Strategic Demand Planning Lead for S&OP/IBP

Aspire Talent Solutions; Northampton (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Aspire Talent Solutions is seeking a Supply Chain Demand Manager to lead forecasting, planning, and S&OP/IBP processes across product lines and regions. You will align Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain to optimize availability, inventory, and service levels.

You will analyze historical data, seasonality, promotions, and new product introductions to improve forecast accuracy and drive actionable insights for leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Minimum of five years in demand planning, forecasting, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading or contributing to S&OP/IBP processes.
• Proven ability to improve forecast accuracy and translate data into actionable recommendations.
• Experience using ERP/MRP and demand-planning systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and improve forecasts across products, channels, and regions.
• Lead the demand-planning component of S&OP/IBP with cross-functional alignment.
• Analyze historical sales, demand & market trends, seasonality, promotions, and new products.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and Supply Planning to finalize one plan.
• Monitor forecast performance using KPIs like MAPE, bias, and accuracy by segment.
• Identify root causes of variances and implement corrective actions.
• Provide demand-based guidance on safety stock, service levels, and inventory positioning.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to shortages and demand volatility.
• Develop demand plans for new products and changes, and communicate scenarios to leadership.
• Balance customer demand with production capacity and material availability.
• Drive continuous improvement in forecasting processes, data quality, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Evaluate advanced analytics, automation, and AI/ML forecasting when appropriate.
• Prepare and present demand reviews, KPI dashboards, and executive summaries.
• Establish scalable demand-planning policies and best practices.

Skills

Excel proficiency

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

S&OP/IBP experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Master’s degree in SCM / Analytics

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

BI tools

Job description

Aspire Talent Solutions is seeking a Supply Chain Demand Manager to lead forecasting, planning, and S&OP/IBP processes across product lines and regions. You will align Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain to optimize availability, inventory, and service levels.

You will analyze historical data, seasonality, promotions, and new product introductions to improve forecast accuracy and drive actionable insights for leadership.