OPT Demand Planning Manager Jobs
Demand Planning Manager roles sit squarely within specialty occupation territory, making them a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with degrees in supply chain, operations, or business analytics. Your 12-month OPT window (up to 36 months on STEM OPT) gives you real runway to build forecasting experience and secure H-1B visa sponsorship.
Find OPT Demand Planning Manager JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 57+ Demand Planning Manager jobs
See all 57+ Demand Planning Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Demand Planning Manager roles.
Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
The Demand Planner plays a key role in Safran's Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) process by translating customer requirements, program assumptions, and market intelligence into a reliable, integrated demand plan.
This position serves as the primary planning interface among Program Management, Customer Support, Finance, Supply Chain, Operations, and Procurement. The Demand, or Program, Planner develops and maintains a rolling 24-month forecast in units and sales value, providing the demand baseline used for supply planning, capacity planning, inventory decisions, and financial forecasting.
The role is responsible for consolidating customer schedules, purchase orders, aircraft-rate assumptions, aftermarket requirements, and program risks and opportunities into one controlled demand plan. The planner evaluates forecast changes, identifies significant variances and volatility, and facilitates cross-functional alignment before publication of the monthly consensus forecast.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
- Financial & Operational Alignment: Timely follow of the monthly process to develop and publish a 24-month rolling demand forecast in units and dollars, which becomes the basis for operating plans and financial projections.
- Demand Planning & Analysis: Analyze historical demand, filter out outliers/exceptions, identify the most appropriate statistical forecasting algorithm, develop base plan, understand variance, propose improvement opportunities, communicate consensus, and incorporate demand signals into forecast.
- Risk Mitigation: Actively manage risks related to short-term material shortages, supporting on-time customer delivery. Manage forecast by exceptions, utilizing demand planning tools and reports to identify areas of highest volatility and error.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Interact with Sales, Purchasing, Supply Planning and Operations to understand and interpret the potential impact market trends and demand drivers can have on demand and adjust the statistical forecast to reflect those impacts.
- SIOP Process Facilitation: Participate in monthly collaboration meetings with supply chain to review published forecasts, resulting buy plans, and issues/opportunities to optimize inventories and increase sales. Champion demand planning best practices and support continuous improvement in the forecasting and collaboration processes.
- Performance Optimization: Analyze forecast accuracy & bias and develop enhancements to continuously improve forecast accuracy across various lead time lags. Improve On-Time Delivery (OTD) and reduce Excess & Obsolete (E&O) inventory through data-driven analysis.
- Other duties may be assigned.
Job Requirements
Required Competencies
Education/Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Operations, Engineering, or a related field.
- Three to five years of professional experience in demand planning, business planning, program planning, supply chain planning, financial planning, or a related analytical role.
- Experience working with sales forecasts, customer demand, operational plans, and financial information.
- Experience in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or another complex, long-lead-time industry is preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Experience with SAP or a comparable enterprise resource planning system.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including data analysis, scenario modeling, pivot tables, and complex formulas.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications; experience with Power BI or other visualization tools is preferred.
- Working knowledge of demand planning, forecasting, inventory, capacity planning, and SIOP principles.
- Ability to analyze historical demand, customer schedules, forecast changes, and financial variances.
- Ability to develop clear assumptions and distinguish between firm demand, forecast demand, risk, and opportunity.
- Strong meeting-facilitation, presentation, and written-communication skills.
- Ability to influence and align stakeholders without direct reporting authority.
- Ability to communicate effectively with operational teams, functional leaders, and executives.
- Strong attention to detail, data accuracy, and process discipline.
- Ability to summarize complex information and provide clear recommendations.
- Familiarity with continuous improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, or structured problem-solving methods.
- APICS/ASCM, IBF Certified Professional Forecaster, or comparable certification is preferred but not required.
Leadership Skills / Management Skills / Personal Skills
- Analytical thinking and sound judgment
- Customer and program orientation
- Planning, organization, and prioritization
- Effective communication and active listening
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Constructive challenge and influencing skills
- Problem-solving and root-cause analysis
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Integrity and accountability
- Dependability and follow-through
- Initiative and continuous-improvement mindset
- Ability to work effectively with ambiguity
- Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines
- Ability to identify emerging risks and escalate them appropriately
- Change leadership and process discipline
TRAVEL SPECIFICITY
Travel to customer, supplier, and partner locations may be required, including travel between domestic or international sites.
