Demand Planner

$78,986 - $112,035/Yr

Aerovironment - Simi Valley, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Simi Valley, CA

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

We are currently seeking a SIOP/Demand Planner to join our team at AeroVironment. This position plays a crucial role in the corporate-wide Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) implementation and management of demand planning. The Demand Planner will be responsible for recommending monthly forecast adjustments and assumptions to a cross-functional SIOP team to achieve a consensus forecast by product line. This involves regularly reviewing forecast trends and variances to minimize disruptions to operations and the supply chain. The Demand Planner will identify root causes for variances and present recommended solutions for approval. Additionally, the role includes facilitating weekly, monthly, and quarterly SIOP reviews with key stakeholders and decision-makers, ensuring that the forecast maintenance is accurately reflected in Oracle. The Demand Planner will translate monthly demand into weekly buckets to meet supply and demand patterns, maintaining and reconciling a rolling five-quarter forecast while considering operations and supply chain capacity constraints. Collaboration with the Master Scheduler is essential to ensure that weekly supply aligns with customer demand. The role also involves analyzing key customer accounts across business development to highlight trends, associated drivers, risks, and opportunities, and working closely with Finance to minimize forecast errors. The Demand Planner will be responsible for demand planning accuracy metrics and assist in managing SIOP RAILs, maintaining SIOP metrics, and ensuring that forecast maintenance and consumption in Oracle are reconciled with actual demand. Furthermore, the Demand Planner will work with Business Development (BD) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) teams to align product transitions, obsolescence, introductions, and changes to minimize financial impacts on the business. The position requires facilitating and supporting regular SIOP meetings to ensure the successful implementation of SIOP practices at AeroVironment. The Demand Planner will also recommend customer-specific forecasts based on inputs from BD and Finance to support operational execution of the business plan for near-term deliveries. This role involves working on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors and resolving a wide range of issues creatively, with minimal supervision, while adhering to company policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Assist in corporate-wide SIOP implementation and management of demand planning.
• Recommend monthly forecast adjustments and assumptions to a cross-functional SIOP team.
• Regularly review forecast trends and variances to minimize disruptions to operations and supply chain.
• Identify root causes for variances and present recommended solutions for approval.
• Facilitate weekly/monthly/quarterly SIOP reviews with key stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Translate monthly demand into weekly buckets to meet supply/demand patterns.
• Maintain and reconcile rolling 5 quarters' forecast with consideration to Operations and Supply Chain capacity constraints.
• Work with Master Scheduler to ensure weekly supply is aligned to customer demand.
• Analyze key customer accounts across business development to highlight trends with associated drivers, risks, and opportunities to key stakeholders.
• Work closely with Finance to minimize forecast error.
• Responsible for demand planning accuracy metrics and assist in management of SIOP RAILs.
• Maintain SIOP metrics and RAILs.
• Responsible for forecast maintenance/consumption in Oracle and reconciliation to actual demand.
• Work with BD and PLM to align product transitions, obsolescence, introduction, and changes to minimize financial impact to the business.
• Facilitate and support regular SIOP meetings to ensure successful implementation of SIOP practice at AV.
• Recommend customer specific forecast based upon BD and Finance input to support operational execution to business plan for near term deliveries.
• Work on problems of diverse scope where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors.
• Resolve a wide range of issues in creative ways, with little supervision, while applying company policies and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in related field or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience is required.
• Minimum 5 - 8 years of experience in Demand Planning, Supply Chain, or similar roles.
• In-depth understanding of relevant demand drivers and how to apply appropriate forecasting methods.
• Demonstrated proficiency in demand and supply planning methodology with an understanding of their financial and operational impacts.
• Experienced in and knowledgeable of the supply chain and the impacts of forecasting on supply chain performance.
• Experienced using ERP Systems.
• Strong aptitude in analysis, root causes identification, and problem solving.

Nice-to-haves

• APICS training is a plus.
• Strong communication skills to easily communicate plans, reports, ideas, and concepts to cross-functional teams and management.
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives.
• Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products.
• Committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve performance.
• Focused on teamwork and collaboration.

Benefits

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid holidays
• Vision insurance