The Role
The Demand Planning Manager is responsible for leading the demand planning process across “markets” in our cannabis portfolio, translating commercial strategy, market trends, historical performance, inventory positions, and operational inputs into a clear, accurate, and actionable demand plan.
This role serves as the primary link between Commercial, Marketing, Supply Planning, and Operations, ensuring the organization is aligned on what products are needed, where they are needed, when they are needed, and in what quantities. The Demand Planning Manager will establish and continuously improve demand planning processes, forecasting methodologies, and analytical capabilities across a complex, multi-state cannabis business. This includes managing demand at the appropriate level of detail across markets, brands, product categories, SKUs, strains/flavors, and channels while balancing forecast accuracy with the speed and volatility inherent in the cannabis industry.
The ideal candidate is highly analytical, commercially minded, operationally oriented, and comfortable making decisions in an environment where historical data alone is not sufficient to predict future demand.
This is a remote position. The candidate will work Eastern or Central Time business hours.
Responsibilities
- Own the demand planning process and maintain the rolling demand forecast across all applicable markets, product categories, brands, and SKUs.
- Develop and maintain a rolling 12-month demand plan, with increased detail and accountability across the near-term planning horizon.
- Translate historical sales, POS trends, inventory, pricing, promotions, seasonality, market growth, new product launches, product lifecycle changes, and commercial assumptions into a robust demand forecast.
- Develop appropriate forecasting methodologies by product/category based on demand characteristics, lifecycle, market maturity, and data availability.
- Facilitate demand review meetings and drive resolution of significant gaps between the commercial forecast, statistical forecast, and operating plan.
- Identify meaningful changes in demand trends and proactively communicate risks, opportunities, and recommended actions to appropriate teams
- Manage new product forecasting, including demand assumptions, launch curves, cannibalization, and product ramp-up/ramp-down.
- Identify demand/supply gaps and quantify the potential revenue, service, and inventory implications.
- Establish appropriate methodologies for managing promotions, price changes, market expansions, product discontinuations, and other demand-impacting events
- Manage exit plans for products we want to wind down, playing a role in both identifying products for divestiture and managing the off ramp process
- Collaborate effectively with supply planners and lead plans for hand off demand plans to supply chain planners
- Use AI to enhance and improve processes and functions
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Finance, Economics, Analytics, or related field.
- 7+ years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, supply chain planning, S&OP, or related discipline.
- Experience managing forecasts across multiple products, locations, markets, or channels.
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills with the ability to translate data into business decisions.
- Demonstrated experience with forecasting methodologies, inventory planning, and S&OP / IBP processes.
- Advanced Excel skills and experience working with ERP, planning, and business intelligence systems.
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, highly dynamic environment with incomplete or changing information.
- Experience in the cannabis, CPG, consumer products, retail, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated industry.
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Operations, Finance, Engineering, or a related field.
- Experience and comfortability using AI.
Additional Requirements
- Must pass any and all required background checks
- Must be and remain compliant with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry
- Must be a minimum of 21 years of age
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