Forecast Analyst jobs in Waukegan, IL

Overview

Cree Lighting is a market-leading innovator of LED lighting for indoor, outdoor and intelligent lighting applications that improve society and safeguard our planet. Additionally, our cutting-edge technology delivers reliable performance and value beyond light for office and industrial buildings, schools and universities, municipalities, automotive dealerships, healthcare facilities, and more!

We are currently seeking a Forecast Demand Planning Manager to bolster an already strong team! This position is a mission critical role, focused on improving our ability to deliver products quickly, accurately and on time in a combination of custom and medium volume product environment. Beyond typical Supply Chain and SIOP roles, success will require a proven deep engagement and understanding of Oracle Ver (12.1.3), MRP, forecasting, production Scheduling, Customer Service Order Processing and Management, Data analysis, SIOP and Oracle IT integration. This role requires an experienced professional with a track record of success in forecast demand planning, ERP, and inventory management. A successful candidate will have strong leadership, communication, problem-solving skills and will be able to work collaboratively with all levels of the organization ranging from the Chief of Staff, order entry, and manufacturing.

The Forecast Demand Planning Manager should be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to work independently as well as part of a team.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BEGIN DAY 1: 

• Employee Referral Program 
• A maximum of $5,250 each year for tuition reimbursement 
• PTO/Vacation 
• Choice of Medical Plans (company contributes/HSA/PPO) 
• Telemedicine / virtual medicine options 
• Dental Insurance 
• Vision Insurance 
• Wellness Program and discounts 
• Basic Life/AD&D 
• Supplemental Life/AD&D 
• Disability Insurance 
• Retirement 401(k) (with company match) 
• Parental Leave 
• Adoption Assistance 
• Identity Theft Protection 
• Up to $325 per year gym membership reimbursement 
• Employee Assistance Plan 

Responsibilities

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Deal quickly and effectively with ambiguous and unstructured problems and situations
• Move easily between big picture thinking and relevant details
• Anticipate stakeholder needs, and develop and discuss potential solutions, even before the stakeholders realize they are required
• Contribute deep technical knowledge in Oracle Ver (12.1.3), MRP, forecasting, production scheduling, customer service order processing and management, data analysis, SIOP and Oracle IT integration in our medium volume and customization environment
• Contribute to an environment where data and automation helps our people serve our customers
• Navigate the complexities of direct and indirect value chain engagement
• Comfortably work cross-functionally, from our leadership team through order entry and manufacturing, and directly with customers and partners
• Get your hands deep into the details, being able to describe what’s needed both in detail and at a high level
• Uphold Cree Lighting values

The Forecast Demand Planning Manager will be responsible for the creation, maintenance and management of the forecasting plan with a forward vision of 9 to 15 months.  This role will align the plan to support Annual Operations Planning (AOP) and Sales, Inventory and Operational Plan (SIOP) driven tasks, as well as support corporate goals:

• Work with NPD teams for life cycle of new and old SKUs and ensure forecasts are updated to meet new requirements
• Communicate with sales, marketing, and customer service teams to understand customer needs and ensure timely product delivery
• Coordinate monthly key account forecast review meetings with sales and marketing
• Create/facilitate/lead the monthly business demand review meetings, understand drivers, challenge assumptions, and facilitate agreement on the total demand plan
• Continuously monitor and adjust demand plans to reflect changes in customer needs and market conditions
• Develop and maintain accurate demand forecasts for all product categories, utilizing historical data, market trends, and customer insights
• Create process documented directives on uploading, review, and modification cycles with all keyholders in the forecast process
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create and implement strategies to optimize inventory levels and improve supply chain efficiency
• Analyze data and trends to identify areas for improvement and make recommendations for process enhancements
• Set target-to-improve (TTI) goals on forecast accuracy
• Create daily metric of month to date forecast verse actual usage and provide guidance to adjust or hold drive
• Identify root cause of demand variances or discrepancies within product families, highlight areas of opportunity and ensure corrective actions are documented, owned, and followed up
• Partners with our customers both internal (Sales, Marketing, Finance, Supply, etc.) and external, to develop a plan that is accurate, unbiased, and unconstrained in support of the SIOP process and goals
• Familiarity with sales and operations planning (SIOP) processes and methodologies
• Adapt and work within the current Oracle platform
• Contribute or Lead a team within the Strategic Development Plan(SDP)
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• 5 years experience in production planning/scheduling in a manufacturing environment

• Proven ability to structure and conduct advanced supply chain analyses within Oracle, SAP, in the areas of inventory management, production planning, capacity planning, product launch planning, forecasting, and BOM documentation
• Demonstrated experience in managing the customer interface – forecasting, order fulfillment, customer collaboration, relationship building and problem resolution
• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, business management, or equivalent business discipline
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with excellent interpersonal skills
• Strong analytical skills: able to work with large data extracts, creating formats and formulas to obtain data based next step solutions
• Ability to function in a fast-paced multi-task environment
• Must be able to set priorities and demonstrate a high level of organization in an environment of constant changes
• Must be innovative, assertive, and possess strong business acumen
• Accuracy, attention to detail, and strong understanding of ERP, MRP, MPS within Oracle or SAP
• Strong teamwork skills including cross-functional collaboration
• Proficient in Excel (ex: able to use filters, pivot tables and V/H-Lookups to efficiently analyze and manipulate spreadsheet data)
• Attendance on the job is essential
• Must be able to work in a team environment
• Must be able to follow instructions, safety rules and regulations of the plant

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Hybrid schedule: Monday – Thursday onsite; Friday remote work

We have an outstanding benefits package that starts DAY ONE! We offer medical, dental, vision, 401K with match! We are values-based organization that seeks people that integrate with our culture and grow with the business over time.

Cree Lighting is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on protected characteristics as outlined by federal, state or local laws. We realize that providing a culture that represents a diverse background and skillset only makes us a brighter place to work.