Demand Planner

Job Description

Demand Planner

ABOUT WILDE

Salty, crunchy snacks have long been relegated to the sidelines – something to consume while watching television from the couch, movies in theatres, or games from the stands. But what if someone did it differently? What if someone was able to reinvent the salty snack space and make it about living life, not watching it? Welcome to the world of Wilde Brands. Wilde is the story of an impossible snack made possible through relentless innovation and never taking no for an answer.

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Wilde Chips was launched in 2019 by passionate entrepreneur veteran Jason Wright, whose mission was to create "junk food for healthy people." In development since 2016, Wilde's flagship product, Wilde Chips, are first-to-market complete protein chips crafted from Chicken Breast, Egg Whites and Bone Broth.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Demand Planner will play a critical role in ensuring the accurate forecasting of product demand to meet customer needs and support the company’s growth objectives. This position will be responsible for developing and maintaining demand forecasts, analyzing market trends, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize inventory levels and supply chain efficiency. The successful candidate will contribute to the overall success of Wilde Brands by ensuring that we have the right products in the right place at the right time.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Forecasting and Analysis

Develop and maintain accurate demand forecasts for all product lines, utilizing historical sales data, market trends, and other relevant inputs. Analyze sales trends, seasonality, and market dynamics to adjust forecasts and provide actionable insights. Incorporate both micro (customer-level) and macro (category-level) methodologies to build a bottom-up forecast from the customer / item level that aggregates to the enterprise level. Optimize forecast accuracy and bias KPIs, including measuring and analyzing customer forecast data.

Inventory Management

Collaborate with supply chain, production, and sales teams to optimize inventory levels, ensuring adequate stock to meet customer demand while minimizing excess inventory. Develop and implement inventory management strategies to improve turnover rates and reduce obsolescence.

Cross-functional Collaboration

Work closely with sales, marketing, and product development teams to gather information on upcoming promotions, product launches, and other events that may impact demand. Facilitate monthly sales forecast reviews with key stakeholders, tracking key forecast assumptions, comparing the latest forecast against targets, and clearly communicating forecast changes. Partner with stakeholders to identify risks and opportunities and develop plans to mitigate or capitalize on them. Ensure alignment between demand planning and business objectives.

Data Management and Reporting

Maintain and update demand planning systems and databases with accurate and timely information. Generate regular reports on demand forecasts, inventory levels, and supply chain performance. Provide insights and recommendations to senior management based on data analysis.

Continuous Improvement

Identify opportunities for process improvements within the demand planning function and implement best practices to enhance forecasting accuracy and efficiency. Stay current with industry trends and technologies to continually improve the demand planning process.

Risk Management

Identify potential risks to the demand plan and develop contingency strategies to mitigate these risks. Communicate effectively with stakeholders to ensure understanding and support for demand planning initiatives.

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Economics, or a related field.
• Proven experience (5+ years) in demand planning, forecasting, or a related role within the food and beverage industry.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient in demand planning software and tools (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Excel).
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.
• Valid driver's license.