Director of Demand Planning

Department: Planning

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Los Angeles HQ

Reporting To: susan

Description

Key Responsibilities

• Own the weekly demand forecast review process across all categories, leveraging the demand planning tool and aligned alert configurations to identify style/SKU-level risks and opportunities
• Drive forecast accuracy improvement by partnering closely with Data Science to incorporate business intelligence — including promotional events, inventory transfers, new product launches, and cannibalization risk — into the statistical model
• Establish and maintain a cadence of forecast review that is disciplined, scalable, and actionable for downstream planning teams
• Define and evolve the processes, configurations, and governance standards within the demand planning tool to ensure alignment across the planning organization

• Serve as the primary demand planning partner to Merchandising, ensuring the core forecast reflects awareness of new launches, assortment changes, and category-level dynamics that could shift baseline demand
• Partner with Channel Planning leads across all categories to ensure the core forecast integrates cleanly with channel-level plans for sales and inventory, and that risks and opportunities are surfaced proactively
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with Data Science, Merchandise Financial Planning, and Finance to ensure the forecast is both statistically sound and commercially grounded
• Lead and facilitate alignment in cross-functional forums — bringing a clear point of view on trend, inventory health, and forecast deviation from plan

• Lead the core product demand forecast within the Open-to-Buy (OTB) process — communicating trend versus pre-season plan, prior OTB, and inventory risk or opportunity with clarity and confidence
• Proactively identify situations where inventory needs exceed available OTB funding; develop aligned, solutions-oriented recommendations in partnership with Channel Planning 
• Ensure final PO sign-off meetings are well-prepared, with all relevant stakeholders informed and risks clearly articulated prior to commitment
• Partner with Merchandise Financial Planning to ensure the demand forecast is reflected accurately in financial plans and that deviations are explained and resolved in a timely manner
• Collaborate closely with Data Analytics to ensure the forecast reflects the full context of business nuances — including promotional performance, channel mix shifts, customer behavior trends, and external market signals — translating analytical insights into meaningful forecast inputs that drive accuracy

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing team of demand planners across core categories
• Define clear roles, responsibilities, and RACI ownership across the planning team — including accountability for core products, impact of new launch products, and channel-level plans
• Coach planners on both technical skills (tool proficiency, statistical thinking, OTB management) and soft skills (cross-functional communication, stakeholder influence, business acumen)
• Foster a culture of proactive risk identification, continuous improvement, and accountability

• Partner with Data Science and IT/Systems teams to continuously improve the demand planning tool — including model inputs, alert logic, and reporting capabilities
• Define KPIs for forecast accuracy, bias, and planning effectiveness; establish regular reporting cadences to track performance and drive improvement
• Lead the evolution of demand planning processes as the business scales across categories and channels

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• 8–12+ years of progressive experience in demand planning, merchandise planning, or supply chain — with at least 3–4 years in a leadership or managerial role
• Experience at a high-growth consumer brand, apparel, or retail company strongly preferred
• Proven track record managing complex, multi-category forecasts in a fast-paced, trend-driven environment
• Hands-on experience with demand planning tools (e.g., o9, Blue Yonder, Anaplan, Relex, or similar); ability to configure, interpret, and evolve tool outputs
• Experience leading cross-functional planning processes including OTB, merchandise financial planning, and PO management

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills — comfortable working with large datasets, statistical forecasts, and financial plans simultaneously
• Exceptional cross-functional communication and influencing skills; able to distill complex forecast dynamics into clear business narratives for senior stakeholders
• Solutions-oriented mindset — able to identify risk early, pressure-test assumptions, and drive to aligned decisions even in ambiguous situations
• High business acumen with an understanding of how demand planning connects to inventory investment, margin, and sell-through
• Organized and process-driven, with the ability to manage multiple planning cycles, stakeholder groups, and priorities concurrently
• People leader with a genuine passion for developing talent and building team capability

Benefits, Culture and Perks

• Up to 100% Company Paid Healthcare (medical, dental, vision) 
• Kind Body Fertility Benefits
• 401(k) savings plan with up to 4% match 
• Unlimited PTO
• Full Access to LinkedIn learning 
• Employee Discounts

• Free weekly catered lunch at HQ – M/T/W/Th
• Dog-Friendly office on a Thursday and Friday
• Free Swag Giveaways
• Annual Holiday Party 
• Annual Summer Party
• Invitations to pop-ups and other company events
• Complimentary daily office snacks and beverages