Demand Planning Senior Analyst

Lincoln Electric is a high-performance industrial machinery and technology leader who helps customers manufacture and maintain vital equipment and infrastructure. Lincoln Electric's innovative solutions enable higher quality and productivity across a variety of processes including welding, cutting, brazing, machining, process automation, and field repair. The Company leverages proprietary technologies and expertise in materials science, power electronics, automation, and intelligent software to help customers build better and achieve resilience in their operations. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Lincoln Electric is the essential 'Linc' that keeps the economy running. The Company operates 71 manufacturing and automation facilities across 20 countries and serves customers in over 160 countries. For more information about Lincoln Electric and its products and services, visit the Company's website at https://www.lincolnelectric.com.

Location: Euclid - 22801

Employment Status: Salary Full-Time

Function: Distribution/Logistics

Pay Range: $99,210.00- $124,012.00

Target Bonus: 15.0%

Req ID: 30118

Role Summary

The Demand Planning Center of Excellence Subject Matter Expert (COE SME) is responsible for driving best-in-class demand planning capabilities across Lincoln Electric's global organization. This role will establish standardized processes, tools, and performance management frameworks to improve forecast accuracy, demand visibility, and alignment with business strategy.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, S&OP, the COE leader will serve as the central authority for demand planning methodologies, statistical forecasting, and demand analytics, ensuring consistent execution and continuous improvement across regions and business units.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Define and deploy standardized demand planning processes, policies, and governance across the enterprise.
• Establish and lead governance within the S&OP framework for demand planning activities.
• Act as the subject matter expert for demand planning, including baseline forecasting, demand sensing, and consensus planning.
• Drive the evolution toward advanced, data-driven demand planning capabilities.
• Develop and maintain global standards for statistical forecasting models, forecast hierarchy and segmentation, and demand review and consensus processes.
• Improve forecast accuracy and bias through structured methodologies, segmentation strategies, and continuous feedback loops.
• Own demand planning system capabilities and partner with IT and Digital teams to enhance forecasting automation, machine learning models, and data integration.
• Lead system implementations, enhancements, and upgrades related to demand planning and ensure high-quality master data and model configuration.
• Define and manage KPIs such as forecast accuracy, forecast bias, demand plan stability, and forecast value add, and develop dashboards and reporting across regions and product lines.
• Conduct root-cause analysis for forecast errors, drive corrective actions, and provide actionable insights to commercial, finance, and operations teams.
• Support demand review processes within the S&OP cycle and facilitate cross-functional consensus demand planning with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Product Management.
• Translate market intelligence, promotions, and new product launches into demand plans while ensuring alignment between demand plans and financial forecasts.
• Train and coach demand planners on forecasting techniques, tools, and analytics; build a global demand planning community of practice; and lead change management initiatives to improve adoption of standardized processes and digital tools.
• Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, Finance, Supply Planning, Operations, and IT / Data & Analytics teams to ensure demand signals reflect true market conditions and business strategy.

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in supply chain, business, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, or S&OP.
• Strong expertise in statistical forecasting and demand planning processes.
• Experience with ERP/APS platforms such as SAP, Palantir, or similar tools.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into business insights.
• Experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment preferred.
• Knowledge of advanced analytics, predictive modeling, or demand sensing tools preferred.
• Experience working in global, matrixed organizations preferred.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Sr. Manager, Enterprise SIOP
• Key Interfaces: Sales & Commercial, Marketing, Product Management, Finance, Supply Planning, Operations, and IT / Data & Analytics

Key Competencies

• Strong analytical and data-driven mindset.
• Ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking with a focus on execution and results.
• Change leadership and continuous improvement mindset.
• Excellent communication and storytelling with data.

Success Metrics

• Improved forecast accuracy and reduced bias.
• Increased forecast value add (FVA).
• Strong alignment between demand, supply, and financial plans.
• Enhanced planner productivity and tool adoption.

Success Profile

This role requires a hands-on leader and change agent capable of building a scalable, data-driven demand planning organization. Success will be measured by the ability to improve forecast accuracy, standardize processes globally, and enhance the effectiveness of the Enterprise S&OP process.

Lincoln Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to promoting equal employment opportunity for applicants, without regard to their race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to, lactation), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.