Senior Demand Planning Analyst at Robert Half Senior Demand Planning Analyst at Robert Half in Milltown, New Jersey Posted in 2 days ago.

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full-time Position Summary The Senior Demand Planning Analyst is responsible for analyzing demand, inventory, costs, and supply chain performance to improve forecast accuracy, optimize inventory levels, and reduce overall supply chain costs. This role will leverage data analysis, statistical trends, and root-cause analysis to identify opportunities, resolve inventory issues, and support effective business decisions. This position will partner closely with Supply Chain, Procurement, Operations, Finance, Sales, and other cross-functional teams to improve inventory productivity and business performance. Key Responsibilities Demand & Inventory Analysis Analyze historical demand, sales trends, seasonality, forecast accuracy, and inventory movements to identify trends and risks. Monitor inventory levels, inventory turns, days of supply, excess and obsolete inventory, stockouts, and service levels. Identify inventory imbalances and recommend actions to improve inventory availability while minimizing excess working capital. Develop and maintain demand and inventory reports, dashboards, and key performance indicators. Analyze SKU-level performance and identify slow-moving, fast-moving, and at-risk inventory. Support inventory optimization initiatives through data-driven recommendations. Cost Analysis Analyze inventory carrying costs, purchase costs, freight costs, material costs, and other supply chain expenses. Identify cost drivers and opportunities for cost reduction without negatively impacting service levels. Evaluate the financial impact of inventory decisions, including excess inventory, shortages, MOQ requirements, lead times, and supplier constraints. Partner with Finance to analyze inventory valuation, working capital, and cost trends. Conduct cost-benefit analysis for inventory and supply chain initiatives. Root Cause & Problem Analysis Conduct detailed root-cause analysis of inventory variances, forecast errors, stockouts, excess inventory, and service-level issues. Investigate discrepancies between forecast, actual demand, planned orders, and inventory positions. Identify recurring operational issues and develop corrective and preventive action plans. Use data to distinguish between demand-driven, supply-driven, planning-driven, and process-driven issues. Track corrective actions and measure their effectiveness over time. Communicate findings and recommendations to stakeholders and leadership. Forecasting & Demand Planning Support the development and maintenance of statistical and consensus demand forecasts. Analyze forecast accuracy and bias by SKU, product family, customer, and/or market. Identify significant demand changes and communicate risks and opportunities to stakeholders. Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Finance to incorporate business intelligence into demand plans. Continuously improve forecasting methodologies, planning parameters, and analytical processes. Reporting & Continuous Improvement Develop automated reports, dashboards, and analytical tools to improve supply chain visibility. Establish and monitor KPIs related to inventory, forecast accuracy, service level, cost, and working capital. Identify process inefficiencies and recommend improvements using data-driven analysis. Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on inventory optimization and supply chain efficiency. Standardize analytical processes and reporting across products, locations, and business units. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Business Analytics or a related field. 5+ years of experience in demand planning, inventory analysis, supply chain analytics, financial analysis, or a related analytical role. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify trends and root causes within complex datasets. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, XLOOKUP/INDEX-MATCH, Power Query, and data modeling. Experience working with ERP, MRP, planning, or inventory management systems.