Demand Planner

To provide short-term demand planning support for the North America region during a period of transition and transformation. The demand planner will collaborate cross-functionally to enhance forecast accuracy, streamline the S&OP process, and support business continuity for customer service and supply planning teams.

Scope of Work

The consultant will support the North America demand planning function, with responsibilities including but not limited to:

Forecast Management

Develop and maintain SKU-level forecasts across all key product lines and channels (e.g., retail, DTC, eComm).

Use historical data, statistical models, and market intelligence to generate a baseline forecast.

Incorporate inputs from sales, marketing, and finance to refine the forecast.

Manage the rolling forecast process (monthly/weekly as applicable).

S&OP Participation

Facilitate and support monthly demand reviews as part of the S&OP process.

Present forecast accuracy, bias, and variance reports.

Work with cross-functional stakeholders to drive forecast consensus and alignment to business targets.

Document key decisions and assumptions for each planning cycle.

Performance Monitoring & Analytics

Track key metrics (e.g., forecast accuracy, bias, OTIF impact).

Conduct root cause analysis of forecast variances and recommend improvements.

Support ad hoc reporting and dashboard creation for leadership as needed.

Stakeholder Collaboration

Serve as the primary point of contact for demand planning in North America.

Engage with sales, marketing, customer service, and supply planning to align demand plans.

Support cross-regional collaboration for global planning harmonization.

Process Improvement Support

Identify gaps in forecasting tools or processes and recommend short-term solutions.

Assist in documenting SOPs, workflows, and data inputs for handoff to permanent staff.

Provide knowledge transfer and training support as needed at the end of the engagement.

Deliverables

Weekly updated demand forecast files (format: Excel or [Client Tool])

Monthly demand review deck and KPI dashboard

Variance analysis reports (weekly/monthly)

SOP documentation or playbook for forecast process (North America scope)

Transition and handoff summary at end of engagement

Key Skills / Tools Required

Proven experience in demand planning for North America in a relevant industry (e.g., CPG, food & beverage, industrials)

Expertise with statistical forecasting models

Proficiency in Excel and demand planning tools (e.g., SAP IBP, o9, Oracle, Kinaxis, or equivalent)

Strong stakeholder management and communication skills

Reporting & Communication

The consultant will report to: [e.g., Director of Demand Planning, North America]

Weekly check-ins and deliverable reviews will be held with: [Client Team / Project Sponsor]