Demand Planner

Position Summary A highly organized and detail-oriented Production Planner who researches, analyzes, and maintains analytics reports and databases to create effective, reliable inventory forecasts and optimize revenue. Manages production and dispensing schedules to maintain inventory levels of core products and meet customer-expected ship dates. Collaborates and communicates with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Production, and Supply Chain teams to manage capacity, determine optimal safety stock and raw-material requirements, and avoid inventory surpluses and shortages. Develops and updates demand-planning strategies to improve forecast accuracy and analysis, and establishes, maintains, and documents demand-planning processes, techniques, and systems. Monitors production flow, promptly communicates delays to key stakeholders, and effectively manages competing priorities in a fast-paced environment to ensure timely completion of production targets. Essential Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Analyze and determine production requirements based on sales forecasts and customer orders. Build and maintain rolling statistical forecast models using historical sales data, market trends, and customer forecasts. Lead or participate in regular sales and operations planning meetings with commercial and operations teams to review forecast accuracy, bias, and variances. Optimize inventory parameters, including safety stock, reorder points, and lead times, considering batch production cycles, shelf-life constraints, and hazardous material storage limits. Collaborate with procurement and supply chain managers to translate finished goods forecasts into raw material requirements. Partner with product development and commercial teams to forecast new-product rollouts and regulatory-driven phase-outs. Monitor forecast accuracy and forecast bias and generate regular analytical reports for executive leadership. Coordinate and adjust production schedules to meet product delivery deadlines. Identify and promptly resolve production, inventory, quality, delay, and operational issues, escalating material shortages or bottlenecks to supply chain as needed. Collaborate with production and warehouse staff to ensure smooth flow of operations. Maintain accurate production records and prepare reports on production status, volume, product mix, quality, findings, and performance to keep management informed. Review and suggest improvements to production processes and systems. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Operations Research, Business, Statistics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field. Five+ years of dedicated demand planning, forecasting, supply chain analysis, or closely related production-planning experience, preferably in chemical or process manufacturing or industrial distribution. Proficiency in ERP or MRP systems, such as SAP, Oracle, or Microsoft Dynamics, and advanced Microsoft Excel; familiarity with specialized demand-planning or S&OP software. Understanding chemical batch-production lead times, industry market trends and conditions, shelf-life management, product quality and safety standards, and applicable regulatory requirements, including California EPA/DTSC or OSHA guidelines affecting chemical handling and storage. Strong cross-functional communication, negotiation, and analytical problem-solving skills, including the ability to align conflicting sales and production goals. Strong organizational and multitasking abilities, with the capacity to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines. Experience using artificial intelligence and machine-learning tools to suppo…

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