager, Sales and Operations Planning.

Demand Planning (80%)

BI Analytics (20%)

Develop demand forecasts at multiple levels of aggregation for necessary time horizons as part of a demand planning function.

Review historical sales trends, research demand drivers, prepare forecast data, develop statistical forecast models, solidify methodology and evaluate forecast results.

Coordinate cross-functional research activities to reconcile significant variances and refine the forecast model to reflect updated sales and supply chain assumptions.

Utilize a collaborative and consensus approach by working with Sales, Product Management and Supply Chain to obtain and ensure that current and accurate information is used for demand forecasts.

Own and update the Demand Planning program (Excel & Kinaxis) as the primary system planning tool.

Provide input to the Supply Planning organization in developing inventory strategies on existing items, new products, and product phase-outs.

Daily management and problem-solving of supply and inventory plan variances, including unexpected demand, to ensure appropriate communication and actions with sales and supply chain personnel.

Coordinate and support demand & inventory planning meetings with sales, supply chain and logistics team to update demand plans in a timely manner.

Review product portfolio to proactively work together with sales to continuously be aligned around when and which products / items / SKUs are introduced to or withdrawn from the market.

Coordinate with the inventory obsolescence manager and supply chain to drive disposition of excess / obsolete inventory.

You will partner closely with regional teams to ensure demand plans are tracked against sales, relevant gap analysis is conducted and discussed with key stakeholders.

Enable forecast accuracy by ensuring that sales input is supported with objective and reliable data.

Improve demand planning accuracy.

Inventory health optimization through effective demand planning coordination of stockouts, excess and aged inventory.

Support the team through the design of decision support systems and exploratory data analysis pertaining to demand planning.

Support and lead data driven initiatives, both within the team and in collaborative team efforts.

Act as a mentor to upskill data capabilities of individuals on the team, ensuring that best practices are introduced and documented.

Develop and deliver insightful dashboards and reports that inform leadership decision-making and drive forecast accuracy improvements.

Demonstrated critical thinking, deductive reasoning, problem solving, and analytical skills to interpret data, understand demand trends and take appropriate actions.

Aptitude to collaborate with cross functional teams to promote productivity and enhance supply chain overall functions.

Proven track record of collaboration skills required to drive operational efficiency with high levels of personal accountability / reliability, including driving impact across teams.

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, agile environment with a rapid rate of change.

Ability to make decisions without complete information and thrive in managing through highly ambiguous situations is a must.

Ability to present to executive stakeholders.

Data storytelling and visualization as communication tools.

Proactive learner with self-starter mentality and exceptional interpersonal, oral, presentation and written communication skills.

Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.

Self-starter with excellent time management skills with a proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.

Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

A minimum of 3 years' experience in demand planning, preferably in a B2B company.

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Statistics, Economics, or related field.

Experience working in NetSuite, Excel, Kinaxis and / or equivalent programs.

Statistical knowledge and ability to apply statistics to product and process improvement projects.

Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (MS Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Power BI).

Experience with Power BI, Power Query and Python is a strong plus.

While performing the duties of this job there will be :

Regularly required to sit, talk, use repetitive motion, type, and hear.

Frequently required to stand, walk, use hands and fingers to handle and feel, and reach with hands and arms.

Occasionally required to bend, kneel, crouch, climb stairs, and reach overhead.

Willing to travel between 5% to 10% of time.