Demand Planning Manager

Job Description

Job Description

If you’re looking to use your planning and analytical experience in a substantive and evolving role with a growing toy company, we’d love to speak with you about joining our Schleich USA, Inc. team in Charlotte, NC as a Demand Planning Manager! This is a hybrid role with 3 days in the office and 2 days from home each week. This high-visibility role interacts frequently with nearly every department at our US site and also highly connected to the Demand and Supply Planning team at our HQ in Germany. The Demand Planning Manager will report to the Chief Commercial Officer who is also based out of Charlotte 3 days per week.

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of commercial strategy and proven success in sales/operations demand planning with experience joint planning with business partners. Our North American supply chain depends on this person’s leadership of the planning and forecasting process, so the ideal candidate needs a strong sense of ownership and the ability to effectively guide and influence others in a matrixed environment. We’re looking for a highly analytical problem-solver who does not hesitate to challenge or dig deeper when needed. This individual is highly motivated, communicates exceptionally well, develops compelling presentations, and takes responsibility for accuracy and quality within the forecasting and planning process. Experience with IBP is a plus as this is the Schleich global planning system.

If you’ve ‘checked the boxes’ above, keep reading… and we look forward to hearing from you about the opportunity to join a global market leader in the figurine business, sold in over 70 countries and charming both parents and children alike.

General Description :
This role facilitates the decision-making process with management on the North America demand plan which feeds into the global demand plan which drives the global supply plan. The person in this role employs a dynamic approach, both tactical and strategic, in their ownership of three related functional processes: (1) Collaborating with internal teams to understand customer/consumer demand in order to create, review, and revise product forecasts for their specific channel and the NA roll up; (2) Developing item and business-unit inventory strategy to meet the projected demand and maximize inventory health; and (3) represents North America as the point of contact to the global team on all IBP topics.

Effective day-to-day communication with internal and global cross-functional teams will be critical to success in this role, as the Demand Planning Manager will be responsible for connecting North American S&OP with the global S&OP process. The person in this role challenges and drives action through functional leadership and collaboration.

Detailed Description :

• Demand Planning for specific channels within the IBP system as well as the NA monthly roll up and submission.
• Responsible to deliver the NA plan reviews with management on a quarterly basis coordinating with the Sr Demand Planning Analysts.
• Key contact for IBP with global colleagues representing any challenges and opportunities to improve the system.
• Coordinate closely with NA supply team to ensure demand and supply are managed and any challenges identified.
• Responsible to identify and improve local processes with the demand planning process.
• Joint business planning with key retailers to align forecasts through historical and trend analysis.
• Representative in various global and local meetings relating to the S&OP process.
• Will manage at minimum two years of plans with forecasting input on items in development 3 years+.

Work experience and other requirements:

• Minimum of five (5) years related planning experience, including inventory management, supply/demand/production planning, data analysis, or S&OP management.
• Prior people management experience a plus, with influencing abilities within other internal departments a must
• Strong Excel skills a must: Pivot tables, v-lookup, merging tables, etc.
• Experience with data visualization and being able to develop and present presentations a must.
• Strong technical skills with experience using an ERP system; SAP & IBP a plus!
• Ability to analyze data and identify issues and opportunities that impact account and NA plans
• Proficiency in forecasting and inventory planning terminology
• A history of strong collaboration and influence with leadership and key stakeholders
• Excellent communications skills, including significant experience in written and oral reports and presentations to executive level management
• Ability to challenge and hold others accountable, with or without direct supervisory authority
• Ability to manage a large catalog of items with close attention to detail
• Experience in retail or consumer-packaged goods industry
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and matrixed environment
• Excellent organizational skills, strong ability to prioritize work, to think creatively, and excellent problem-solving skills
• Some domestic and international travel required (10-15%)
  

Education Requirements : Bachelor’s Degree required – preference for BS/BA in Business, Finance, Supply Chain or Analytics; additional certification (APICS, Lean/Six Sigma, etc.) is a plus

Schleich is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Schleich complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact hr(a)schleich-s.com and mention that you have or would like to apply for a U.S. job posting.