Sr. Specialist, Demand Planning

Primient is a century old company with an entrepreneurial spirit. We are a leading producer of food and industrial ingredients made from plant-based, renewable sources. We deliver value through deep technical, commercial, and operational excellence that is backed by our long-standing corn wet milling heritage. Wherever we are in the process, from field to customer, our priorities are focused on ensuring we produce the safest, highest quality products through practices that uphold both our responsibility and commitments to the challenge and drive for excellence, our people and our planet. We are a privately held company with locations across the US, Mexico, Poland, and Brazil. We’re investing in our plants and people to unlock our potential in the industrial and food sectors. Guided by our values of Safety, Excellence, Integrity, and Growth, we’re focused on growing our business, our reputation, and the career of every teammate.

The Sr. Specialist, Demand Planning sits within Supply Chain Planning and refines future product needs into a unified 15-month forecast by synthesizing inputs from sales teams and customers.  This role goes beyond forecast execution — it owns demand signal quality, statistical model design, and the continuous improvement of the tools and processes that drive the consensus plan. Operating across multiple business units with a complex mix of MTS, MTO, and spot demand patterns, creates a plan that is shared with Supply Chain Planning for operational feasibility and with Finance for budgeting and revenue projections.

Key responsibilities: Sr. Specialist, Demand Planning 

• Demand Pattern Segmentation & Statistical Modeling: Lead SKU segmentation across MTS Baseline, Spot, and MTO demand patterns before applying any statistical methodology. Build and maintain multi-variable forecasts to analyze market trends and demand drivers, assessing their potential impact on product needs. Adjust the forecasts accordingly to reflect these insights.
• Consensus Forecast Leadership: Own and facilitate the S&OP Demand Review across all business units. Challenge and reconcile bottom-up and top-down commercial inputs, maintain a quantified upside/downside risk register in volume and revenue terms, and present demand assumptions and scenario analysis directly to senior leadership.
• Forecast Deviation Analysis & RCCA: Lead structured Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) reviews on forecast threshold misses, distinguishing model error, process error, and execution error in all reporting. Set and track quarterly continuous improvement targets for accuracy, bias reduction, and planning cycle efficiency.
• Forecast Accuracy & KPI Ownership: Own MAPE, wMAPE, and directional bias KPIs by SKU, business unit, product format, and planning horizon. Design and maintain the KPI reporting framework — not just the numbers — ensuring the organization measures planning quality correctly and acts on the right signals.
• Continuous Improvement & Tool Development: Continuously evaluate and improve demand planning processes, methodologies, and supporting tools. Design and build practical planning tools for cross-functional use.  Leverage AI and automation selectively to accelerate tool development and improve analytical output quality.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Translate planning methodology into business language to align sales, finance, and operations without direct authority. Lead the demand planning workstream for new business onboarding, acquisitions, and product launches.

Knowledge

• Advanced statistical forecasting methods
• S&OP process design, facilitation, and continuous improvement
• Demand segmentation methodology across MTS, MTO, lumpy, and campaign pattern types
• ERP systems (SAP preferred) and advanced planning systems (Arkieva or equivalent)
• Microsoft Applications — advanced Excel (Power Query, dynamic arrays), PowerBI

Skills

• Advanced data analysis and statistical modeling
• Strong verbal and written communication
• Structured problem-solving and root cause analysis (RCCA)
• Critical thinking; challenges assumptions with data
• Planning tool design and development, including familiarity with AI/automation tools

Mindsets

• Continuous Improvement orientation
• Systems thinker — sees demand, supply, and inventory as interconnected
• Data-driven and analytically rigorous
• Collaborative and influential without direct authority
• Composed and credible under pressure in executive settings

Required and Preferred Education/Certification

• Bachelor's in Supply Chain, Operations, Mathematics, Statistics, Analytics, Engineering, or Business (required)
• Certificates in APICS CSCP/CPIM, Six Sigma or Lean Management (preferred)

Required and Preferred Work Experience

• 5+ years of progressive supply chain and demand planning experience (required)
• Demonstrated ability working with large data sets with Excel, Access, etc. (required)
• Experience in ERP systems, such as SAP (required)
• Experience in continuous flow or process manufacturing environment (preferred)
• Demonstrated history of continuous improvement and planning tool development (preferred)

• Competitive Pay​

• Multiple Healthcare plan choices​

• Dental and vision insurance​

• A 401(k) plan with company and matching contributions ​

• Short- and Long-Term Disability​

• Life, AD&D, and Voluntary Insurance plans​

• Paid holidays & vacation​

• Floating days off​

• Parental leave for new parents​

• Employee resource groups​

• Learning & development programs​

• Fun culture where you have an opportunity in shaping our future

We are believers in the power of difference. We strive to represent the communities in which we operate and to provide an inclusive, welcoming environment for all. We want Primient to be a place where every employee feels they belong and knows they are seen, heard, valued and safe to speak up. Our aspiration is to unlock the full potential in diverse perspectives, while offering everyone an equal chance to grow,

Primient is an equal opportunity employer, committed to the strength of an inclusive workforce.

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