Sr. Analyst, Planning

Location: Hershey, PA

Role responsibilities:

The Sr Planner is accountable for the management and integration of data from Marketing, Sales, Customers, and Finance which are used to develop accurate and timely forecasts supporting Operations, Sales and Financial Planning. The planner is responsible for providing guidance, analysis, and oversight for their assigned demand group to ensure alignment with business direction and consistency with market trends.  Responsibilities include communicating demand forecasts and the assumptions behind them through the supply chain and via the IBM Demand process. 

• Develop accurate forecasts of all line items for their accountable customer/segment of the business by using a combination of statistical forecasting integrated with insights gained via partnering with Sales and Finance departments.  Ensure consistent integration into the forecast of customer insights, base business trends, merchandising promotional plans, new item volumes, plan-o-gram changes and seasonal volume with the goal of reducing working capital and minimizing forecast error. Work cross functionally toward continuous improvement of forecast accuracy and improve the error rate below targeted levels of Weighted Mean Absolute Percentage Error (WMAPE) and Bias. Comprehensively analyzes the business to understand implications to Plan and Consensus. Works collaboratively with Key Stakeholders in the development of KPI’s to track and monitor in-year performance
• Works with relevant teams to identify, isolate, and appropriately size R&Os; grasps challenges and topline/bottom line impact associated with gap-filling activities, assesses solutions and understands trade-offs, and influences/enables key decision making to maximize financial targets, minimize costs, and protect customer relationships
• Maintains thorough and explicit record of key planning assumptions by building block and key driver/initiative
• Serves as the voice for both Commercial and Demand Planning/CSC in core organizational processes (e.g., KEM Meetings, SKU Rationalization, product hierarchy changes)

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred

Experience: 

• Minimum 3 years of experience in Marketing, Sales, Category Management, Analytics, Finance, or Demand Planning
• Understanding of the P&L, building blocks, mix implications, and growth levers.

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