Demand Planner - Hybrid Vernon Hills, IL

Description
At CDW, we make it happen, together. Trust, connection, and commitment are at the heart of how we work together to deliver for our customers. It's why we're coworkers, not just employees. Coworkers who genuinely believe in supporting our customers and one another. We collectively forge our path forward with a level of commitment that speaks to who we are and where we're headed. We're proud to share our story and Make Amazing Happen at CDW. Fueled by our shared passion and expertise, CDW delivers innovative technology solutions for our customers. We're also committed to fostering an environment that embraces collaboration, celebrates integrity, inclusivity, and individuality, and paves the path for personal and professional growth. Experience a life in balance and join us on the journey forward. Job Summary This position resides within the Procurement department. This role is responsible for creating a baseline plan and collaborating with Marketing, Sales, Finance, and Operations to develop a consensus demand plan at a detailed level. The Demand Planner also supports continuous improvement initiatives focused on streamlining planning processes and reducing non-value-added activities
What you will do:
* Build and maintain successful relationships across departments, with our partners, and third-party research groups, to drive efficiencies and better serve our customers.
* Identify and develop strategic initiatives to improve inventory planning and forecasting processes.
* Responsible for creating and maintaining forecasting models within assigned category(s), incorporating business intelligence and forecast information gathered from Sales and Partner Programs.
* Review historical sales trends, research demand drivers, prepare forecast data, develop forecast models, evaluate forecast results, and measure the impact of forecast accuracy.
* Make recommended adjustments to forecast targets based on changes in demand and market trends.
* Align with Product Management on product promotions, emerging technologies, partner management and category performance goals.
* Partner with other functional areas to ensure the demand consensus processes are agreed upon with workable volume forecasts (mid and long term); ensure gaps and overlaps are addressed, scenarios are completed, and issues appropriately escalated to meet business objectives.
* Publish monthly demand plan to supply planning.
* Collaborate with supply planning to resolve supply gaps.
* Work closely with the Supply Planner to provide input in developing strategies on current product, new product, and discontinued product.
* Develop practices to effectively manage and monitor key supply chain metrics such as inventory turns, inventory aging, customer backorder and strategic pricing offers.
* Negotiate strategic buys to create an inventory advantage, drive VIR goals, and increase profitability.
* Develop strategic long-term team initiatives and efficiency improvements.
* Demonstrate strong leadership and decision-making skills to effectively manage risk
What we expect of you:
* Bachelor's Degree and 3 years of Supply Chain Experience OR 7 years of Purchasing/Supply Chain Management experience.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively interact and present to all stakeholders including executive leadership.
* Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
* Demonstrated price negotiation and analytical skills.
* Critical thinking and resourcefulness to solve problems with supply chain and inventory management.
* Strong understanding of supply chain and demand planning process and associated leading practices.
* Strong analytical skills to recognize and interpret both history and forecasts.
* Advanced Excel capability, including pivot tables, VLOOKUP and formulas.
* Ability to travel, as needed.
* Experience with Access, SQL, Power BI (data visualization tool) are a plus.
* Prior experience with demand planning/forecasting applications such as Blue Yonder Demand & Fulfill is a plus. Pay range: $ 80,000 - $ 122,400 depending on experience and skill set Annual bonus target of 5% subject to terms and conditions of plan Benefits overview: [https://cdw.benefit-info.com/](https://cdw.benefit-info.com/) Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials
* We make technology work so people can do great things.
* CDW is a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 Index, CDW helps its customers to navigate an increasingly complex IT market and maximize return on their technology investments. Together, we unite. Together, we win. Together, we thrive. CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.