Retail Forecast Demand Planner

Aquent, a leading talent solutions partner, is thrilled to connect top-tier talent with an innovative technology client that is a leader in developing smart home solutions. This client is renowned for its unwavering commitment to customer obsession and for delivering cutting-edge technology that seamlessly enhances daily life. As a key contributor in this pivotal role, you will be instrumental in shaping the strategic direction and success of their retail operations, directly impacting product availability, market performance, and revenue growth through robust demand planning and forecasting.

About Our Client

Our client is a visionary technology company at the forefront of innovation, dedicated to creating intelligent solutions that enrich the lives of millions. With a strong focus on customer satisfaction and technological advancement, they are constantly pushing boundaries to deliver intuitive and impactful products. Joining this team means contributing to a future where technology makes everyday experiences simpler and more enjoyable.

About the Opportunity

This is an exceptional opportunity for a dynamic and highly analytical professional to make a significant impact within a fast-paced and innovative environment. You will be instrumental in guiding critical business decisions, optimizing product availability, and driving revenue growth across all retail channels. Your expertise will directly influence product strategy and market performance, working at the intersection of data, strategy, and execution to deliver tangible results and shape the future of smart home technology.

What You'll Do

In this highly visible role, you will own the day-to-day forecasts of the business and lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual forecasting processes across retail teams. You will serve as both a strategic advisor to channel leaders and a quantitative modeler, building daily, product-level forecasts that inform crucial business decisions.

• Own and manage all forecast inputs, including sales curves, baselines, and promotional lifts, building forward-looking forecasts based on historical data and channel-driven adjustments.
• Lead promotional strategy modeling, calculating lifts and elasticities to evaluate various promotional approaches (e.g., modeling volume impacts at different discount levels) with daily, product-level specificity.
• Create comprehensive promotional forecasting, including scenario models, to support strategic decisions for channel owners.
• Oversee and conduct deep-dive analyses on product performance, including year-over-year comparisons, attainment tracking, and mix shifts.
• Provide day-to-day and week-to-week forecasting and sales reporting support to retail sales channel owners.
• Create net-short analysis and manage inventory allocation during end-of-sale planning to limit overhang risk.
• Manage and update all forecast systems to ensure accuracy and reliability.
• Create and manage workback schedules for every forecasting cycle, ensuring accountability and timely execution of inputs from channel owners.
• Meet with channel owners to review baselines, gather feedback, and incorporate changes, meticulously documenting assumptions for bridging and tracking purposes.
• Lead recurring forecast inspection meetings with channel owners to review performance against forecast and align on required actions.
• Ensure standardization of assumptions and forecasting methodologies across all marketplaces, influencing channel owners to adhere to these processes for both emerging and existing businesses.
• Own the forecast narrative and final documents, bridging changes between forecasting cycles and providing clear explanations for variances.
• Lead Global Retail Demand Reviews, presenting insights and recommendations to stakeholders.

Must-Have Qualifications

• 5-7 years of relevant experience in demand planning, quantitative forecasting, and cross-functional program management, with a strong blend of approximately 60% Demand Planning/Forecasting and 40% Program Management.
• Proven experience in promotional impact modeling, calculating price elasticity, and forecasting promotional lifts for complex product portfolios.
• Background in B2C, Consumer Electronics, Traditional Retail, or Finance industries.
• Advanced Excel skills for complex data modeling, scenario planning, and quantitative analysis.
• Strong ability to connect operational modeling directly to business strategy and serve as an analytical advisor to retail sales leaders.

Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.

About Aquent Talent:

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands.

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits!

Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.