Demand Planning Strategist

Position Description

The Contracting Services Department's Enterprise Supply Chain Program seeks a talented, motivated, and creative relationship builder to establish a Demand Planning process for MIT Lincoln Laboratory. In this role, the Demand Planning Strategist will research, study, and understand the “as is” state of Demand Planning at the Laboratory and create a “to be” Laboratory-wide Demand Planning process that suits the early-stage R&D prototyping needs of the Lab (i.e., high-mix/low-volume materials requirement planning). This job requires an experienced and highly capable individual contributor to provide strategic vision and strong process leadership.

To establish a Demand Planning process, the Demand Planning Strategist will:

• Identify key stakeholders and educate them on their role in the process
• Identify where pockets of demand planning processes exist, and determine if/how to build on those processes to create enterprise/Laboratory-wide processes
• Identify systems architectures & interfaces that can be leveraged (or must be changed) to ensure a smooth flow of data across the Demand Planning process and between other Enterprise Supply Chain workstreams (e.g., Inventory & Logistics Management, Supplier Management & Development, and Source/Contract/Procure, etc.)
• Identify the Laboratory’s long-lead items/critical path parts, materials, and supplies and create a strategy/forecast to stock the items that reduces time-to-need
• Identify ways to consolidate requirements to leverage the Laboratory’s buying power and reduce fragmented spend, where possible
• Design a Laboratory-wide process for managing consumables; design a Laboratory-wide process for forecasting, ordering, and managing spare and repair parts for highly complex Laboratory machinery (i.e., capital assets)
• Advise on and implement demand planning tools/software integrated with MIT Lincoln Laboratory systems.
• Advise on terminology and industry best practices the Laboratory can adopt.

The Demand Planning Analyst will collaborate closely with:

Enterprise Supply Chain program teams, technical program teams, production control and planning teams, Finance, research divisions and mission divisions, and other key stakeholders across the Laboratory

The ideal candidate will create processes that minimize technical team touchpoints for forecasting, planning, ordering, receiving, distribution, and tracking—while enhancing agility and responsiveness.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with 10 years + relative experience
• Strong background in manufacturing operations and supply chain management, particularly with high-mix, low-volume procurement and fabrication environments
• Deep understanding of build-to-print, one-of-a-kind mechanical parts and assemblies
• Strong mathematical and statistical expertise
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic process frameworks
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Collaborative, consensus-building approach to change management
• Strategic and critical thinking skills with the ability to challenge the status quo through fact-based analysis

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Machine Technology, Supply Chain Management, or related field OR Bachelor’s degree in a similar technical field with equivalent experience
• 15+ years of experience implementing demand planning processes and/or systems
• Professional certifications (e.g., ASCM CPIM, CSCP, SCPC; SCI CDPE; or similar)
• Experience in aerospace and defense manufacturing
• Aerospace or national laboratory materials management experience, especially in prototyping environments
• Experience with lean operational practices
• Experience utilizing digital engineering methodologies and data systems
• Experience with SAP and Aras Innovator PLM, or other PLM and ERP/MRP systems

What Makes This Role Unique

MIT Lincoln Laboratory develops advanced prototype systems in support of national security. Unlike high-volume manufacturing environments, the Laboratory operates in a high-complexity, high-mix, low-volume setting that requires agility, technical fluency, and strong partnership with engineering teams.

This role offers a rare opportunity to architect and implement a Laboratory-wide demand planning process from the ground up-shaping how supply chain supports cutting-edge research and innovation.