OPT Demand Planner Jobs
Demand Planner roles are a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with backgrounds in supply chain, operations, or business analytics. Most positions require quantitative skills and proficiency in forecasting tools, which aligns well with STEM OPT extension eligibility, giving you up to three years of work authorization to build your career.
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Get Access To All JobsTitle: Demand Planner
Location: Kennewick, WA
Job Requisition ID: Req-271732
Time Type: Full time
About Lamb Weston
You’ve probably enjoyed our fries without even knowing it! As a leading manufacturer in our industry, we inspire and bring people together with foods they love and trust. Our customer base includes international food service providers, restaurants, and households in over 100 countries around the world.
A highly innovative global corporation with a start-up mindset, we empower every individual to make a genuine difference. You’ll gain access to hands-on training to fuel your growth and success, explore opportunities for new solutions, and you’ll join a winning team of 10,000+ people all dedicated to raising the bar – together.
If you have a strong drive for results, a desire to help us bring the world together through our fries, and are ready for a fresh challenge, we want to hear from you.
Job Description Summary
Demand Planner is an integral player of LW’s supply chain planning team, responsible for driving excellence in demand planning for multiple product lines across business units with high to medium complexity, including market inputs, statistical forecasting, incorporating commercial intelligence, product lifecycle management, and continuous improvement analysis. LW seeks a professional who can handle large sets of data and collaborate with others to create robust forecasts, enabling effective demand planning and execution throughout the supply chain. This role will collaborate with the Commercial & Business Units, National Account Managers, Supply Planning, driving business initiatives and transforming SAP IBP working with IT.
This role owns and manages the overall demand signal, maintenance of the demand planning system, building the relationship with the Sales team, and driving continuous improvements supporting the demand planning deliverables in the weekly/monthly processes.
Job Description
- Create and maintain all stages of the demand plan - inception to discontinuity.
- Handle sales history for forecast accuracy and promotional demand.
- Maintain data relative to demand forecasting including hierarchy, historical data cleansing, demand shaping and model parameters.
- Participate in integrated business planning to implement SAP IBP.
- Independently handle complex issues with minimal supervision, while escalating only the most complex issues to appropriate staff.
- Maintain business performance metrics and participate and drive demand evolution plan through Sales & Operation Execution (S&OE).
- Leverage best-in-class process and strategy to ensure the DP team is developing a 18-month consensus forecast by using insights such as promotional plans, distribution lane realignments, shipment history, competitive and marketing plans.
- Summarize and report key forecast changes and concise drivers of forecast accuracy performance to Supply Chain Leadership.
- Conduct root cause analyses of forecast error and identify corrective actions, leading the Demand Planning Team towards KPI targets.
- Make recommendations to enhance business processes and identify opportunities to improve operational inefficiencies.
- Work with cross-functional partners on projects such as new product launches, obsolescence, and transitions to evaluate assumptions – new product forecast, pipeline fill, and cannibalization.
Scope:
Manages the overall demand signal, and maintenance of demand planning systems.
Basic & Preferred Qualifications
Education/ Certifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field preferred
Skills and Experience:
- 3 years of related experience in demand planning, supply chain, forecasting, or business analytics.
- A fast-paced, multi-tasking expert with strong cross-functional and change management capabilities.
- Expert communication skills; ability to coordinate across senior leadership levels and within the organization.
- Proven leadership ability (previous consulting experience a plus); drive action, accountability, and influence decision making at any level.
- Quantitative and qualitative data analysis, linking root cause to action to forecast accuracy improvement; ability to simplify the complex with a sound understanding of statistical forecasting technique, demand planning, market analytics, and scenario planning.
- Persuasive with multiple stakeholders, changing priorities; make sound decisions and work effectively in a team environment.
- Excellent PC skills, to include Windows, Word, and Excel.
Physical Environment/Demands:
- Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled office environment.
- Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at desk or computer terminal.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
- Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephone and other office equipment in the course of normal workday.
- Stooping, bending, twisting and reaching may be required in completion of job duties.
Industry-Competitive Benefits
Coupled with our compensation and bonus incentive programs, our benefits deliver rewards that are market competitive. Some of the most attractive elements of our benefit programs include:
- Health Insurance Benefits - Medical, Dental, Vision
- Flexible Spending Accounts for Health and Dependent Care, and Health Reimbursement Accounts
- Well-being programs including companywide events and a wellness incentive program
- Paid Time Off
- Financial Wellness – Industry leading 401(k) plan with generous company contributions, Financial Planning Services, Employee Stock purchase program, and Health Savings Accounts, Life and Accident insurance
- Family-Friendly Employee events
- Employee Assistance Program services – mental health and other concierge type services
Benefits may vary based on location, job role/level, job status, and/or the terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
Anticipated Close Date
The anticipated close date is a good faith estimate for when this job will be closed. Some jobs may be unposted or filled earlier or later than the Anticipated Close Date depending on interview processes and business needs.
