Planning Systems Specialist

HAVI is a global, privately owned company focused on innovating, optimizing and managing the supply chains of leading brands. Offering services in marketing analytics, packaging, supply chain management and logistics, HAVI partners with companies to address challenges big and small across the supply chain, from commodity to customer. Founded in 1974, HAVI employs more than 10,000 people and serves customers in more than 100 countries. For more information, please visit HAVI.com.

The Advanced Planning System Specialist is responsible for supporting forecasting, replenishment, and planning operations by maintaining planning system configurations, reviewing the integrity of planning data, and executing planning processes that enable accurate and reliable supply chain outcomes. This role partners closely with Planning, Product, Tech, and customer-facing teams to support demand planning, inventory availability, replenishment performance, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This is a hybrid role based at 345 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607. Candidates must reside in the Chicago metropolitan area. Relocation assistance is not offered at this time. 

Responsibilities: 

Forecasting & Planning Operations

• Ensure the accuracy and consistency of planning inputs and outputs, including menu item forecasts, replenishment recommendations, by conducting daily, weekly, and monthly reviews of all planning inputs and parameters.
• Support the execution of daily, weekly, and promotional planning cycles to ensure forecasts, replenishment plans, and planning outputs are completed accurately and on time.
• Monitor forecast performance, planning exceptions, and replenishment outcomes, proactively identifying and resolving issues that may impact service levels, inventory availability, or customer requirements.
• Support promotional, seasonal, and event-based planning activities by ensuring planning requirements are accurately reflected in planning systems and processes.

Planning Systems & Data Management

• Configure, maintain, and optimize planning system settings, parameters, business rules, and system inputs to improve forecasting and replenishment performance.
• Support planning applications through system configuration, troubleshooting, testing, and user support activities.
• Monitor and validate forecasting and supply chain planning inputs to ensure data accuracy, completeness, and integrity.
• Investigate and resolve data quality, system, and process issues that impact planning performance.

Reporting & Analysis

• Generate reports, perform ad-hoc data extractions, and conduct analyses to support planning operations, customer deliverables, performance monitoring, and issue resolution.
• Analyze planning results, identify trends and root causes, and provide recommendations to improve forecast accuracy, inventory management, and operational performance.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and support the development of reporting and insights that drive business decisions.

Customer & Operational Support

• Respond to and resolve requests from internal stakeholders and external customers related to forecasting, replenishment, planning systems, reporting, and supply chain planning processes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to investigate issues, communicate resolutions, and ensure service-level expectations are met.
• Serve as a backup for team members and support business continuity across planning operations.
• Act as SME for planning systems and contribute to documentation improvement and the creation of SOPs for end users.

Continuous Improvement

• Support automation, process improvement, and system enhancement initiatives through analysis, testing, documentation, and implementation activities.
• Contribute to projects that improve planning capabilities, customer service, and overall supply chain performance through collaboration with Analytics, Product, and Tech teams.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, operations management, engineering, information systems, data analytics, or a related field.
• 3 years experience in demand planning, supply planning, inventory planning, replenishment, or supply chain operations.
• Experience supporting supply chain planning systems such as Kinaxis, SAP, Blue Yonder (JDA), Logility, or similar platforms preferred.
• Experience creating SOPs and leading training sessions preferred.
• Experience working with data analysis, reporting, system support, or process improvement initiatives.
• Proven ability to transform disparate data into actionable, impactful, recommendations for system or process improvement.
• Experience utilizing SQL queries to investigate databases independently and pull data into Excel for analysis.
• Experience operating in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities and customer service expectations.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Intermediate SQL skills.
• Experience with data visualization and reporting tools such as Power BI or Tableau preferred.
• Basic knowledge of Python, R, or other analytical tools preferred.
• Understanding of forecasting, replenishment, inventory management, and supply chain planning concepts.
• Knowledge of data quality management, root cause analysis, and systems testing practices.

 *Starting Salary is $85,000-$98,000 with a 5% targeted bonus