Director of Demand and Supply Planning

The HT Group; Mentor (OH); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The HT Group is partnering with a growing manufacturing organization to recruit a Director of Demand & Supply Planning in the Cleveland, OH or Detroit, MI area. This hybrid, full-time role leads end-to-end planning, S&OP, and inventory strategy across multiple brands and partners.

You will own forecasting, master scheduling, capacity planning, and the implementation of planning systems, driving a scalable framework and strong executive alignment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience across demand planning, supply planning, S&OP, IBP, or related functions.
• Experience in a manufacturing environment with cross-site planning.
• Strong analytical and data modeling capabilities; advanced Excel skills.
• Experience with ERP/APS tools and planning systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) across multiple brands and sites.
• Align demand, supply, production, inventory, and financial plans.
• Own statistical and collaborative demand forecasting, incorporating trends and promotions.
• Partner with Sales and executives to establish consensus forecasts across products and channels.
• Translate forecasts into master production schedules and capacity plans.
• Develop inventory strategies balancing service levels with working capital.
• Lead planning technology selection, implementation, and ongoing support.

Skills

Demand forecasting

S&OP

Supply planning

Inventory optimization

Advanced Excel

ERP / APS systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or related field

MBA and/or CPIM/CSCP certification is a plus

Tools

ERP systems

APS

Job description

Director of Demand & Supply Planning Location: Cleveland, OH or Detroit, MI area Employment Type: Full-Time Work Environment: Hybrid Travel: Periodic domestic and occasional international travel

About the Opportunity

The HT Group is partnering with a growing, multi-brand manufacturing organization to find a Director of Demand & Supply Planning to build and lead its end-to-end planning function. This is a highly visible transformation role for an experienced supply chain leader who knows what a mature planning organization looks like but is equally comfortable stepping into an environment where processes, systems, and methodologies still need to be built and standardized. Reporting into executive leadership, this individual will take ownership of the organization's S&OP process, demand forecasting, supply and production planning, inventory strategy, and planning systems across a complex network of brands, facilities, and internal and external manufacturing partners. The right person will be more than an operator of an existing process. We're looking for someone who can evaluate what's working today, identify gaps, and build a scalable planning framework capable of supporting the organization's continued growth.

What You'll Do

• Build, lead, and continuously improve the company's end-to-end Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
• Align demand, supply, production, inventory, and financial plans across multiple brands and manufacturing facilities.
• Own statistical and collaborative demand forecasting, incorporating historical trends, seasonality, promotions, and market intelligence.
• Partner with Sales and business leaders to establish consensus forecasts across products, customers, and channels.
• Translate demand forecasts into master production schedules and capacity plans alongside Operations and plant leadership.
• Partner with Sourcing and Procurement to align raw material and component availability with production requirements.
• Develop inventory strategies including safety stock, replenishment, and min/max methodologies to balance service levels with working capital.
• Establish and monitor key planning metrics including forecast accuracy, inventory turns, fill rate, on-time delivery, and expedite costs.
• Identify supply-demand imbalances and provide leadership with clear scenarios and recommended trade-offs.
• Standardize planning processes, systems, tools, and reporting across a diverse manufacturing network.
• Lead the evaluation, implementation, and ongoing administration of demand and supply planning technology.
• Support new product introductions and ensure supply and demand readiness for new SKUs and product launches.
• Partner with Finance on annual operating plans and rolling forecasts.
• Identify and address excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory.
• Lead and develop a team of demand and supply planning professionals.
• Support broader manufacturing network and production strategy through scenario analysis and capacity planning.

The position is specifically expected to build scalable practices in areas where mature frameworks do not yet exist, while also leading planning-system selection and implementation.

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of progressive experience across demand planning, supply planning, S&OP, IBP, or related supply chain planning functions.
• Significant experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading planning processes across multiple product lines, business units, brands, plants, or manufacturing locations.
• Demonstrated success building, transforming, or substantially improving an S&OP or integrated planning function.
• Strong understanding of statistical forecasting, production planning, capacity planning, and inventory optimization.
• Experience balancing competing priorities across customer service, inventory, cost, and manufacturing capacity.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and drive alignment across Sales, Finance, Operations, Procurement, and other functions.
• Experience leading and developing planning teams.
• Strong analytical and data-modeling capabilities.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience with ERP, APS, or comparable demand/supply planning systems.

Preferred Experience

• Experience within automotive, automotive components, powersports, discrete manufacturing, or another complex manufacturing environment with similar supply-and-demand challenges.
• Experience supporting a multi-site manufacturing network.
• Exposure to both internal and external/contract manufacturing.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• MBA and/or APICS/ASCM CPIM or CSCP certification is a plus.

Why This Opportunity?

This isn't a role where you'll simply inherit a mature S&OP process and maintain it. You'll have the opportunity to architect the future-state planning organization — establishing the processes, systems, operating rhythms, KPIs, and governance needed to bring greater consistency across a complex manufacturing business. For someone who enjoys fixing problems, creating structure, influencing senior leadership, and seeing the measurable impact of their work across an organization, this is an opportunity to make a significant mark on the business.

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