Position Summary:
The Demand Planning Manager leads the development of accurate forecasts across all retailers and channels and control inventory to support brand potential while minimizing excess and obsolete. Reporting to the US Planning Lead, this role will be accountable for consolidating marketing strategy, commercial plans, and customer demand signals into a forecasted unit and sales plans that supports inventory allocation, replenishment, and financial performance. The role is a key leader in brand S&OP and partners closely with Sales Operations, Marketing, Strategy, HQ Supply Chain Innovation, and HQ Demand Supply Planning teams.
Key Responsibilities:
Demand & Supply Planning
- Develop 12-month bottoms-up demand forecasts for existing and new products using historical data, sales trends, and marketing campaigns at channel level
- Manage planning for new product launches, including supply timeline, initial forecast projections, and performance tracking.
- Monitor forecast accuracy and identify root causes of variance, implementing corrective actions as needed.
- Develop case studies on successful forecast and planning and improve forecast accuracy
- Lead initial order and projection alignment for new product launches and seasonal transitions
- Analyze impact of door increases, new retail partners, and trend changes.
- Support pre‑promotion/season planning, in‑promotion/season reforecasting, and post‑promotion/season analysis for relevant products
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to align on demand targets, latest estimates, and investment/promotion expectations.
- Model inventory impact of discontinuations and resets influencing the organization to minimize returns and obsolete inventory.
- Contribute to the inventory targets for the brand, monitor performance and drive actions to hit targets.
- Track and meet inventory targets and size to support demand, phase-in & -out, while minimizing excess and slow-moving stock and improving out-of-stock issues.
- Own stock equations and inventory simulation to proactively analyze inventory risks, identify reasonable months-of-cover, and build safe stock
- Lead arbitrations regarding inventory, production, and timeline issues by providing data-driven details of the cause, impact, and recommendations
- Analyze retailer on-hand and in-transit inventory and collaborate with partners to resolve gaps or opportunities and minimize RTV.
- Collaborate with HQ Demand Supply Planning team to align on supply lead-time and delays to proactively prepare inventory.
- Identify inefficient SKU’s and align on depletion plans to maintain healthy SKU count.
- Advise on ad-hoc requests from cross-functional team regarding inbound timing, safety stock, shipping methods, and more.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Sales Operations, Marketing, Strategy, and HQ Supply Chain Innovation teams to align on business goals and strategy.
- Serve as the demand planning lead to support and resolve inventory risks and forecast alignments
- Partner with Sales to incorporate customer insights and commercial intelligence.
- Align closely with Finance to ensure forecast consistency with budget.
- Work with HQ Supply Chain Innovation team to resolve demand/supply imbalances.
- Influence senior stakeholders to reach consensus on trade‑off decisions.
- Escalate risks, assumptions, and constraints with clear recommendations
Reporting & Continuous Improvement
- Own and continuously improve relevant demand planning processes, including forecast, stock equations, supply plan, and more.
- Prepare detailed demand and inventory analysis reports that overviews corporate level inventory for management review.
- Identify process gaps and inefficiencies and recommend corrective actions.
- Lead demand planning capability upgrades (Aplan, Report Service, SAP BI).
- Support improvements and process of S&OP.
- Establish documentation and training materials to institutionalize best practices.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Statistics, or related field.
- 4+ years of experience in Demand Planning, Forecasting, Supply Chain, or related field.
- Proven expertise in leading S&OP, high level meetings.
- Strong analytical, statistical forecasting, and business modeling skills.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate with and influence senior leadership.
- Highly proficient in MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word.
- Experience with SAP ERP/BI preferred.
- Bilingual in English and Korean preferred.
Company Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- HSA Employer Contributions and FSA Options
- 401k Participation with company matching.
- Discount on all APUS Brands Products
- Gratis Program - Gift box with top selling products, twice a year
- Paid Maternity Leave
- Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance
- Paid Time Off: Vacation / Personal days / Sick days
- Company offered Mental Counseling for all employees
- Office-closed holidays and floating holidays
- Company sponsored events
- Education assistant Program
- Employee Referral Program
AMOREPACIFIC, US, INC is an equal opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We actively seek to maintain a diverse work force, and AMOREPACIFIC US, INC therefore recruits qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, or Vietnam veteran status.
