Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain demand forecasts at multiple levels, including product, customer, channel, plant, and aggregate business views, using statistical models, historical sales data, market trends, and business intelligence.
- Serve as a senior functional expert for forecasting processes, including forecast generation, consensus planning, exception management, and continuous improvement.
- Learn, support, and leverage SAP IBP or other forecasting systems to improve forecast accuracy, process efficiency, reporting, and data visibility.
- Partner with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, and IT to gather input on demand drivers, promotional activity, customer trends, supply constraints, and business assumptions.
- Translate analytical findings into clear business insights, recommendations, and action plans for cross‑functional stakeholders and leadership.
- Lead or support consensus forecast discussions by facilitating alignment between statistical forecasts, commercial input, operational realities, and financial expectations.
- Monitor forecast accuracy, bias, and variance to actual results; identify key drivers of forecast misses and recommend corrective actions.
- Analyze trends, seasonality, turning points in demand, customer behavior, and changes in key business drivers to improve forecast visibility and accuracy.
- Develop planning strategies and forecast assumptions for new products, product transitions, discontinued items, customer changes, and promotional events.
- Participate in S&OP meetings and provide forecasting insights, risks, opportunities, and scenario analysis to support business decisions.
- Support inventory optimization by providing demand insights that help balance service levels, production capacity, working capital, and cost efficiency.
- Use pilot opportunities, post‑event analysis, and data validation to test assumptions, evaluate conclusions, and improve planning outcomes.
- Partner with IT and data owners to collect, cleanse, validate, and improve forecast data, reporting, and system inputs.
- Create and maintain reports, dashboards, and presentations that communicate forecast performance, demand trends, and business recommendations.
- Mentor or provide guidance to less experienced analysts or planners, as needed, and help promote best practices within the forecasting process.
Minimum Job Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field required; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered.
- 5+ years of experience in forecasting, supply chain planning, analytics, or a related function required.
- Experience using forecasting or planning tools such as SAP IBP, Oracle Demantra, Excel, Power BI, or similar systems required.
- Experience in consumer goods, food manufacturing, foodservice, retail, or a similar demand‑driven business environment preferred.
- APICS, IBF, or related supply chain or forecasting certification preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Advanced analytical, quantitative, and problem‑solving skills with the ability to interpret complex data and develop practical business recommendations.
- Strong understanding of statistical forecasting principles, seasonality, trend analysis, forecast accuracy metrics, and variance analysis.
- Ability to understand both demand and supply considerations and connect forecast decisions to service, inventory, production, and financial outcomes.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present findings and recommendations to stakeholders ranging from analysts to senior leaders.
- Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority, build consensus, and develop positive cross‑functional relationships.
- Strong proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with SAP IBP, forecasting software, reporting tools, or data visualization platforms preferred.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing business conditions.
- High attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to continuous process improvement.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Working Conditions and Physical Effort
- Primarily operates in a professional office environment with standard business equipment and technology.
- Regularly required to use a computer, keyboard, mouse, and telephone for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast‑paced, cross‑functional environment.
Expectations
- Will demonstrate, promote, and exemplify the Company’s Core Values.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary range: $82,757.00–$150,222.00. Actual compensation may vary based on job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as geographic location.
We also offer a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, retirement savings options, flexible spending accounts, employee assistance programs, educational assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company‑paid holidays.
EEO Statement
AA/EEO/Drug‑Free Employer. C.H. Guenther & Son is a growing, privately owned corporation that offers equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants. C.H. Guenther & Son and its subsidiaries are E‑Verify participating employers. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of the pre‑employment screening process which includes a drug screen and review of criminal background and other records as required.