Inventory & Demand Planning Manager

$90,000 - $125,000/Yr

Gables Search Group - Minneapolis, MN

Full-time - Senior

Minneapolis, MN

Administrative and Support Services

About the position

The Inventory and Demand Planning Manager is a pivotal role within our organization, responsible for leading the Demand Planning Team while executing day-to-day business needs related to demand planning as a working manager. This position requires a strong background in manufacturing and management, as the manager will serve as the functional expert of the forecasting process. The role involves facilitating Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) execution for key business units and improving collaboration with business partners to achieve optimal business outcomes. In addition to leading the Demand Planning Team, the manager will oversee inventory guidance and management across the organization, focusing on slow-moving and obsolete inventory (SLOB), new SKU introductions, and end-of-life process management. The role also includes driving central inventory analytics and optimization to support the organization’s weekly, monthly, and quarterly cadence. The manager will provide oversight to organizational inventory targets and lead critical inventory meetings across the business, distributing weekly and monthly inventory updates to the Leadership Team and Operations sites. As an expert inventory analyst, the manager will guide a team of Demand Planners towards a world-class forecasting and SIOP process, leading the utilization and best practices of Integrated Business Planning (IBP) demand forecasting modules to drive continuous improvement. The role requires leading discussions during SIOP meetings to ensure cross-functional collaboration, providing analytical support during the demand planning process, and compiling executive summaries from monthly SIOP meeting notes. The manager will also monitor forecast accuracy KPIs and drive actions to improve performance, collaborating with individual business units to create material objects and realign sales history. Ongoing training for users to maximize the benefits of IBP is also a key responsibility, along with leading individual SIOP and demand planning initiatives as assigned. Participation in broader supply chain and business operations initiatives on behalf of the Supply Chain is expected.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Demand Planning Team and execute day-to-day business needs related to demand planning.
• Serve as the functional expert of the forecasting process and facilitate SIOP execution for key business units.
• Improve collaboration with business partners to achieve optimal business outcomes.
• Oversee inventory guidance and management across the organization, including SLOB, new SKU introductions, and end-of-life process management.
• Drive central inventory analytics and optimization to support weekly, monthly, and quarterly cadence.
• Provide oversight to organizational inventory targets and lead critical inventory meetings across the business.
• Distribute weekly and monthly inventory updates to the Leadership Team and Operations sites.
• Provide professional business support as an expert inventory analyst.
• Guide a team of Demand Planners to a world-class forecasting and SIOP process.
• Lead the utilization and best practices of Integrated Business Planning (IBP) demand forecasting module.
• Drive discussions during SIOP meetings to ensure cross-functional collaboration.
• Provide analytical support during the demand planning process to ensure consistency.
• Compile Executive Team summary from monthly SIOP meetings notes.
• Monitor forecast accuracy KPI and drive actions to improve performance.
• Collaborate with individual business units to create material objects and realign sales history.
• Provide ongoing training to users to maximize benefits of IBP.
• Lead individual SIOP and demand planning initiatives as assigned.
• Participate in broad supply chain and business operations initiatives.

Requirements

• BA/BS in Business Management, Supply Chain Management, or equivalent.
• 5+ years in manufacturing, supply chain, and/or inventory management.
• Strong analytical skills in process/data and exceptional problem-solving abilities.
• Knowledge of supply chain processes, including inventory management, demand and supply management, capacity planning, and materials management.
• Proficiency in SAP and experience using advanced planning and scheduling tools (SAP-IBP).
• Ability to influence key stakeholders throughout the organization.
• Previous experience working with data, including analytical analysis.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) matching
• Life insurance