If you combine demand planning and forecasting experience with the leadership skill to manage a globally dispersed team, this Director of Demand Planning position offers you some compelling opportunities. Quick question for you - click here You will:

• Make a huge positive impact and put your stamp on this position and on the global demand planning function by improving processes and streamlining how we work as part of our continuous improvement journey. 
• Gain high visibility in this global position – your successes will certainly be noticed by company leadership!
• Lead a strong, competent team of passionate people who are dispersed around the globe. Help pull everyone under the same process umbrella and get the whole team moving in lockstep.
• Showcase your potential to take on additional responsibilities and advance in a growing global organization.
• Enjoy workplace flexibility as well as a positive culture that emphasizes teamwork. This is just one reason we have a high number of long-tenured employees.

FGX International, an Essilor company, is the world’s leading designer and marketer of non-prescription reading glasses, optical frames and value priced sunglasses, with a portfolio of established, highly recognized eyewear brands including Foster Grant®, Sight Station®, Magnivision®, Gargoyles®, Corinne McCormack® and SolarShield®. FGXI is headquartered in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

To meet the basic qualification for this role, you will have experience in demand planning. In addition, to be a good fit for the Director of Demand Planning opportunity, you will have:

• A bachelor's degree is strongly preferred
• Strong relevant experience including 10+ years of demand planning work experience
• Experience applying forecasting principles for several product lines across various customer channels including new item introduction, seasonal programs, seasonal curve development Quick question for you - click here
• Strong leadership skills, excellent organization, self-motivation, a focus on meeting deadlines, and the ability to multitask within a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to support and interact effectively with other core business functions (Sales, Merchandising, and Customer collaboration)
• Computer proficiency including experience with an ERP (SAP is preferred), as well as strong skill with MS-Office programs, primarily Excel, and prior forecasting system experience
• Fluent communication skills in spoken and written English
• Strong analytical and business partnering skills
• The ability to work effectively with multi-cultural, geographically dispersed, virtual teams
• Influencing skills and project management experience in a matrix and complex organization, covering a multi-region scope Quick question for you - click here

Preferred but not required:

• Experience in other aspects of the supply chain would be a help

You will engage in routine travel, about 20% of your time, to visit global teams as you work to standardize, but eventually, you may be able to transition to completing some of this through technology. Our preference is that you’re based in Smithfield, RI, but we are open to considering remote work for the right candidate.

In this newly expanded position, the Director of Demand Planning will be responsible for overseeing the global demand planning team that produces forecasts at the account/SKU level to drive purchases to meet customer fill rates and achieve inventory goals. You will work with global commercial, trade marketing, and e-commerce teams to develop an accurate global demand plan, close the gaps between target and actual results and review variances through data analysis and statistical modeling. Our organization has a complex model with unique fulfillments for individual accounts, and 19,000+ SKUs.

Initially, you will have one direct and 5 indirect reports located in North America. As the organization transforms, with the help of this role, to a more global structure, we anticipate you may have additional direct reports. Your goal will be to diagnose gaps, develop and standardize demand planning processes across the global organization, and strategically streamline the way the teams work.

Some of your specific tasks will be to:

• Establish appropriate methodology and standards of practice for global demand planning across all local demand planning teams and retail and digital business segments.
• Design S&OP process between local demand planning teams and local commercial, trade marketing and financial teams.
• Implement, learn and leverage capabilities of ERP system. Drive process by proactively learning ERP and complementary systems to better automate data extraction and presentation.
• Define key performance indicators, highlighting trends and building models.
• Design and lead correction of error process across global demand planning teams.
• Design and develop streamlined workflows that allow for quick reaction to retail & digital business changes that affect demand within product lead times.
• Drive collaboration across multiple areas including commercial and trade marketing, retail customers, field service operations and supply chain.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills within and outside the organization including account/customer collaboration. Some travel is necessary.
• Coaching and motivating the global demand planning team to deliver forecast accuracy, timely forecast updates, clear and concise analysis.
• Ensure appropriate forecasts are established throughout all phases of the item lifecycle including introduction, maintenance and end.
• Work closely with the balance of the Supply Chain team to achieve optimum in-stock position. This includes awareness of the buying schedule and lead times (Chinese New Year), inventory availability and communicating forecast updates.

Note: this description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

Professional development
You will expand your skills and experience, including acquiring international experience if you don't already have it. We have a wide consumer offering and are responsive to market trends -- every day will bring new challenges and opportunities to grow. History shows that strong performers can advance within FGXI.

Dynamic environment
We already mentioned that we are implementing change, and we'll look to you to help lead it from the demand planning side in this newly expanded role. If you're the person we're looking for, you know that change can create opportunities for strong performers, and you’ll take this opportunity to shine.

Global market leadership
With worldwide brand recognition, international corporate locations, and sales spanning the globe, FGX International maintains a global presence, and continues to expand into new locales. Our parent corporation, Essilor International, manufactures optical lenses under the Varilux®, Crizal®, Transitions®, and other brands, and Essilor products are worn by one billion people daily. Essilor's recent merger with Luxottica has created the world's largest player in the eyewear industry.

Workplace flexibility
We are committed to the health and well-being of all our associates. For the time being, you will generally work from home. Once it is safe for people to return to the office, we plan to offer employees options. Of course, things will continue to evolve in the current environment, so policies may change.

Excellent compensation
We offer competitive salaries and attractive benefits, including comprehensive medical and dental care, life insurance and 401K programs, and the opportunity to work on some of the most famous brands in our industry.

This is a true strategic leadership role, with managers between you and the wider team. It will be important that you focus on driving strategic change while providing direction for the team to engage with any tactical needs. The right fit for this role has a passion for process and continuous system improvement, simplification, and streamlining, and can direct the team to follow the processes and strategy without getting too deep into the weeds.

We'll provide training on our company and accounts, and support is always available, but once you are up to speed you should demonstrate initiative in driving results. Because you will be coordinating teams from multiple geographies, you will need to have the leadership strength to make the right decisions, but the servant-leader mentality that leads you to gain buy-in and help ensure all teams’ needs are being met in your decisions.

Throughout the organization, we are streamlining operations and promoting an agile, entrepreneurial culture. Those who thrive in this environment have a strong sense of accountability, and are adaptable and comfortable with a degree of ambiguity. In addition, to be an outstanding Director of Demand Planning, you will:

• Take a proactive approach to building collaborative relationships with key contacts.
• Bring high energy, perseverance and a goal orientation.
• Keep a constant eye out for ways to improve processes and efficiencies.
• Combine creativity and analytical thinking in solving problems and overcoming operational challenges.
• Demonstrate a strong customer service approach as you interact with internal and external partners.