Demand Planner (Manufacturing)

Job Title: Demand Planner Industrial Americas

Job #:

Industry: Manufacturing (Paint Coatings)

Location: Houston TX or Madison AL

Shift/Schedule: Hybrid

Education: Bachelors Degree preferred

Experience: Minimum of (3) three years of relevant experience in a planning role within a manufacturing environment with a strong understanding of end-to-end supply chain processes.

(Company Website Link)

Job Description:

Position Summary:

The Demand Planner Industrial Americas is a strategic supply chain leader supporting Axaltas North American Industrial business. This role serves as the primary voice of the customer translating commercial demand into executable supply and inventory plans that support service excellence working capital optimization and profitable growth.

The role partners closely with Commercial Business Leaders Business Directors Product Management Operations and Supply Chain teams to align demand supply and inventory strategies. The Senior Demand Planner provides indirect leadership and functional guidance across customer service production planning master scheduling procurement planning and sales teams and plays a key role in the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process.

Key Responsibilities:

Demand Planning & Forecast Management:

• Own the end-to-end demand planning process for the North American Industrial business.
• Develop manage and maintain accurate forecasts using SAP IBP and advanced Excel-based models.
• Lead demand review meetings with Commercial Business Leaders and Business Directors ensuring alignment on risks opportunities and mitigation plans.
• Analyze demand trends customer production variability and market dynamics to proactively adjust forecasts.
• Maintain demand assumptions supply notes and forecast documentation.

Supply Customer Fulfillment & Execution:

• Partner with Master Scheduling and Operations to align production plans with customer demand and service commitments.
• Track manage and rapidly resolve back orders through cross-functional collaboration and escalation when required.
• Work closely with Customer Service to resolve daily supply logistics and delivery challenges.
• Maintain and manage plant shutdown schedules and coordinate daily priorities with Operations.
• Support North American Industrial leadership in meeting customer production and service requirements.

New Product Introduction & Lifecycle Management:

• Lead demand planning activities for new product launches trial batches and new business opportunities.
• Collaborate with Product Management and Technical teams on phase-in and phase-out strategies to ensure seamless execution.
• Manage trial batch prioritization with account teams and operations.
• Support new GMC creation BOM and routing setup within SAP to enable production planning.
• Drive phase-out and obsolete inventory to zero.

Inventory Management & Optimization:

• Own inventory performance for the Industrial business balancing service levels with inventory and working capital objectives.
• Identify and implement opportunities to reduce inventory while maintaining customer service expectations.
• Manage consignment inventory at APC locations.
• Monitor inventory health and compliance to support SOX and governance requirements.
• Actively manage and reduce non-productive and excess inventory.

IBP KPI Management & Executive Communication:

• Serve as a key contributor to the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process for Industrial Americas.
• Drive alignment across demand supply inventory and financial plans.
• Track analyze and report key supply chain KPIs including:
  • Forecast Accuracy
  • OTIF (On-Time In-Full)
  • Inventory Turns and Non-Productive Inventory
• Develop executive-level presentations using PowerPoint and Excel and confidently present insights risks and recommendations to senior leadership Commercial Business Leaders and Business Directors.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives across Safety Quality Delivery Inventory and Cost.

Qualifications and Required Skills/Knowledge:

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in Business Supply Chain Management or a related field.
• Minimum of three years of relevant experience in a planning role within a manufacturing environment with a strong understanding of end-to-end supply chain processes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence negotiate and collaborate effectively at all levels of the organization.
• Proven ability to lead and facilitate cross-functional meetings and present information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel Word Outlook PowerPoint and MS Teams.
• Experience working with SAP and Integrated Business Planning (IBP) systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to think quickly and make sound independent decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complexity balance competing priorities and resolve conflicts effectively.
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability with the ability to lead initiatives while functioning effectively as part of a team.

Our Company:

Axalta has remained at the forefront of the coatings industry by continually investing in innovative solutions. We engineer technologies that protect customers products whether they are battling heat light corrosion abrasion moisture or chemicals and add dimension and beauty with colorful finishes. We have a vast and ever-evolving portfolio of brands primed to play an important part in everything from modernizing infrastructure around the world to enabling the next generation of electric and autonomous vehicles.

Axalta operates its business in two segments: Performance Coatings and Mobility Coatings which serve four end markets including Refinish Industrial Light Vehicle and Commercial Vehicle across North America EMEA Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Our diverse global footprint allows us to deliver solutions in over 140 countries and coat 30 million vehicles per year. Weve recently set an exciting 2040 carbon neutrality goal in addition to 10 other sustainability initiatives and we take pride in working with our customers to optimize their businesses and achieve their goals.

Axalta may use technology-assisted tools including artificial intelligence (AI) to support certain aspects of the recruitment and selection process. These tools may be used to help manage applications identify job-related qualifications and assist recruiter review. All hiring decisions involve human oversight and review.

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