Sr Demand Planner (Sr Forecast Analyst)

The Senior Forecast Analyst is responsible for developing, maintaining, and continuously improving forecasts that support business planning, inventory optimization, service levels, and operational execution. This role serves as a senior functional expert in forecasting, using statistical models, historical sales data, customer insights, market trends, and cross-functional input to build accurate and actionable forecasts. The Senior Forecast Analyst partners closely with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, IT, and Supply Chain to align assumptions, gain consensus, identify forecast risks and opportunities, and provide meaningful insights that support the S&OP process and broader business decisions. Duties and Responsibilities: • Develop and maintain demand forecasts at multiple levels, including product, customer, channel, plant, and aggregate business views, using statistical models, historical sales data, market trends, and business intelligence. • Serve as a senior functional expert for forecasting processes, including forecast generation, consensus planning, exception management, and continuous improvement. • Learn, support, and leverage SAP IBP or other forecasting systems to improve forecast accuracy, process efficiency, reporting, and data visibility. • Partner with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, and IT to gather input on demand drivers, promotional activity, customer trends, supply constraints, and business assumptions. • Translate analytical findings into clear business insights, recommendations, and action plans for cross-functional stakeholders and leadership. • Lead or support consensus forecast discussions by facilitating alignment between statistical forecasts, commercial input, operational realities, and financial expectations. • Monitor forecast accuracy, bias, and variance to actual results; identify key drivers of forecast misses and recommend corrective actions. • Analyze trends, seasonality, turning points in demand, customer behavior, and changes in key business drivers to improve forecast visibility and accuracy. • Develop planning strategies and forecast assumptions for new products, product transitions, discontinued items, customer changes, and promotional events. • Participate in S&OP meetings and provide forecasting insights, risks, opportunities, and scenario analysis to support business decisions. • Support inventory optimization by providing demand insights that help balance service levels, production capacity, working capital, and cost efficiency. • Use pilot opportunities, post-event analysis, and data validation to test assumptions, evaluate conclusions, and improve planning outcomes. • Partner with IT and data owners to collect, cleanse, validate, and improve forecast data, reporting, and system inputs. • Create and maintain reports, dashboards, and presentations that communicate forecast performance, demand trends, and business recommendations. • Mentor or provide guidance to less experienced analysts or planners, as needed, and help promote best practices within the forecasting process. Minimum Job Requirements: Education/Certifications and Experience: • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Supply Chain, Operations, or a related field required; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered. • 5+ years of experience in forecasting, supply chain planning, analytics, or a related function required. • Experience using forecasting or planning tools such as SAP IBP, Oracle Demantra, Excel, Power BI, or similar systems required. • Experience in consumer goods, food manufacturing, foodservice, retail, or a similar demand-driven business environment preferred. • APICS, IBF, or related supply chain or forecasting certification preferred. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: • Advanced analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex data and develop practical business recommendations. • Strong understanding of statistical forecasting principles, seasonality, trend analysis, forecast accuracy metrics, and variance analysis. • Ability to understand both demand and supply considerations and connect forecast decisions to service, inventory, production, and financial outcomes. • Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present findings and recommendations to stakeholders ranging from analysts to senior leaders. • Demonstrated ability to influence without direct authority, build consensus, and develop positive cross-functional relationships. • Strong proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with SAP IBP, forecasting software, reporting tools, or data visualization platforms preferred. • Ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing business conditions. • High attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to continuous process improvement. Supervisory Responsibilities: • N/A Working Conditions and Physical Effort: • Primarily operates in a professional office environment with standard business equipment and technology. • Regularly required to use a computer, keyboard, mouse, and telephone for extended periods of time. • Must be able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment. Expectations: • Will demonstrate, promote, and exemplify the Company’s Core Values. At C.H. Guenther, we value transparency in compensation. By providing the salary range for this role, we aim to promote fairness and help candidates make informed choices about their career. T he salary range for this role is: $82,757.00 - $150,222.00 Actual compensation may vary based on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as geographic location. C.H. Guenther & Son will never offer or pay a wage or salary that is not compliant with applicable local, state, or federal pay laws, including minimum salary thresholds. We also offer a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, retirement savings options, flexible spending accounts, employee assistance programs, educational assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. ​ For additional information about our company, go to . C.H. Guenther & Son and its subsidiaries are E-Verify participating employers. Click here for more information regarding E-verify. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of the pre-employment screening process which includes a drug screen and review of criminal background and other records as required. AA/EEO/Drug-Free Employer