Anticipated Close Date: 11/14/2026
Pay Transparency
In compliance with applicable state and local laws, Lamb Weston has opted to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. This compensation is specific to this position and takes into account a number of variables. Actual compensation may be higher or lower in the range posted based on various factors, including, but not limited to, job duties, experience and expertise. A candidate's work location could also impact the actual compensation being outside of the range to reflect local cost of labor. A reasonable annual estimate of the range for this role is listed below.
Pay Rate or Range: $71,410.00 - $107,110.00
Equal Opportunity Employer
Lamb Weston is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected factor under federal, state or local law.
Title: Demand Planner
Location: Kennewick, WA
Job Requisition ID: Req-271732
Time Type: Full time
About Lamb Weston
You’ve probably enjoyed our fries without even knowing it! As a leading manufacturer in our industry, we inspire and bring people together with foods they love and trust. Our customer base includes international food service providers, restaurants, and households in over 100 countries around the world.
A highly innovative global corporation with a start-up mindset, we empower every individual to make a genuine difference. You’ll gain access to hands-on training to fuel your growth and success, explore opportunities for new solutions, and you’ll join a winning team of 10,000+ people all dedicated to raising the bar – together.
If you have a strong drive for results, a desire to help us bring the world together through our fries, and are ready for a fresh challenge, we want to hear from you.
Job Description Summary
Demand Planner is an integral player of LW’s supply chain planning team, responsible for driving excellence in demand planning for multiple product lines across business units with high to medium complexity, including market inputs, statistical forecasting, incorporating commercial intelligence, product lifecycle management, and continuous improvement analysis. LW seeks a professional who can handle large sets of data and collaborate with others to create robust forecasts, enabling effective demand planning and execution throughout the supply chain. This role will collaborate with the Commercial & Business Units, National Account Managers, Supply Planning, driving business initiatives and transforming SAP IBP working with IT.
This role owns and manages the overall demand signal, maintenance of the demand planning system, building the relationship with the Sales team, and driving continuous improvements supporting the demand planning deliverables in the weekly/monthly processes.
Job Description
- Create and maintain all stages of the demand plan - inception to discontinuity.
- Handle sales history for forecast accuracy and promotional demand.
- Maintain data relative to demand forecasting including hierarchy, historical data cleansing, demand shaping and model parameters.
- Participate in integrated business planning to implement SAP IBP.
- Independently handle complex issues with minimal supervision, while escalating only the most complex issues to appropriate staff.
- Maintain business performance metrics and participate and drive demand evolution plan through Sales & Operation Execution (S&OE).
- Leverage best-in-class process and strategy to ensure the DP team is developing a 18-month consensus forecast by using insights such as promotional plans, distribution lane realignments, shipment history, competitive and marketing plans.
- Summarize and report key forecast changes and concise drivers of forecast accuracy performance to Supply Chain Leadership.
- Conduct root cause analyses of forecast error and identify corrective actions, leading the Demand Planning Team towards KPI targets.
- Make recommendations to enhance business processes and identify opportunities to improve operational inefficiencies.
- Work with cross-functional partners on projects such as new product launches, obsolescence, and transitions to evaluate assumptions – new product forecast, pipeline fill, and cannibalization.
Scope:
Manages the overall demand signal, and maintenance of demand planning systems.
Basic & Preferred Qualifications
Education/ Certifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field preferred
Skills and Experience:
- 3 years of related experience in demand planning, supply chain, forecasting, or business analytics.
- A fast-paced, multi-tasking expert with strong cross-functional and change management capabilities.
- Expert communication skills; ability to coordinate across senior leadership levels and within the organization.
- Proven leadership ability (previous consulting experience a plus); drive action, accountability, and influence decision making at any level.
- Quantitative and qualitative data analysis, linking root cause to action to forecast accuracy improvement; ability to simplify the complex with a sound understanding of statistical forecasting technique, demand planning, market analytics, and scenario planning.
- Persuasive with multiple stakeholders, changing priorities; make sound decisions and work effectively in a team environment.
- Excellent PC skills, to include Windows, Word, and Excel.
Physical Environment/Demands:
- Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled office environment.
- Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at desk or computer terminal.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
- Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephone and other office equipment in the course of normal workday.
- Stooping, bending, twisting and reaching may be required in completion of job duties.
