Demand Planner

Topcon Positioning Systems; Livermore (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 118,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Life and disability insurance

401(k) with employer match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid holidays and PTO

Job summary

Topcon Positioning Systems seeks a data-driven Demand Planner to manage forecasting processes and drive consensus plans across Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations and Supply Chain. You will optimize inventory and forecast accuracy using ERP/advanced planning tools and build insight-driven models.

The role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, scenario planning, and relentless focus on data quality to enable informed business decisions.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of demand planning, forecasting, or closely related supply chain planning experience.
• Hands-on experience participating in and supporting a formal Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
• Experience developing consensus demand plans in partnership with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and/or Supply Chain.
• Strong experience with demand forecasting, forecast accuracy, inventory planning, and data analysis.
• Ability to analyze forecast variance and other demand-planning metrics.
• Experience working with an ERP and/or advanced demand planning system.
• Advanced Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, lookups, and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate complex data.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills with demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional alignment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain accurate baseline forecasts using historical demand, statistical forecasting methods, market trends, customer demand, and business intelligence.
• Analyze demand patterns, seasonality, promotions, product lifecycle changes, and other factors impacting forecast accuracy.
• Utilize SAP IBP or a comparable advanced planning system to support forecasting and scenario planning.
• Identify forecast risks and opportunities and communicate their potential impact to key stakeholders.
• Play a key role in the monthly S&OP process, partnering with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain to develop and maintain a consensus demand plan.
• Actively support demand review meetings and cross-functional planning discussions.
• Incorporate sales forecasts, customer demand, promotional activity, market intelligence, product launches, lifecycle changes into the demand plan.
• Identify gaps between statistical forecasts and business projections and work with stakeholders to reach alignment.
• Present forecast changes, risks, opportunities, and recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ensure agreed-upon S&OP decisions are reflected in the demand plan and communicated to operational teams.
• Maintain accurate planning and master data within ERP and demand planning systems.
• Support the flow of forecast and planning information between demand planning and ERP systems.
• Analyze historical trends and identify opportunities to improve forecast quality.
• Ensure planning data is accurate, reliable, and actionable.
• Track and analyze key demand planning metrics.
• Identify root causes of forecast variance and recommend corrective actions.
• Monitor S&OP and forecasting performance and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Develop reporting and insights to support data-driven planning decisions.

Skills

Demand planning

Forecasting

ERP systems

Excel (Pivot Tables)

Analytics

Stakeholder management

S&OP

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management or related field

Tools

SAP IBP

Kinaxis

Blue Yonder

o9

Anaplan

Oracle

Power BI

Job description

We are seeking a data-driven Demand Planner with strong Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) experience to manage, optimize, and execute product forecasting processes. This role will serve as a key partner to Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain, developing consensus demand plans that improve forecast accuracy, support business decisions, and optimize inventory levels. The ideal candidate brings strong demand planning, forecasting, and hands-on S&OP experience, along with solid analytical capabilities and experience working within an ERP or advanced planning environment. This role can be located in either the Livermore, CA or Fort Atkinson, WI locations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain accurate baseline forecasts using historical demand, statistical forecasting methods, market trends, customer demand, and business intelligence.
• Analyze demand patterns, seasonality, promotions, product lifecycle changes, and other factors impacting forecast accuracy.
• Utilize SAP IBP or a comparable advanced planning system to support forecasting and scenario planning.
• Identify forecast risks and opportunities and communicate their potential impact to key stakeholders.
• Play a key role in the monthly S&OP process, partnering with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain to develop and maintain a consensus demand plan.
• Actively support demand review meetings and cross-functional planning discussions.
• Incorporate sales forecasts, customer demand, promotional activity, market intelligence, product launches, lifecycle changes into the demand plan.
• Identify gaps between statistical forecasts and business projections and work with stakeholders to reach alignment.
• Present forecast changes, risks, opportunities, and recommendations to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Ensure agreed-upon S&OP decisions are reflected in the demand plan and communicated to operational teams.
• Maintain accurate planning and master data within ERP and demand planning systems.
• Support the flow of forecast and planning information between demand planning and ERP systems.
• Analyze historical trends and identify opportunities to improve forecast quality.
• Ensure planning data is accurate, reliable, and actionable.
• Track and analyze key demand planning metrics.
• Identify root causes of forecast variance and recommend corrective actions.
• Monitor S&OP and forecasting performance and identify opportunities for process improvement.
• Develop reporting and insights to support data-driven planning decisions.

Required Qualifications

• 4+ years of demand planning, forecasting, or closely related supply chain planning experience.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience participating in and supporting a formal Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
• Experience developing consensus demand plans in partnership with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and/or Supply Chain.
• Strong experience with demand forecasting, forecast accuracy, inventory planning, and data analysis.
• Ability to analyze forecast variance and other demand-planning metrics.
• Experience working with an ERP and/or advanced demand planning system.
• Advanced Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, lookups, and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate complex data.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills with demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional alignment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Analytics, Industrial Engineering, Statistics, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• SAP IBP experience strongly preferred but not required.
• Experience with comparable advanced planning platforms such as Kinaxis, Blue Yonder, o9, Anaplan, Oracle, or similar systems.
• SAP ECC experience, particularly within PP, MM, or SD.
• Understanding of MRP, master data, materials, BOMs, and demand-to-supply planning processes.
• Experience with statistical forecasting and scenario modeling.
• Experience with Power BI or similar business intelligence/reporting tools.

Base Pay

Expected Base Pay Range: $90k - $118k annualized. The base pay range included is a projected hiring range for a position, level and potential work location(s) listed. Topcon provides the compensation range that it in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position. This compensation range is based on a full-time schedule.

Topcon offers a comprehensive benefit package for this position including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, tax saving spending accounts a 401(k) plan with employer match, tuition reimbursement in addition to other perks and benefits. We also offer time off for our employees to recharge. Our employees are eligible for paid company holidays, paid personal time off, and paid sick time that meets or exceeds state/local requirements.

Topcon reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation; individual candidate compensation may be determined based on individual skills, experience, training, certifications, education, final work location and other factors not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, or federal law. Changes in the position level, location or other factors associated with the role may change the final determined compensation. The recruiter can provide additional information during the hiring process.

Topcon time off policies can vary as well as roles which are exempt or non-exempt. For hourly (“non-exempt”) employees, we offer personal paid time off which accrues in accordance with local standards. For salaried (“exempt”) employees, we offer a flexible paid time off policy giving you flexibility to take time when needed, while supporting business needs. All paid time off policies are in accordance with or exceeding local law. Employees working at least 30 hours per week are eligible for our Health and Welfare benefit package.