Director or Senior Director, Demand Planning & S&OP

Who We Are:

WHY Brands Inc., a parent company of Munchkin, Inc., focuses on creating, incubating, and growing the next generation of consumer lifestyle brands. Founded in 1990, Munchkin is the leading consumer product company and most loved baby lifestyle brand behind the innovative gear and products for children, mothers, and caregivers. Munchkin has sold billions of dollars of products through our key retail partners: Target, Walmart, and Amazon and has global distribution in over 50 countries. With over 375+ patents under our belt and over 250 +international product and brand design awards, we continue to create solutions that leave our customers asking, "how did I ever live without this?" Innovation is the core of our company DNA and has been driving our designs for over 30 years! Recognized as #8 on America's Most Innovative Companies list by Fortune Magazine, innovation is the core of our company DNA and has been driving our designs for 30 years!

We lead with our core values and believe that investing in the community is our responsibility.  We create opportunities for every child's potential and well-being through the Radiant Colors program, work to create a sustainable future, and in partnership with the International Fund for Animal Welfare have committed to animal conservation.

There is no better time than now to join WHY Brands as we embark on our next and biggest growth journey, and you could be the next influential leader to play a key role in driving enormous customer-centered value and growth.

Position Summary:

The Director or Senior Director of Demand Planning & S&OP will lead and strengthen the Company's Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process, with responsibility for demand planning, forecasting, analytics, supply planning, and order management. This role will establish a disciplined, scalable, and data-driven approach to integrated business planning that aligns Sales, Marketing, Finance, Product Development, Operations, Supply Planning, and Order Management around demand, supply, financial plans, and business priorities.

The Director or Senior Director will build and lead a scalable S&OP function and establish the processes, tools, governance, analytics, and cross-functional routines needed to improve forecast accuracy, align demand and supply, support inventory availability and customer service, and enable effective business decision-making. This includes developing global inventory strategies and demand-driven replenishment practices that optimize inventory productivity, Days Inventory Outstanding (DIO), working capital, and inventory carrying costs.

The role will provide leadership with clear visibility into risks, opportunities, and tradeoffs related to forecast accuracy, inventory levels, fill rates, on-time shipment, customer satisfaction, and overall supply chain performance. The Director will also evaluate and implement opportunities to leverage automation, AI-enabled tools, and advanced analytics to improve planning efficiency, visibility, and decision-making.

What you will do:

• Leadership & Functional Oversight

• Lead, manage, and develop the Demand Planning, Forecasting, Analytics, Supply Planning, and Order Management functions

• Build high-performing teams, establish accountability, set priorities, and lead organizational change related to planning processes, systems, and ways of working

• Provide leadership with clear, data-driven recommendations, risks, options, and tradeoffs to support timely business decisions

• Participate in the financial budgeting process by providing forecast, demand, inventory, working capital, and supply chain inputs

• Partner with senior and executive leadership on strategic supply chain initiatives aligned with the Company's growth objectives

• Demand Planning & Analytics

• Own and continuously improve the demand planning and forecasting process, including methodology, assumptions, modeling techniques, data inputs, reporting, and performance metrics

• Develop and maintain corporate forecasts using shipment history, customer orders, point-of-sale data, inventory levels, market trends, promotions, new product activity, seasonal trends, and other relevant inputs

• Lead the implementation of AI/ML capabilities for demand forecasting, demand sensing, and inventory optimization, and develop advanced analytics to improve forecast accuracy and decision-making

• Monitor forecast performance, including forecast accuracy, bias, shipments, orders, inventory levels, and customer demand trends, and provide insights and recommendations to drive continuous improvement

• Manage demand planning for major domestic accounts and support forecasting for new items, seasonal products, new markets, and customer opportunities

• Monitor SKU-level performance and recommend SKU rationalization initiatives where appropriate

• S&OP & Cross-Functional Planning

• Build and lead a scalable S&OP function, ensuring alignment among demand, supply, financial plans, and business priorities while establishing global inventory strategies, JIT/lean methodologies, and demand-driven replenishment practices that optimize DIO, working capital, and inventory carrying costs

• Develop and implement standardized S&OP processes, tools, templates, reporting, governance structures, decision rights, and accountability measures to establish a repeatable and data-driven approach to integrated business planning

• Establish cross-functional S&OP teams and lead change-management initiatives that support adoption of disciplined planning processes across Sales, Operations, Finance, and other key functions

• Facilitate category S&OP meetings in partnership with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Product Development, Operations, Supply Planning, and Order Management

• Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to incorporate promotional plans, customer programs, market activity, new product launches, and business assumptions into the demand plan

• Collaborate with Operations, Logistics, Sales, Product Development, Marketing, and overseas partners to identify supply constraints, demand changes, customer priorities, launch risks, and potential service impacts

• Supply Planning & Order Management Leadership

• Provide leadership and oversight for the Supply Planning and Order Management functions, ensuring demand plans are translated into effective supply, inventory, and customer fulfillment strategies that support service levels, inventory productivity, and business priorities

• Oversee key planning and service metrics, including inventory availability, coverage targets, fill rate, on-time shipment, customer requirements, vendor scorecards, issue resolution, and supply risk management

• Ensure strong cross-functional communication and timely issue resolution across Supply Planning, Order Management, Sales, Operations, Logistics, and overseas partners

• Identify opportunities to streamline planning, order management, reporting, and execution processes to improve efficiency, visibility, service levels, and business scalability

• Process Improvement, Systems & Reporting

• Identify and implement process improvements, system enhancements, automation opportunities, and AI-enabled solutions to improve forecast accuracy, planning efficiency, inventory productivity, service levels, visibility, and overall supply chain performance

• Evaluate, implement, and optimize S&OP technology platforms, including data architecture, system integrations, APIs, and dashboards that provide timely visibility and support business decision-making

• Develop and maintain planning tools, dashboards, reporting, and performance metrics to improve visibility and support decision-making

• Create, maintain, and improve standard operating procedures and process documentation for demand planning, S&OP, supply planning, inventory planning, and order management processes

• Drive strategic cost-reduction initiatives through improved demand visibility, supplier optimization, and process efficiency while supporting new product launches, market expansion, and customer wins through robust forecasting and supply planning

• Other duties may be assigned

You will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Operations, Finance, Analytics, or a related field required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
• Minimum of 10-15 years of progressive experience in demand planning, forecasting, analytics, S&OP, supply planning, inventory planning, order management, or broader supply chain planning roles
• Strong experience in demand planning, forecasting, analytics, and S&OP is required
• Experience leading or managing supply planning, inventory planning, and/or order management functions preferred
• Experience in a CPG, consumer products, retail, wholesale, or manufacturing environment strongly preferred
• Experience working with ERP, MRP, demand planning, forecasting, and/or order management systems; Oracle experience preferred
• Advanced Excel skills required; experience with forecasting software, reporting tools, SQL, or business intelligence platforms preferred
• Proven ability to develop and improve forecasting processes, planning tools, reporting, dashboards, performance metrics, and scalable planning infrastructure
• Experience identifying or implementing process automation, AI-enabled planning tools, reporting enhancements, or other technology solutions to improve planning efficiency, visibility, and decision-making preferred
• Experience building high-performing teams, leading organizational transformation, managing working capital and budgets, and partnering with C-level executives on strategic supply chain initiatives aligned with business growth objectives
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, challenge assumptions, and translate insights into actionable plans
• Strong leadership skills with demonstrated ability to develop teams, set priorities, manage resources, drive accountability, and lead cross-functional alignment
• Strong ability to operate strategically while remaining hands-on with details, data, systems, and execution
• APICS, CPIM, CSCP, IBF, CPF, or similar supply chain/planning certification preferred

We Got You Covered!

As a Great Place to Work Certified company, we are committed to offering the best to our employees.  We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, vision, dental, prescription drug coverage, life insurance, wellness benefits, generous employer-matched 401(k) plan, Paid Childcare Leave, among other benefit plans.  Our total rewards are top of market and include competitive salary, bonus, and opportunities to earn equity.  We focus on supporting employee development and growth.

We regularly hold social functions to foster a genuine camaraderie that enhances teamwork. At our company-wide award functions, we take time to recognize the talent and dedication of the people who make Munchkin the most loved baby lifestyle brand in the world.

To give our people flexibility, we offer a hybrid work environment. Munchkin's Hybrid Schedule allow employees to work extended hours Monday - Thursday, and Half-day Fridays all year long. We also provide annual weeklong global office closures giving our people a chance to recharge.

Employees enjoy an annual weeklong global office closure, giving our people an extra chance to recharge.

Salary range: $150,000 - $200,000 (DOE). This position will be at the Director or Sr. Director level.

To learn more, visit us at www.munchkin.com.

Munchkin welcomes and values what makes everyone unique.  We're proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All hires for our team are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We recruit, employ, train, and promote regardless of race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, genetic characteristic, or any other protected status.

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