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Company / Location Information

A.O. Smith is a global leader applying innovative technologies and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products for residential and light commercial applications. A. O. Smith is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with approximately 12,000 employees at operations in the United States, Canada, China, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. 

Primary Function

The Demand/Supply Planner plays a crucial role in balancing customer demand with supply chain capabilities to optimize inventory levels, production schedules, and customer satisfaction. This position is responsible for creating accurate demand forecasts, developing efficient supply plans, and collaborating cross-functionally to ensure operational alignment. Using Integrated Business Planning (IBP) principles, the Demand/Supply Planner supports the overall business strategy and enhances supply chain performance across A. O. Smith locations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain demand forecasts at SKU and product-family levels using historical sales data, market trends, and customer input.
• Utilize forecasting tools (e.g., SAP IBP, Oracle, Kinaxis) to improve forecast accuracy and reduce variability.
• Collaborate with sales, marketing, and finance teams to align demand plans with business objectives.
• Monitor and analyze forecast performance (e.g., accuracy, bias, inventory turns) to drive continuous improvement.
• Build demand plans based on agreed-upon assumptions, including market trends, customer forecasts, and product segmentation.
• Develop and maintain supply plans based on demand forecasts, production capacity, material availability, and inventory policies.
• Optimize safety stock levels to minimize stockouts while avoiding excess inventory.
• Work closely with procurement and suppliers to ensure material availability aligns with production plans.
• Work closely with production team to support schedules that are aligned to demand, ensures on-time delivery and optimal utilization of manufacturing resources.
• Identify supply risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate potential disruptions.
• Monitor key metrics such as Forecast Accuracy, MAPE (Mean Absolute Percentage Error).
• Align supply chain plans with financial and operational goals through the IBP framework.
• Improve lead times and production efficiency through data-driven decision-making.
• Use advanced analytics (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, SQL) to identify trends and inform decision-making.
• Provide regular updates on supply chain performance and recommend process enhancements

Qualifications

•  Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related field.
• 5 years of experience in demand planning, supply planning, production planning, or supply chain management, preferably in a manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with forecasting and planning tools such as SAP IBP, Oracle, Kinaxis, or other ERP systems.
• Strong Excel skills; experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) is a plus.
• Analytical ability to assess large data sets, identify trends, and translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies. 
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.
• High attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• APICS certification (CPIM, CSCP) or equivalent is preferred.
• Experience with scenario modeling tools and programming languages (e.g., SQL, Python) is a plus.

Education

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