Demand Planner

Apply Job Type Full-time Description

Lactalis US Yogurt is currently seeking candidates to join our Supply Chain Team.

Lactalis Group, the world leader in dairy, is a family-owned business with more than 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals worldwide, committed to providing healthy and delicious dairy products that bring people together every day.

At Lactalis, our core values of AMBITION , ENGAGEMENT , and SIMPLICITY are at the heart of everything we do.

If you’re looking for a unique experience with a company that offers strong brands, professional expertise, and a dynamic work environment that champions entrepreneurial spirit, hands-on responsibility, and real opportunity for career development, we want to hear from you!

At Lactalis US Yogurt, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace and we know that our candidates come from many different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.

If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we still encourage you to apply and share with us your STORY , your PASSION , and your EXPERTISE ! You may be just the perfect candidate for this or other roles within our company.

From your PASSION to ours

The Demand Planner is accountable for developing a shipment demand plan utilizing consumption input, sales input, statistical models, historical sales data, trade inventory assumptions and channel inputs.

The principal objective is to deliver the most accurate unbiased, unconstrained demand plan based on all cross functional input.

This role is responsible for the demand disaggregation process including translating input from the sales team into an executable item / location forecast to be utilized in the supply planning processes, which requires collaboration with sales and marketing to resolve discrepancies using analysis, category reviews and the facilitation of monthly demand review meetings.

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include :

• Develop demand forecasts (operational forecasts) at multiple levels of aggregation for multiple time horizons as part of the overall demand management process
• Collaborate with marketing, sales, and finance to understand marketing programs, new product introductions, pricing changes, promotions, and distribution changes to meet customer demand
• Lead monthly consensus process based on information gained to develop a forecast to meet Supply Chain service, inventory goals, and create the monthly financial forecast
• Leverage the demand planning tools & systems to anchor the forecast with a statistical baseline and utilize event-modelling to enrich the baseline with new information based on aligned planning assumptions.
• Develop a 2-year forecast by demand forecasting unit in the planning system to be utilized for manufacturing and deployment planning
• Provide input to the Supply Planning organization in developing inventory strategies on existing items, new products, and product phase-outs
• Track weekly and monthly forecast errors to identify contributing factors. Utilize continuous improvement tools to focus on root cause along with analytical reporting and tools to identify areas of opportunity and process improvement
• Perform total brand and item mix analysis and provide insights to lead volume discussions
• Become brand volume expert through understanding consumption and shipment trends in addition to category and industry dynamics
• Partner with supply planning to understand supply chain implications of forecast changes
• Perform both product and customer segmentation analysis to determine appropriate focus areas
• Present the latest brand / segment forecast and associated assumptions
• Evaluate and analyze statistical forecasts for products and product lines using FuturMaster
• Use statistical knowledge to apply appropriate forecast models, trend, and seasonality to finished goods forecasts
• Provide recommendations and input on a continual basis regarding job duties

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following :

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, engineering, business, logistics, or related field.
• 2+ years of experience in demand planning / forecasting. Additional cross functional experience in supply planning, or other supply chain disciplines is preferred.
• Proficiency in Excel and general knowledge of other MS Office applications the business uses.
• SAP experience.
• Knowledge of customer and consumer behavior and how those behaviors impact the demand plan.
• Knowledge of the methodologies of statistical forecasting and how this forms the basis of a demand signal
• Knowledge of how to develop a driver-based demand plan and the various inputs that are used
• Ability to demonstrate a drive for results within demand planning and understand how this links with the organizational goals.

Proven ability to build effective relationships with all departments and employees in a collaborative team-oriented environment.

• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines within specified time constraints.
• Ability to operate in a team environment.
• Ability to adapt in a changing work environment.

Lactalis US Yogurt and Subsidiaries is an Equal Opportunity Employer