Demand Planner and Data Management

Location: Remote (work from home)
Job Type: Full-Time
Reports to: Supply Chain Supervisor

About Us
Small Lot Wine & Spirits is a leading distributor of fine wines and spirits across the Midwest, covering Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota. We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality products to our customers through strong partnerships and an efficient supply chain.

Job Summary
We are seeking a highly analytical and detail-oriented Demand Planner to join our Supply Chain Management team. The Demand Planner will be responsible for developing and maintaining demand forecasts at multiple levels of aggregation, optimizing inventory levels, managing demand-related data, maintaining ERP system accuracy, and collaborating with sales, finance, and operations teams to ensure smooth supply chain operations.

Key Responsibilities

Demand Forecasting & Planning:
•Develop and maintain demand forecasts at multiple levels of aggregation (SKU, category, region) for multiple time horizons (short-term, mid-term, long-term).
•Review historical sales trends, research demand drivers, prepare forecast data, develop statistical forecast models, and evaluate forecast results.
•Use and maintain the Demand Planning software as the primary forecasting tool.
•Achieve consensus for operational demand forecasts by facilitating a collaborative planning process with sales, marketing, and finance teams.

Data Management & ERP System Maintenance:
•Maintain and update demand planning databases, ensuring accuracy and consistency of sales, inventory, and forecast data.
•Responsible for system data entry and overall maintenance in the ERP platform, ensuring demand forecasts, inventory levels, and ordering parameters are accurate.
•Clean, validate, and structure data for effective forecasting and analysis.
•Utilize data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, or Excel) to generate insights and trends for decision-making.
•Automate data collection and reporting processes to improve efficiency and accuracy.
•Prepare and maintain relevant reports pertaining to the demand planning process.

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Coordination:
•Interact with Sales, Marketing, and Customer Finance to understand demand forecast drivers.
•Utilize a collaborative and consensus approach by working with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to ensure that current and accurate information is used for demand forecasts.
•Coordinate cross-functional research activities to reconcile significant variances and refine the forecast model to reflect updated sales and marketing assumptions.
•Support new product launches by incorporating sales forecasts and market data.
•Closely coordinate and communicate customer action plans with supply planning and purchasing teams.

Inventory & Supply Planning Support:
•Provide input to the Supply Planning organization in developing inventory strategies for existing items, new products, and product phase-outs.
•Monitor inventory levels and recommend replenishment strategies based on forecasted demand.
•Collaborate with procurement and warehouse teams to ensure optimal stock levels and minimize excess inventory.
•Help optimize ordering parameters such as PAR levels for efficient weekly replenishment cycles.

Performance Tracking & Reporting:
•Measure forecast accuracy and identify root causes for deviations.
•Provide data-driven recommendations for improving forecast reliability and inventory efficiency.
•Develop reports and dashboards to track key demand planning metrics and process improvements.


Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Economics, Statistics, Data Science, or a related field.
2-5 years of experience in demand planning, supply chain management, data analysis, or forecasting (preferably in the beverage or CPG industry).

Technical Skills:
Proficiency in demand planning software (e.g., Excel, Power BI, SAP IBP, NetSuite, or other ERP systems).
Experience working with ERP platforms for data entry, system maintenance, and reporting.
Strong analytical skills and experience working with large datasets.
Experience with statistical forecasting methods and demand planning tools.
Knowledge of SQL, Python, or other data analytics tools is a plus.

Soft Skills:
Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work with cross-functional teams.
Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience in the wine and spirits industry or distribution business.
Knowledge of S&OP processes and best practices.
Familiarity with forecasting software such as Demand Planning modules in ERP systems.