Demand Planning Senior Analyst

Role Summary

The Demand Planning Center of Excellence Subject Matter Expert (COE SME) is responsible for driving best-in-class demand planning capabilities across Lincoln Electric’s global organization. This role will establish standardized processes, tools, and performance management frameworks to improve forecast accuracy, demand visibility, and alignment with business strategy.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, S&OP, the COE leader will serve as the central authority for demand planning methodologies, statistical forecasting, and demand analytics, ensuring consistent execution and continuous improvement across regions and business units.

Job Description (Duties and Responsibilities)

• Define and deploy standardized demand planning processes, policies, and governance across the enterprise.
• Establish and lead governance within the S&OP framework for demand planning activities.
• Act as the subject matter expert for demand planning, including baseline forecasting, demand sensing, and consensus planning.
• Drive the evolution toward advanced, data-driven demand planning capabilities.
• Develop and maintain global standards for statistical forecasting models, forecast hierarchy and segmentation, and demand review and consensus processes.
• Improve forecast accuracy and bias through structured methodologies, segmentation strategies, and continuous feedback loops.
• Own demand planning system capabilities and partner with IT and Digital teams to enhance forecasting automation, machine learning models, and data integration.
• Lead system implementations, enhancements, and upgrades related to demand planning and ensure high-quality master data and model configuration.
• Define and manage KPIs such as forecast accuracy, forecast bias, demand plan stability, and forecast value add, and develop dashboards and reporting across regions and product lines.
• Conduct root-cause analysis for forecast errors, drive corrective actions, and provide actionable insights to commercial, finance, and operations teams.
• Support demand review processes within the S&OP cycle and facilitate cross-functional consensus demand planning with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Product Management.
• Translate market intelligence, promotions, and new product launches into demand plans while ensuring alignment between demand plans and financial forecasts.

• Train and coach demand planners on forecasting techniques, tools, and analytics; build a global demand planning community of practice; and lead change management initiatives to improve adoption of standardized processes and digital tools.
• Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Finance, Supply Planning, Operations, and IT / Data & Analytics teams to ensure demand signals reflect true market conditions and business strategy.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, or S&OP.
• Strong expertise in statistical forecasting and demand planning processes.
• Experience with ERP/APS platforms such as SAP, Palantir, or similar tools.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into business insights.
• Experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment preferred.
• Knowledge of advanced analytics, predictive modeling, or demand sensing tools preferred.
• Experience working in global, matrixed organizations preferred.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Sr. Manager, Enterprise SIOP
• Key Interfaces: Sales & Commercial, Marketing, Product Management, Finance, Supply Planning, Operations, and IT / Data & Analytics

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and data-driven mindset.
• Ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking with a focus on execution and results.
• Change leadership and continuous improvement mindset.
• Excellent communication and storytelling with data.

Success Profile

This role requires a hands-on leader and change agent capable of building a scalable, data-driven demand planning organization. Success will be measured by the ability to improve forecast accuracy, standardize processes globally, and enhance the effectiveness of the Enterprise S&OP process.