Strategy Insights & Planning Consultant

Zs Associates; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total rewards package

Career development and mobility

Internal mobility and growth

Job summary

ZS Associates is seeking a Supply Chain Planning Consultant to help clients improve planning processes and decision‑making across demand, supply, inventory, production, and capacity planning. The role suits experienced planners who can translate their experience into practical client solutions.

You will work on demand forecasting, S&OP, supply planning, inventory optimization, and AI‑enabled planning solutions, partnering with planning leaders and managing project workstreams across diverse

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in SCM, OR Ops Research, IE, Business, Data Science or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in supply chain planning roles.
• Experience with S&OP, forecasting, inventory and capacity planning.
• Experience with APS/ERP systems (SAP, Oracle Planning, Kinaxis, RELEX).

Responsibilities

• Lead client workstreams across demand, supply, inventory, and production planning.
• Assess current planning processes and identify opportunities to improve planning effectiveness.
• Support rough-cut capacity planning and long-term capacity planning initiatives.
• Design and deploy improved planning processes, workflows, and ways of working.
• Mentor junior team members and manage client relationships.
• Collaborate with Operations leaders to shape use cases for Decision Intelligence platforms.
• Contribute to AI-enabled planning initiatives.

Skills

Supply chain planning

Demand planning

Forecasting

S&OP

Stakeholder management

English fluency

Problem solving

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s in SCM/ops research/IE/Business/Data Science

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

SAP

Oracle Planning

Kinaxis

RELEX

ERP systems

Job description

ZS is a place where passion changes lives. As a management consulting and technology firm focused on improving life and how we live it, we transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Here you’ll work side‑by‑side with a powerful collective of thinkers and experts shaping life‑changing solutions for patients, caregivers and consumers, worldwide. ZSers drive impact by bringing a client‑first mentality to each and every engagement. We partner collaboratively with our clients to develop custom solutions and technology products that create value and deliver company results across critical areas of their business. Bring your curiosity for learning, bold ideas, courage and passion to drive life‑changing impact to ZS.

ZS is seeking a Supply Chain Planning Consultant to help clients improve planning processes and decision‑making across demand, supply, inventory, production, and capacity planning. This role is ideal for experienced planners who understand how planning organizations operate and can translate that experience into practical solutions for clients.

You will work across planning transformation initiatives, including demand forecasting, S&OP, supply planning, inventory optimization, production scheduling, capacity planning, and emerging AI‑enabled planning solutions.

What You’ll Do

• Lead client workstreams across demand planning, forecasting, supply planning, inventory planning, production planning, scheduling, S&OP, and capacity planning.
• Assess current planning processes and identify opportunities to improve planning effectiveness, service levels, inventory, and operational performance.
• Support rough‑cut capacity planning, network planning and design, and long‑term capacity planning initiatives.
• Apply hands‑on planning experience to design and deploy improved planning processes, workflows, and ways of working.
• Partner with planners, planning supervisors, and managers to understand business requirements and support adoption of new planning approaches.
• Support planning technology initiatives involving APS and ERP platforms, including systems such as SAP IBP, Oracle Planning, Kinaxis, OMP, Blue Yonder, R Elex, and o9, primarily from a business and end‑user perspective.
• Collaborate with Operations leaders to shape use cases for Decision Intelligence platforms like Aera, Lyric, Palantir Foundry, and similar platforms.
• Develop recommendations and client deliverables across planning strategy, process improvement, operating models, and analytics.
• Support advanced planning use cases such as machine learning‑driven forecasting, demand and supply planning as a service, inventory segmentation and modeling, and detailed production scheduling.
• Contribute to emerging AI and agentic solutions for demand and supply planning, S&OP, disruption management, and KPI root cause analysis.
• Manage project workstreams, client relationships, timelines, and deliverables while mentoring junior team members.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s/Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Business, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, or a related field required. Advanced degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in supply chain planning, including demand planning, supply planning, inventory planning, forecasting, production planning, or scheduling.
• Hands‑on experience working as a planner, planning supervisor, planning manager, or in a closely related supply chain role.
• Strong understanding of S&OP, forecasting, inventory management, capacity planning, and production planning.
• Experience working with APS and ERP systems, such as SAP, Oracle Planning, Kinaxis, RELEX, or similar platforms.
• Experience using planning systems as a business user and supporting planning process or technology implementations.
• Ability to translate complex planning challenges into practical process, analytics, and technology solutions.
• Strong problem‑solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience leading workstreams or teams and working with cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Life sciences experience preferred, while candidates with strong planning experience in other industries will also be considered.
• Exposure to advanced analytics, machine learning, optimization, or AI‑enabled supply chain planning is a plus.
• Fluency in English
• Client‑first mentality
• Intense work ethic
• Collaborative spirit and problem‑solving approach

How you’ll grow

• Cross‑functional skills development & custom learning pathways
• Milestone training programs aligned to career progression opportunities
• Internal mobility paths that empower growth via s-curves, individual contribution and role expansions

Perks & Benefits

At ZS, your growth matters. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well‑being, financial future, time away, and professional development. With robust skills‑building programs, multiple career progression paths, internal mobility, and a deeply collaborative culture, you’ll have the opportunity to do meaningful work, expand your capabilities, and thrive as part of a global community. For details on total rewards in United States, visit ZS US office locations | Where we work | ZS.

Hybrid working model

We are committed to giving our employees a flexible and connected way of working. A flexible and connected ZS allows us to combine work from home and on‑site presence at clients/ZS offices for the majority of our week. The magic of ZS culture and innovation thrives in both planned and spontaneous face‑to‑face connections.

Travel

Travel is a requirement at ZS for client facing ZSers; business needs of your project and client are the priority. While some projects may be local, all client‑facing ZSers should be prepared to travel as needed. Travel provides opportunities to strengthen client relationships, gain diverse experiences, and enhance professional growth by working in different environments and cultures.

Considering applying?

At ZS, we honor the visible and invisible elements of our identities, personal experiences, and belief systems—the ones that comprise us as individuals, shape who we are, and make us unique. We believe your personal interests, identities, and desire to learn are integral to your success here. We are committed to building a team that reflects a broad variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Learn more about our inclusion and belonging efforts and the networks ZS supports to assist our ZSers in cultivating community spaces and obtaining the resources they need to thrive.

If you’re eager to grow, contribute, and bring your unique self to our work, we encourage you to apply.

ZS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities without regard to any class protected by applicable law.

Work Authorization

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.

To complete your application: An on‑line application, including a full set of transcripts (official or unofficial), is required to be considered. NO AGENCY CALLS, PLEASE. Find Out More At: www.zs.com