Position Summary The Senior SIOP Demand Planner is a strategic business partner responsible for leading demand planning excellence across assigned product families, markets, and regions. This role serves as the primary interface between Sales, Marketing, Finance, Product Management, Supply Planning, and the Supply Chain Center of Excellence (COE), ensuring a high-quality demand signal that enables world-class customer service, inventory optimization, operational execution, and profitable growth. The Demand Planner owns the monthly demand plan and leads the collaborative forecasting process by combining statistical forecasting, market intelligence, customer insights, and commercial strategy into an executable operating plan. This individual will challenge assumptions with data, influence cross-functional decisions, and drive accountability throughout the monthly SIOP process. Working closely with the Supply Chain Center of Excellence (COE), this role will help standardize planning processes, improve data quality, implement advanced planning technologies, and drive continuous improvement across the global organization. The Senior Demand Planner is expected to be a leader in the company's digital transformation journey and play a critical role in building a world-class SIOP organization.
Key Responsibilities
Demand Planning & Forecast Ownership
- Own the monthly demand plan for assigned product families and regions.
- Develop statistical forecasts utilizing historical demand, market trends, customer intelligence, seasonality, and business analytics.
- Continuously improve forecast accuracy through root cause analysis and corrective actions.
- Analyze forecast risks and opportunities while developing mitigation and recovery plans.
- Maintain forecast assumptions and document changes throughout the monthly SIOP cycle.
- Develop demand scenarios to support strategic business decisions.
Commercial Partnership
- Serve as the primary Supply Chain business partner to Sales.
- Build strong partnerships with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Finance, Customer Service, and Operations.
- Lead collaborative forecasting sessions with commercial teams to develop an unbiased consensus demand plan.
- Challenge forecasts using data-driven analysis while supporting commercial growth objectives.
- Translate customer opportunities, promotions, project business, market trends, and competitive intelligence into an executable demand plan.
- Ensure commercial strategies align with operational capabilities and capacity constraints.
SIOP Leadership
- Lead the Demand Review process within the monthly SIOP cadence.
- Present demand trends, forecast assumptions, risks, opportunities, and executive recommendations.
- Partner with Supply Planning to balance customer demand, inventory production capacity, and service levels.
- Drive executive decision-making using fact‑based analysis and business insights.
- Support Executive SIOP meetings with meaningful analytics and recommendations.
- Escalate demand risks early and facilitate cross-functional mitigation plans.
Center of Excellence (COE) Partnership
- Partner closely with the Supply Chain Center of Excellence (COE) to develop and deploy standardized global planning processes and best practices.
- Collaborate with the COE to improve master data, planning parameters, and forecasting methodologies.
- Support implementation and optimization of advanced planning systems, AI forecasting capabilities, automation, and digital planning tools.
- Work with the COE to develop dashboards, KPIs, executive reporting, and business analytics.
- Ensure compliance with global SIOP standards and governance.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on planning excellence and operational efficiency.
- Participate in enterprise-wide planning transformation projects.
- Champion organizational change by promoting new planning processes, technologies, and capabilities.
Analytics & Business Intelligence
- Develop executive-level dashboards and reporting tools that improve business visibility.
- Monitor Forecast Accuracy, Forecast Bias, Customer Service, Inventory Health, Demand Volatility, and other planning KPIs.
- Perform root cause analysis on forecast performance and recommend corrective actions.
- Utilize advanced analytics to identify trends, risks, and business opportunities.
- Provide actionable insights that improve strategic decision-making.
Product Lifecycle Management
- Lead demand planning activities for New Product Introductions (NPI), product transitions, and end‑of‑life planning.
- Develop inventory strategies that support successful product launches while minimizing excess and obsolete inventory.
- Coordinate product lifecycle plans across Commercial, Operations, and Product Management.
Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Maintain forecasting data integrity within ERP and Demand Planning systems.
- Drive standardization of forecasting methodologies and planning processes.
- Support implementation of new planning technologies and digital transformation initiatives.
- Identify automation opportunities that improve planning productivity and data accuracy.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement using Lean principles and best practices.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Forecast Accuracy
- Forecast Bias
- Customer Service / On‑Time Delivery
- Support Inventory Turns
- Inventory Reduction
- Demand Plan Stability
- SIOP Plan Adherence
- Executive SIOP Readiness
- New Product Launch Accuracy
- Continuous Improvement
- Savings
- Planning Data Quality
Education & Experience Required
- Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Operations Management, Finance, Statistics, or related field.
- Minimum of five (5) years of experience in Demand Planning, Forecasting, Supply Chain Planning, or SIOP.
- Experience partnering with commercial organizations in a manufacturing environment.
- Strong understanding of Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP/S&OP).
- Preferred APICS CPIM or CSCP certification.
- IBF Certified Professional Forecaster (CPF) or equivalent.
- Experience implementing or optimizing advanced planning systems.
- Experience with SAP and planning platforms such as SAP IBP, Kinaxis, Blue Yonder, OMP, o9 Solutions, Oracle, or similar.
- Advanced Power BI or Tableau experience.
- Lean Six Sigma certification.
- Ability to travel (25%) internationally as business needs require.
- Knowledge, Skills & Competencies
- Expert knowledge of forecasting methodologies and statistical analysis.
- Advanced analytical and problem‑solving capabilities.
- Strong business and financial acumen.
- Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills.
- Ability to influence without direct authority.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and Power BI skills.
- Experience with ERP and advanced planning systems.
- Strong project management and organizational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
- Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
- High level of accountability, ownership, and integrity.
- Continuous Improvement mindset.
- English proficiency required.
Leadership Expectations
- Serve as the trusted advisor to Sales regarding demand planning and forecasting.
- Build strong partnerships across Commercial, Operations, Finance, and the Supply Chain COE.
- Lead through influence using facts, analytics, and business insight.
- Challenge assumptions while maintaining collaborative relationships.
- Anticipate business risks before they impact customers.
- Drive accountability across cross‑functional teams.
- Promote data‑driven decision making throughout the organization.
- Champion continuos improvement and digital transformation initiatives.
- Develop standardized planning processes that support global operational excellence.
- Represent the SIOP organization with professionalism, credibility, and executive presence.
Success in the Role
- Deliver a world‑class demand plan trusted by Commercial and Operations.
- Improve forecast accuracy while reducing forecast bias.
- Enable higher customer service with optimized inventory investment.
- Successfully integrate commercial strategy with operational execution.
- Drive measurable improvements within the global SIOP process.
- Partner with the Supply Chain Center of Excellence to build scalable planning capabilities.
- Lead digital transformation initiatives that improve planning effectiveness.
- Become a recognized leader in forecasting, demand planning, and business analytics.
- Contribute to making Chemelex a benchmark organization for integrated business planning and SIOP excellence.
Pay Transparency
- Compensation Range (California): $160,000 - $170,000
Depending on the position offered, employee may be eligible for other forms of compensation.