Demand Planner

$72,700 - $145,300/Yr

St. Jude Medical S.C. - Austin, TX

Full-time - Mid Level

Austin, TX

10,001+ employees

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

About the position

Abbott is a global healthcare leader, creating breakthrough science to improve people's health. We're always looking towards the future, anticipating changes in medical science and technology. This position works out of our Austin, TX location in the Cardiac Rhythm Management division. As a global leader in Cardiac Rhythm Technologies, we focus on innovative technologies that can improve the way doctors treat people with heart arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats. We are seeking an experienced, high-caliber Demand Planner. The Demand Planner works without appreciable supervision, develops, and issues the finished goods forecast per value stream assigned which translates into manufacturing plans by partnering with cross-functional groups including: marketing, supply chain management, supply planning, purchasing, finance, program management, regulatory, research and development, and clinical. In this role, you will serve as the CRM product portfolio forecast owner, incorporating all elements of business drivers into the plan. You will lead cross-functional consensus meetings to ensure key stakeholders provide feedback and updates that could influence finished goods demands. You will partner closely with Marketing, Finance, and Commercial to drive optimal short and long-term demand plans to achieve financial and operations targets. The demand planner will apply analytical techniques and leverage statistical modeling to develop unbiased demand forecasts that enable the right product supply in support of the company's financial and operational objectives. You will perform statistical data analysis to identify relations, patterns, and features that predict forecasting trends and performance metrics projections. Additionally, you will create a monthly forecast plan that translates into manufacturing build plans, considering key elements such as backorder mitigation, minimizing the time finished goods sit in inventory, minimizing finished goods/raw material/subassembly scrap, finished goods safety stock, new product introductions, and product phase-outs. You will design solutions to adjust to demand-based finished goods inventory changes, including field consigned inventory. Tracking forecast key performance indicators (KPIs) and continually developing plans to improve results will be essential. You will analyze and review shipment history, inventory trends, and sales performance to proactively identify issues and introduce forecast changes, improving accuracy and contributing to line fill rate success. You will prepare S&OP templates for management review and justify actions, develop new product launch plans with input and collaboration from various divisions, and review criteria for new product numbers requests.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the CRM product portfolio forecast owner, incorporating all elements of business drivers into the plan.
• Lead cross-functional consensus meetings to ensure key stakeholders provide feedback and updates that could influence finished goods demands.
• Partner closely with Marketing, Finance, and Commercial to drive optimal short and long-term demand plans to achieve financial and operations targets.
• Create and incorporate cross-functional business assumptions to develop an accurate forecast plan.
• Apply analytical techniques and leverage statistical modeling to develop unbiased demand forecasts.
• Perform statistical data analysis to identify relations, patterns, and features that predict forecasting trends and performance metrics projections.
• Create a monthly forecast plan that translates into manufacturing build plans.
• Design solutions to adjust to demand-based finished goods inventory changes, including field consigned inventory.
• Track forecast key performance indicators (KPIs) and continually develop plans to improve results.
• Analyze and review shipment history, inventory trends, and sales performance to proactively identify issues and introduce forecast changes.
• Prepare S&OP templates for management review and justify actions.
• Develop new product launch plans with input and collaboration from various divisions.
• Review criteria for new product numbers requests, create new ZFIN setup, and maintain master data.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Forecasting and/or supply chain planning and management, financial experience.
• Understanding of Demand Planning and Forecasting methodology as well as S&OP process.
• Experience with forecasting application software - SAP/APO preferred.
• Understanding of Supply Chain planning process and relationship with demand planning.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to identify and concisely communicate the business implications of forecasts and actual results.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, adaptable to different cultures and communication styles.
• Highly motivated with a desire to innovate and the ability to work independently.
• Ability to work under pressure, consistently meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects.

Nice-to-haves

• Strong leadership and consensus management skills.
• Critical thinking skills to analyze and interpret large volumes of data.
• Excellent problem-solving skills to identify root causes and create corrective action plans.
• Change management and emotional intelligence skills to work through process and system changes.
• Ability to give compelling and persuasive presentations to senior leadership.

Benefits

• Free medical coverage for employees via the Health Investment Plan (HIP) PPO.
• Excellent retirement savings plan with high employer contribution.
• Tuition reimbursement and the Freedom 2 Save student debt program.
• FreeU education benefit for an affordable path to getting a bachelor's degree.