Demand Planner

Lindt & Sprüngli USA; Stratham (NH); Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Lindt & Sprüngli USA is seeking a skilled Demand Forecasting Analyst in Stratham, NH. The role focuses on building item-level forecasts from sales history, seasonality, and market trends, partnering with sales, brand and finance to maximize availability and minimize waste.

The position is hybrid (three days per week in the Stratham office). Candidates should have a Bachelor’s degree, strong forecasting skills, Excel and BI experience, and the ability to communicate insights to cross-functional

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Strong knowledge of forecasting techniques and analytics.
• Excellent Excel and BI tool proficiency.
• Ability to communicate findings and influence decisions.
• Experience with cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain item-level forecasts using historical data, seasonality, and market trends.
• Collaborate with sales, brand and finance to align forecast with business plans.
• Lead S&OE meetings and communicate risks and opportunities.
• Support new item introductions and planogram alignments.
• Present forecasts and insights to cross-functional stakeholders.

Skills

Statistical forecasting

Excel proficiency

Communication skills

Data analysis

Teamwork

Presentation skills

Decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree

APICS/IBF certification preferred

Tools

Cognos

Job description

Who We Are

At Lindt, we are a global fast-growing consumer goods company, enchanting the world with premium chocolate. We are driven by our passion for excellence and go the extra mile ensuring that every Lindt experience is nothing short of exceptional. Our collective efforts are geared towards making a positive impact, not only in the world of premium chocolate but also in the lives of our employees, customers, and communities. Our company embraces a culture defined by the core values of Excellence, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Responsibility, and Collaboration, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment where these principles drive our success.

Position Purpose

The individual in this position is responsible for creating and maintaining a item level forecast utilizing sales assumptions, historical analysis, statistical modeling, market trends, and thorough collaboration & consensus across sales, brand and finance teams. The focus will be on maximizing product availability, supporting Lindt & Sprungli’s growth initiatives, and help to achieve financial goals while minimizing destruction & discounts. This role has a focus on leveraging advanced analytics, historical data and forecasting models to improve forecast accuracy, reduce bias and support business planning processes. To be effective in this cross functional role, the individual must be comfortable working cross functionally with sales, operations, production planning, marketing and customer service as well as presenting and communicating across various levels of the organization.

This is a hybrid role that requires three days per week in our Stratham, NH corporate office.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities

Everyday Item Forecasting

• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve statistical forecasting models using historical sales data, seasonality and market trends.
• Generate baseline forecasts using tools such as time series models.
• Partner with the sales team to build item level forecasts, providing recommendations & supporting analysis based on statistics, history, turns, cannibalization, etc.
• Maintain source of growth assumptions and document monthly changes to the forecast to communicate as needed and present at a demand review meeting.
• Monitor forecast accuracy, bias, and forecast value add; translate results into improvement actions.
• Continuous improvement within process to help reduce forecast error and bias (data integrity, reporting capabilities, ad hoc analysis, cross functional communication).

New Item Introduction

• Liaise with sales and marketing on new item introductions & planogram updates, recommend volume & Gross Sales (GTS) for pipeline assumptions, turns & phasing, aligning with sales manager to drive appropriate supply signals
• Work cross functionally with internal departments to incorporate cuts, POS, market data, IRI & other factors for forecast & future projections of new items
• Provide item level forecasting support to the Brand planning team as needed

S&OE

• Run S&OE meetings for assigned brands to ensure smooth execution of demand plan and variances to plan across supply chain.
• Manage and communicate the risks and opportunities for assigned product lines, ensure the organization is aware of potential volume impacts to the operational plan and decision timing.

Qualifications & Requirements

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of statistical forecasting techniques (time series analysis, regression, machine learning models).
• Strong Excel skills
• Robust communication and demonstrated system skills required.
• Cognos or BI skills
• Demonstrated commitment to teamwork and internal client service orientation
• Sound analytical skills and ability to mine & interpret data, resolve abnormalities and make decisions & drive for action
• Ability to present information to facilitate consensus & motivate others

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required
• APICS, IBF or similar certification preferred

Total Rewards

Compensation Range: $81k - $105k

Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The company will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.

Lindt USA’s salary range reflects market rates based on our size, revenue, and location. Starting pay is determined using a wide range of factors including, but not limited to, job-related skills, knowledge, and experience as well as market conditions. A bonus and/or long-term incentive may be included as part of this compensation package.

Lindt and Sprüngli is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, veteran status, or any other classification protected by state, local or federal law. Applicants for this position must successfully pass a background screening and may be required to pass drug screenings as well.