Demand Planner, Lead

Lennox International; Richardson (TX); On-site; USD 94,000 - 123,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition reimbursement

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

8 weeks paid birthing leave

12 paid holidays and floating holidays

Job summary

Lennox International seeks a Demand Planner Lead in Richardson, Texas to develop and maintain demand forecasts that drive key financial and inventory decisions. This role demands deep expertise in statistical methods and collaborative efforts across teams to ensure optimal inventory levels and improved customer satisfaction.

The ideal candidate will have a robust background in Supply Chain Management and proven skills in advanced planning systems, particularly SAP/APO. This is a salaried role with a competitive compensation package including benefits like tuition reimbursement and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• Requires at least 8 years related experience in Supply Chain or Demand Planning.
• Strong skills with SAP/APO or another advanced planning system.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and training skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze data for accurate demand projections.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for inventory optimization.
• Develop and manage statistical demand forecasts.

Skills

Statistical methodologies

Forecasting

SAP/APO

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain/Logistics Management, Industrial Engineering, or Operations

Master’s Degree preferred

Tools

ERP and planning tools (SAP, IBP, Oracle)

Job description

Who We Are

Lennox (NYSE: LII) Driven by 130 years of legacy, HVAC and refrigeration success, Lennox provides our residential and commercial customers with industry‑leading climate‑control solutions. At Lennox, we win as a team, aiming for excellence and delivering innovative, sustainable products and services. Our culture guides us and creates a workplace where all employees feel heard and welcomed. Lennox is a global community that values each team member’s contributions and offers a supportive environment for career development. Come, stay, and grow with us.

What Drives Success

As a Demand Planner Lead you will work with cross‑functional teams to develop and maintain a demand (sales) forecast for finished goods to drive financial and inventory decisions. You will positively impact the overall sales and customer service by developing new and innovative methods of analyzing data, identifying process improvement opportunities and determining which methods to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Forecasting & Planning
• Analyze historical data, market trends, seasonality, and business inputs to generate accurate demand projections.
• Incorporate multiple data inputs (e.g., sales trends, promotions, inventory targets, and AI/ML forecasts) into planning processes.
• Develop and manage statistical and judgmental demand forecasts across assigned product categories.
• Lead forecast review cycles and identify key exceptions, risks, and opportunities.
• Monitor forecast accuracy, bias, and key performance indicators; drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
• Work closely with Product Management and Sales to incorporate customer intelligence, pipeline data, and new product forecasts.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain to ensure demand signals support inventory optimization and service‑level targets.
• Reporting & Analytics
• Provide regular reports on forecast accuracy, inventory health, and service level performance.
• Use ERP and planning tools (SAP, IBP, Oracle, or similar) for data analysis and execution.
• Develop new and innovative methods of analyzing data and determines which methods to apply.

Leadership Skills

• Coach, mentor, and develop demand planners to elevate overall team capability and performance.
• Drive accountability and remove roadblocks across cross‑functional teams (Sales, Finance, Product, Supply Planning, Inventory Optimization).
• Lead alignment on demand assumptions and ensure clear ownership of forecast outcomes.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable tactical plans to improve forecast accuracy and business outcomes.
• Partner cross‑functionally to ensure demand plans are aligned with supply constraints, product strategies, and market dynamics.

Technical Skills

• Design and maintain robust demand forecasting models incorporating:
  • External market/industry data (e.g., AHRI, channel trends)
  • Product mix, seasonality, and lifecycle
  • Internal historical demand signals
• Apply advanced statistical modeling and analytics (e.g., regression, machine learning, time‑series models) to drive consensus demand plans.
• Develop and continuously improve forecast performance metrics, including:
  • Forecast accuracy
  • Bias analysis
  • Exception‑based reporting
• Partner with IT, BI, and Data Science teams to:
  • Automate dashboards and reporting
  • Enable self‑service analytics for planners
  • Improve data availability and quality
• Build and scale an analytics platform that enables:
  • Item‑level / region‑level forecasting
  • Scenario modeling and sensitivity analysis
  • Continuous improvement toward world‑class forecast accuracy

What We Are Looking For

Requires a bachelor’s degree, preferably in Supply Chain/Logistics Management, Industrial Engineering, or Operations. Master’s Degree preferred. Requires at least 8 years related experience, preferably in Supply Chain or Demand Planning. Requires a broad understanding of statistical methodologies, strong abilities in forecasting and maintaining demand planning systems, and strong skills with SAP/APO or another advanced planning system. Expert knowledge of Supply Chain Management and working in a consensus, Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) environment. Extensive understanding of best practices in demand planning. Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation and training skills. Ability to multi‑task and work effectively in a fast‑paced, high volume environment. Strong analytical and problem solving skills, attention to detail, and solid Customer Relations skills. Must be able to lead the work of others. Proficient in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access.

What We Offer

Compensation: This is a salaried exempt role. The starting salary range for this role and market is between $94,000-$123,900 annually. Factors that may affect starting salary include geography/market and the skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate. Employees in this role are also eligible for an annual bonus in accordance with the terms of the Company’s applicable plan. Employees in this role are not eligible for overtime.

Benefits: Subject to applicable eligibility requirements, the following benefits are offered for this role: tuition reimbursement; medical, dental, and vision insurance; prescription drug coverage; 401(k) retirement plan; short‑term disability insurance; 8 weeks paid birthing leave; 2 weeks paid bonding leave; life and long‑term disability insurance.

Depending on date of hire, and subject to applicable eligibility requirements, new employees in this role also receive up to: 12 days paid time off, 2 paid well‑being days, 1 paid volunteer day, 12 paid holidays, and 3 floating holidays per year.

Our Culture

At Lennox, our Core Values of Integrity, Respect & Excellence are ingrained in the fabric of the organization. They define our culture – which is about how we do business and how we treat others. Lennox is not just a workplace; we are a global community that values each team member’s contributions. As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to recruit, develop, and retain talented individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to succeed and contribute to our continued growth and success. At Lennox, you’ll take pride in our brands, knowing you are part of something special. Come, stay, and grow with us!

Disclaimers: The compensation and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Lennox reserves the right to modify this information at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.