Senior Demand Planner

Strategic-Retail-Partners; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Company paid short term disability and

life insurance

Paid holidays and floating holidays

Flexible PTO

401(k) with company match

Tuition Reimbursement

Hybrid role based out of Denver, CO

Job summary

Strategic Retail Partners in Denver, CO seeks a Senior Demand Planner to lead SKU- and customer-level forecasting across 13-week and 24-month horizons. You will align commercial demand with supply planning, promotions, and inventory targets, driving S&OP/IBP processes and data-driven decisions.

You will build advanced Excel models with Power Query/Power Pivot, leverage SAP IBP/Kinaxis/o9, and mentor junior analysts to improve forecast accuracy and planning performance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of demand planning or supply chain experience.
• At least 2 years in a consumer packaged goods environment.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field; certifications preferred.
• Advanced Excel modeling and experience with planning systems (SAP IBP, Kinaxis, o9).
• Strong data skills with SQL, BI tools, and data validation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain SKU-level and customer-level demand forecasts for short and mid-range horizons.
• Integrate promotions, new products, seasonality, and distribution changes into forecasts.
• Manage finished goods inventory targets by SKU and channel.
• Lead monthly demand reviews within S&OP/IBP, align cross-functional teams.
• Monitor MAPE, Bias, and fill rate; conduct root-cause analysis and actions.
• Communicate risks and opportunities to senior leadership with data-driven recommendations.
• Build advanced Excel models with Power Query/Power Pivot and dynamic arrays.
• Serve as SME on demand planning systems (SAP IBP, Kinaxis, o9); support implementations.
• Work with ERP, retailer portals, syndicated data (IRI/Circana, Nielsen), and internal data.
• Mentor junior demand analysts and share best practices.
• Drive continuous improvement of planning processes and documentation.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Power Query

Power Pivot

DAX

Dynamic arrays

SQL queries

Power BI

Tableau

Forecasting

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder communication

Scenario planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, engineering, statistics, or related field

APICS CPIM or CSCP certification

Tools

SAP IBP

Kinaxis

o9 Solutions

SAP APO

Logility

Blue Yonder

Snowflake

SQL Server

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Position Overview:This role is responsible for leading demand forecasting and inventory planning activities across a dynamic consumer products environment, ensuring alignment between commercial demand, supply chain capabilities, and financial objectives. The position partners cross-functionally with Sales, Trade Marketing, Finance, Procurement, and Supply Planning teams to develop accurate SKU and customer level forecasts, support the S&OP / IBP process, and drive data-driven decision-making across the organization. This individual will play a key role in balancing service levels, inventory investment, and forecast accuracy while proactively identifying risks and opportunities within the demand plan.The ideal candidate brings strong analytical and systems expertise, including advanced Excel modeling, demand planning platforms such as SAP IBP, Kinaxis, or o9, and experience working with retailer POS and syndicated market data in a CPG environment with the ability to improve planning and system processes, mentor developing analysts, and enhance overall forecasting accuracy and planning performance.About Us:Driven by our mission to exceed the expectations of on-the-go consumers, Strategic Retail Partners has grown from a regional distributor of sunglasses founded in 1969 into an international leader of in-store merchandising solutions. We have built relationships with thousands of international, national, and regional retailers who rely on our customized solutions in more than 70,000+ locations across the U.S. and Canada. With warehouse facilities in several states and service representatives covering all regions of the country, there isn't a retail location we can't service.Duties/Responsibilities:Develop and maintain accurate SKU-level and customer-level demand forecasts across short (13-week) and mid-range (24-month rolling) planning horizons, incorporating consumer trends, retailer POS data, and promotional calendars.Integrate trade promotion plans, new product introductions, seasonal patterns, and distribution changes into the statistical baseline forecast.Manage finished goods inventory targets by SKU and channel, partnering with Supply Planning and Procurement on replenishment strategy.Ensure S&OP & cross-functional alignmentLead the monthly demand review within the S&OP / IBP cycle, facilitating consensus across Sales, Trade Marketing, Category Management, and Finance.Monitor and report on MAPE, Bias, and fill rate KPIs; conduct root cause analysis on forecast variances and drive corrective actions.Communicate demand risks and opportunities proactively to senior leadership with clear, data-driven recommendations.Build, maintain, and continuously improve advanced Excel models using Power Query, Power Pivot, and dynamic arrays to automate data ingestion from multiple retailer and internal sources.Serve as a subject matter expert on demand planning systems (e.g., SAP IBP, Kinaxis, o9, or similar); contribute to system configuration, process design, and user adoption during implementations or upgrades.Work with data from ERP systems, retailer portals, syndicated data providers (IRI/Circana, Nielsen), and internal databases; write or support SQL queries and data validation routines to ensure planning data integrity.Partner with IT and supply chain systems teams to identify and close data gaps, improve data flows, and support ongoing system enhancements.Mentor junior demand analysts; provide guidance on forecasting methodology, tool use, and stakeholder communication best practices.Drive continuous improvement of planning processes, documentation, and best practice sharing across the supply chain function.Benefits and Perks:Medical, dental, and vision insuranceCompany paid short term disability and life insurancePaid holidays and floating holidaysFlexible PTO401(k) with company matchTuition ReimbursementEmployees are paid weeklyHybrid role based out of Denver, CO with paid parkingWe do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, political affiliation, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, or veteran (U.S.) status. The company will provide accommodation to applicants, including those with disabilities, during the recruitment process, in accordance with applicable laws.The gross annual salary range for this position is $90,000-$115,000 with an excellent benefits package. Actual salaries will vary and are based on factors such as a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies.Minimum of three years of demand planning or supply chain experience, with at least 2 years in a CPG or consumer goods environment.Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, engineering, statistics, or a related field or experience in lieu of degree.APICS CPIM or CSCP certification a plus.Advanced Excel proficiency including Power Query (M language), Power Pivot, DAX formulas, dynamic arrays, and structured data modeling — capable of building production-grade planning tools without IT support.Hands-on experience with a demand planning or APS system (SAP APO/IBP, Kinaxis RapidResponse, o9 Solutions, Logility, Blue Yonder, or equivalent).Demonstrated experience with demand or supply chain data — working with relational databases, writing SQL queries, or using BI tools (Power BI, Tableau) to extract and validate planning data.Proven ability to facilitate cross-functional consensus meetings and present complex data clearly to commercial and executive audiences.Strong working knowledge of CPG-specific planning dynamics: trade promotions, retailer sell-through, seasonal velocity, NPI, and SKU rationalization.PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONSExperience participating in or leading a full-cycle demand planning system implementation or major upgrade (requirements gathering, data mapping, UAT, change management, and go-live support).Familiarity with syndicated data platforms such as IRI/Circana or NielsenIQ, and experience incorporating POS and panel data into statistical forecasts.Working knowledge of Python or R for forecast modeling, data cleansing, or automation of planning workflows.Experience with database environments (SQL Server, Snowflake, or similar) for ad hoc data pulls, planning data validation, and master data management.Prior experience mentoring or managing a small team of demand analysts.Exposure to IBP (Integrated Business Planning) frameworks beyond standard S&OP, including financial reconciliation and scenario planning.