JOOLA is seeking a Senior Demand Planner to play a critical role in driving forecast accuracy, optimizing inventory levels, and supporting scalable growth across our global business. This role will partner closely with cross-functional teams—including Product, Sourcing, and Sales—to align supply with demand in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
The ideal candidate brings strong analytical capabilities, a proactive mindset, and the ability to translate market insights into actionable planning strategies.
Responsibilities:
- Demand Forecasting & Analysis
- Develop and maintain SKU-subsidiary level demand forecasts in monthly increments, incorporating historical data, market trends, and subsidiary input.
- Validate forecasts with subsidiary leaders to ensure alignment with local market dynamics (e.g., regional promotions, cultural trends).
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with the sourcing team to translate demand plans into actionable production schedules and sourcing strategies.
- Work with the product development team on assortment planning, including phase-in/phase-out recommendations for SKUs.
- Executive Reporting & Insights
- Prepare and present demand forecast insights to executives, highlighting trends, seasonal patterns, gaps, risks, and opportunities.
- Provide actionable recommendations to address forecast variances and capitalize on emerging market opportunities.
- Process Optimization
- Identify and mitigate risks (e.g., supply chain disruptions, tariff changes) impacting demand plans.
- Implement tools and methodologies to improve forecast accuracy and operational efficiency.
- Regional Market Expertise
- Monitor regional economic, cultural, and competitive factors influencing demand (e.g., holidays, regulatory changes).
Qualifications:
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Statistics, or related field. Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
- 4+ years in demand planning, inventory management, or supply chain roles, preferably in multinational organizations.
- Experience in US and American markets, with knowledge of regional logistics, consumer behavior, and regulatory environments.
Technical Skills
- Proficiency in demand planning tools (e.g., SAP IBP, Oracle Demantra, Kinaxis) and ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle).
- Advanced Excel skills (PowerQuery, pivot tables, macros) and data visualization tools (Power BI, Tableau).
- Strong understanding of statistical forecasting methods (e.g., moving averages, regression analysis).
Soft Skills
- Excellent communication skills to collaborate with global teams and present insights to executives.
- Analytical mindset with attention to detail.
- Fluency in English.
Preferred Qualifications
- APICS/IBF certification (e.g., CPIM, CSCP).
- Experience using Python libraries (e.g., Pandas, NumPy, statsmodels, scikit-learn, fbprophet) to build demand forecasting models
- Experience in consumer goods, retail, or manufacturing industries.
About JOOLA:
JOOLA was first established in 1952 and built a global reputation as a pioneer in table tennis. In 2022, JOOLA expanded into the rapidly growing pickleball scene and quickly attracted the biggest names in the sport. As an official table tennis sponsor for three Summer Olympic Games and the official sponsor of pickleball's top athletes and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), the team at JOOLA combines its storied expertise with fresh perspectives to bring innovation to both sports. JOOLA creates a variety of equipment, apparel, and accessories for both table tennis and pickleball players, professional and recreational. With offices in US, Germany, Brazil, and China, JOOLA has a global presence and wide distributor network.
