Senior Manager, Demand Planning Process Excellence

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Demand Planning will lead the design, pilot, and enterprise-wide adoption of zero-touch AI demand forecasting capabilities across all Business Units. This role is central to BD's Integrated Business Planning (IBP) transformation, with a primary mandate to institutionalize industry-leading demand planning best practices, drive high levels of forecast automation, and enable scalable, exception-based demand management that improves forecast accuracy, reduces bias, and strengthens supply chain performance (OTIF, inventory, and service). You will operate as a cross-BU change agent and process owner, partnering closely with Demand Planning teams, Data Science / AI teams, IT, Commercial, and IBP leadership to move BD from traditional statistical + judgmental forecasting to a predominantly zero-touch AI-driven model.

Key Responsibilities

Zero-Touch AI Forecasting Implementation

• Lead the end-to-end implementation of zero-touch AI demand forecasting solutions (model selection, feature engineering, training, validation, production deployment, and monitoring).
• Define and drive the target operating model for zero-touch forecasting, including automation thresholds, exception management frameworks, and human-in-the-loop governance.
• Partner with Data Science and IT to industrialize AI models, establish model performance monitoring (accuracy, bias, drift), and ensure continuous improvement loops.
• Pilot, scale, and operationalize AI demand sensing and forecasting capabilities across multiple BUs and product portfolios.

Best Practice Standardization & Process Excellence

• Design, document, and embed demand planning best practices, playbooks, and standard work across all BUs.
• Establish and govern demand planning process standards (hierarchy, segmentation, forecast consumption, consensus process, and IBP integration).
• Drive process harmonization while allowing controlled flexibility for BU-specific requirements.
• Build and maintain a center-of-excellence mindset for demand planning excellence.

Change Management, Capability Building & Adoption

• Lead change management and adoption programs for zero-touch AI forecasting, including stakeholder alignment, training and communication plans.
• Coach and upskill BU Demand Planners and managers on AI-augmented forecasting, exception management, and advanced analytics.
• Measure and report adoption metrics (automation rate, exception volume, planner productivity, forecast accuracy uplift).

Performance Management & Continuous Improvement

• Define and track leading and lagging KPIs for demand planning performance (forecast accuracy by segment, bias, MAPE/WMAPE, automation %, planner touch time, etc.).
• Identify root causes of forecast error and drive systemic improvements in data quality, model performance, and process discipline.
• Support IBP Council and leadership with insights, risk assessments, and recommendations related to demand planning maturity.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as a key partner to the IBP organization, Commercial, Supply Planning, Finance, and BU leadership.
• Facilitate cross-BU knowledge sharing and replication of successful practices.
• Influence senior stakeholders without direct authority and navigate complex matrix environments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Data Science, Statistics, or related field
• 8 years of progressive experience in demand planning, S&OP/IBP, or advanced forecasting within complex manufacturing or MedTech environments.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience implementing or scaling AI/ML-based demand forecasting solutions (not just statistical forecasting).
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally 25%

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong working knowledge of modern planning platforms (Kinaxis RapidResponse, SAP IBP, o9, or equivalent) and advanced analytics/AI tooling.
• Proven track record of process standardization, digital transformation, and cross-business unit change leadership.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills in a matrix organization.
• Ability to translate technical AI concepts into clear business value and practical operating models for demand planners.
• Prior ownership of forecast accuracy improvement programs with measurable results, preferred
• Familiarity with demand sensing, causal forecasting, and hierarchical forecasting techniques, preferred

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in MedTech, medical devices, or highly regulated manufacturing environments.