Demand Planner

Northbrook, IL | $31–$37 per hour | Contract-to-Hire

Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Approximately 3–6 months (contract to hire)

Kelly is recruiting a Demand Planner for a contract-to-hire opportunity in Northbrook, Illinois. The assignment is expected to last approximately 3–6 months, with the possibility of permanent hire sooner based on attendance, work quality, schedule compatibility, performance, and business needs.

The Demand Planner develops, maintains, and improves demand forecasts that support production planning, inventory management, and customer service objectives. The role partners with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Customer Service, Manufacturing, and Procurement to build accurate projections and optimize inventory across a diverse portfolio of dental products.

The ideal candidate is analytical and detail-oriented, able to translate business trends, customer insights, and historical data into actionable forecasts that support growth while minimizing excess inventory and stockouts.

• Develop and maintain monthly, quarterly, and annual demand forecasts for finished goods and key product categories.
• Analyze historical sales, market trends, seasonality, promotions, new product launches, and customer demand patterns to improve forecast accuracy.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and Product Management to gather market intelligence and incorporate business assumptions into demand plans.
• Lead or support the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process by providing demand insights and recommendations.
• Monitor forecast performance and key metrics, including forecast accuracy, bias, inventory turns, fill rates, and service levels.
• Identify demand risks and opportunities; proactively communicate potential supply constraints or excess inventory situations.
• Partner with Production Planning, Procurement, and Manufacturing to align supply plans with forecasted demand.
• Support inventory optimization initiatives that balance customer service requirements with inventory investment goals.
• Analyze product lifecycle changes, including new product introductions, product transitions, and product discontinuations.
• Develop reports, dashboards, and analytics to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Participate in cross-functional projects related to supply chain optimization, ERP enhancements, and process improvements.
• Ensure data integrity within ERP, forecasting, and planning systems.

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Business Administration, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Finance, Statistics, or a related field required.

• 3–5 years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, inventory planning, supply chain, or related analytical roles.
• Manufacturing environment experience preferred.

• Experience with ERP and forecasting systems required.

• Strong understanding of demand planning, inventory management, and supply chain principles.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis tools.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar platforms.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and statistical forecasting skills; ability to interpret large datasets and identify trends and business impacts.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; strong organization and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and influence decision-making.
• Power BI, Tableau, or similar business intelligence tool…