Order Forecasting Specialist

Focus in a specific regional area, on individual customers and stores to validate and adapt customer promotion, new product launch, store opening / closing, holiday and other special circumstance or specific weekly plans and translate that into volume modifications and exception information for frontline ordering. Coordinates on major initiatives with national and regional customer teams, corporate brand teams, regional or local sales teams, manufacturing and supply chain teams to understand key initiatives in terms of scope, priority, and expected outcome. Ensure data governance of upstream systems that input to the order forecasting system to generate appropriate suggested frontline customer order volumes. Leads recurring coordination meetings. Manage potential discrepancies between the customer and brand planning teams or sales leadership to set expectations based on forecasting outcomes guided by data and experience. Assist the frontline by modifying specific suggested order volume or communicating the need for frontline focus in areas based on data analysis of events and suggested volume orders for events and weekly ordering. Assist the frontline, local sales teams, operational supply chain efforts to achieve increased growth and freshness through coaching of proper ordering disciplines. Analysis of promotional ordering and sales results to determine effectiveness of previous strategy and volume and outline potential areas and causes of differences between plan and actual sales. Responsibilities include collaboration with other stakeholders and collecting data from multiple sources ensuring the accurate collection and entry of information to produce accurate forecasts as well as to measure execution. Guide the development team as needed with inputs on data entity expansion. Provides inputs to DSDE Technology team members, technical staff as needed to identify, outline, and collaborate on potential enhancements, corrections and adjustments of forecasting algorithm and system software or communication technologies to better achieve growth, freshness and route operations. Providing insight and analysis on potential technology solutions proposed by the development and product teams as well as collaboration on new concepts. Perform system maintenance as needed to ensure accurate representation and operation of route configurations, store, product and visit scheduling and product alignment and data. Ensures growth and optimization of frontline awareness, market share and/or specified initiatives as well as providing market execution information to supply, brand and account teams. Develops effective working relationships with stakeholders including local sales leadership to achieve targeted goals and/or solutions. Interacts with peers in management / customers / vendors to interpret information and improve cross-functional processes and programs. Travel is required \u003c 10 %. Must have the ability and experience to act as \u201cinfluencer\u201d to frontline, sales leadership and upstream data, with and independent from sales, marketing, customer or supply chain team partners. Demonstrated mastery of data analysis tools and approaches for forecast accuracy and execution measurement. Ability to calculate product volumes and analyze variances as they occur to determine suggested course of action in communication, volume modification, or input correction. Excellent verbal and written communication skills and can interact at all levels of the organization. Candidate must have analytic problem-solving skills and be able to dig beyond the surface for deeper-level insights to drive actionable adjustments. Candidate must display good interpersonal skills, including a positive \"team-player\" attitude -- within the department and outside. Bachelor\u0027s level degree preferred in Business, Statistical or Mathematical function or Communications. A combination of education, training and experience that results in demonstrated competency to perform the work may be substituted. Ideal candidate will possess: 5 - 7 years of experience in business analysis, sales planning, DSD route management, finance or statistical modeling. Computer skills and proficiency, specifically PowerPoint, Excel, and Word is required, as well as proficiency with PROMPT and Margin Minder or other data analysis and dashboarding tools.