Industry-Competitive Benefits
Coupled with our compensation and bonus incentive programs, our benefits deliver rewards that are market competitive. Some of the most attractive elements of our benefit programs include:
- Health Insurance Benefits - Medical, Dental, Vision
- Flexible Spending Accounts for Health and Dependent Care, and Health Reimbursement Accounts
- Well-being programs including companywide events and a wellness incentive program
- Paid Time Off
- Financial Wellness – Industry leading 401(k) plan with generous company contributions, Financial Planning Services, Employee Stock purchase program, and Health Savings Accounts, Life and Accident insurance
- Family-Friendly Employee events
- Employee Assistance Program services – mental health and other concierge type services
Benefits may vary based on location, job role/level, job status, and/or the terms of any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
Anticipated Close Date
The anticipated close date is a good faith estimate for when this job will be closed. Some jobs may be unposted or filled earlier or later than the Anticipated Close Date depending on interview processes and business needs.
Anticipated Close Date: 11/14/2026
Pay Transparency
In compliance with applicable state and local laws, Lamb Weston has opted to include a reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. This compensation is specific to this position and takes into account a number of variables. Actual compensation may be higher or lower in the range posted based on various factors, including, but not limited to, job duties, experience and expertise. A candidate's work location could also impact the actual compensation being outside of the range to reflect local cost of labor. A reasonable annual estimate of the range for this role is listed below.
Pay Rate or Range: $71,410.00 - $107,110.00
Equal Opportunity Employer
Lamb Weston is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected factor under federal, state or local law.
See all 37+ OPT Demand Planner Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Demand Planner Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Demand Planner
Confirm your role qualifies for STEM OPT
Demand Planner positions often fall under CIP codes for operations research, logistics, or business analytics. Verify with your DSO that your specific job title and duties qualify before accepting an offer to protect your 24-month STEM extension.
Lead with forecasting tools in your resume
Employers screen demand planner candidates on SAP IBP, Oracle Demantra, or Blue Yonder proficiency. Listing these tools prominently signals you can contribute immediately, which directly reduces employer hesitation around OPT paperwork and onboarding timelines.
Ask about H-1B sponsorship during the offer stage
Raise sponsorship intent before signing, not after starting. Ask whether the company has sponsored H-1B visas for supply chain roles before. A history of sponsorship in your function is a stronger signal than a general company policy.
Quantify your forecast accuracy in applications
Demand planning is a metrics-driven role. Include specific accuracy percentages or inventory reduction outcomes from internships or academic projects. Concrete results shift the conversation from visa status to value delivered, making sponsorship feel like a straightforward business decision.
Apply to companies with S&OP functions, not just job postings
Companies running formal Sales and Operations Planning processes hire demand planners regularly and plan workforce needs quarters in advance. This longer planning horizon gives employers more lead time to navigate OPT paperwork and H-1B lottery preparation.
Demand Planner OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Demand Planner jobs qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Most Demand Planner roles qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension if your degree is in supply chain management, operations research, business analytics, statistics, or a related STEM-designated field. The role must also involve direct application of your STEM knowledge. Confirm the CIP code on your I-20 with your DSO before accepting an offer, as the degree field, not the job title alone, determines eligibility.
How much time does an employer need to sponsor an OPT student in a Demand Planner role?
Employers need to act well before your OPT authorization expires. If you're pursuing H-1B sponsorship, your employer must register you in the lottery in March for an October 1 start date. For Demand Planner roles, raise sponsorship intent during the offer stage so your employer can assess timeline feasibility. Starting that conversation early is especially critical if your OPT end date falls outside the standard H-1B cap window.
What types of companies are most likely to sponsor OPT students for Demand Planner positions?
Large consumer goods companies, retailers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and third-party logistics firms are the most consistent sponsors for demand planning roles. These organizations run formal S&OP processes, hire planners regularly, and have HR infrastructure experienced with international sponsorship. Migrate Mate filters employer sponsorship history so you can identify these companies without guessing from job descriptions.
Can I work as a Demand Planner while on post-completion OPT before finishing my degree?
No. Post-completion OPT begins after you complete all degree requirements, including any required thesis or final exams. You can apply for OPT up to 90 days before your program end date, but you cannot start working until USCIS approves your EAD and the start date on it is reached. Pre-completion OPT is available in limited circumstances but restricts total OPT days available after graduation.
What should I do if my Demand Planner job duties change significantly while on OPT?
Report material changes in employer, job title, or work location to your DSO within ten days, as SEVIS requires. For STEM OPT students, significant changes to job duties may also require a formal training plan amendment with your DSO and employer. If your new responsibilities no longer align with your STEM degree field, your STEM extension eligibility could be at risk, so document any role evolution carefully.