Expected travel: Up to 10%
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to remain in a stationary position and occasionally move about the office and laboratory. Constantly operates and uses a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a copier/printer and laboratory machinery. The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information. The ability to observe, identify and assess details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds across the office for various needs.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment is split between office & laboratory work, with most work being performed in the office. The noise level in the office is typically quiet while the noise level in the lab can occasionally require hearing protection.
EXPERIENCE IN RELEVANT BUSINESS SECTOR
Experience working with manufacturing companies. Experience within the aerospace industry is a plus but not required.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Safran is an international high-technology group operating in the fields of aerospace (propulsion, equipment and interiors), space and defense. Its mission is to contribute sustainably to a safer world, where air transport becomes ever more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Present on every continent, the Group employs 110,000 people and generated €31.3 billion in revenue in 2025. Safran holds, either independently or through partnerships, leading global or European positions in its markets.
Safran was ranked second in the Aerospace & Defense sector in TIME magazine's "World's Best Companies 2025" ranking.
Safran Electronics & Defense is an international company with more than 19,000 employees who bring together expertise and team spirit to design high-technology solutions for the aerospace, defense and space sectors. By combining human and technological intelligence, the company develops products and services for both civil and military customers, operating on land, at sea, in the air and in space.
LOCATION
Location: Rockford, Illinois, United States
Contract type: Permanent
Contract duration: Full-time
Required degree: Bachelor's Degree
Required experience: More than 3 years
Professional status: Professional, Engineer & Manager
Salary range: $87,000 - $120,000 depending on experience level
INTRODUCTION
The Demand Planner plays a key role in Safran's Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) process by translating customer requirements, program assumptions, and market intelligence into a reliable, integrated demand plan.
This position serves as the primary planning interface among Program Management, Customer Support, Finance, Supply Chain, Operations, and Procurement. The Demand, or Program, Planner develops and maintains a rolling 24-month forecast in units and sales value, providing the demand baseline used for supply planning, capacity planning, inventory decisions, and financial forecasting.
The role is responsible for consolidating customer schedules, purchase orders, aircraft-rate assumptions, aftermarket requirements, and program risks and opportunities into one controlled demand plan. The planner evaluates forecast changes, identifies significant variances and volatility, and facilitates cross-functional alignment before publication of the monthly consensus forecast.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
- Financial & Operational Alignment: Timely follow of the monthly process to develop and publish a 24-month rolling demand forecast in units and dollars, which becomes the basis for operating plans and financial projections.
- Demand Planning & Analysis: Analyze historical demand, filter out outliers/exceptions, identify the most appropriate statistical forecasting algorithm, develop base plan, understand variance, propose improvement opportunities, communicate consensus, and incorporate demand signals into forecast.
- Risk Mitigation: Actively manage risks related to short-term material shortages, supporting on-time customer delivery. Manage forecast by exceptions, utilizing demand planning tools and reports to identify areas of highest volatility and error.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Interact with Sales, Purchasing, Supply Planning and Operations to understand and interpret the potential impact market trends and demand drivers can have on demand and adjust the statistical forecast to reflect those impacts.
- SIOP Process Facilitation: Participate in monthly collaboration meetings with supply chain to review published forecasts, resulting buy plans, and issues/opportunities to optimize inventories and increase sales. Champion demand planning best practices and support continuous improvement in the forecasting and collaboration processes.
- Performance Optimization: Analyze forecast accuracy & bias and develop enhancements to continuously improve forecast accuracy across various lead time lags. Improve On-Time Delivery (OTD) and reduce Excess & Obsolete (E&O) inventory through data-driven analysis.
- Other duties may be assigned.
Job Requirements
Required Competencies
Education/Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Finance, Operations, Engineering, or a related field.
- Three to five years of professional experience in demand planning, business planning, program planning, supply chain planning, financial planning, or a related analytical role.
- Experience working with sales forecasts, customer demand, operational plans, and financial information.
- Experience in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or another complex, long-lead-time industry is preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Experience with SAP or a comparable enterprise resource planning system.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including data analysis, scenario modeling, pivot tables, and complex formulas.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications; experience with Power BI or other visualization tools is preferred.
- Working knowledge of demand planning, forecasting, inventory, capacity planning, and SIOP principles.
- Ability to analyze historical demand, customer schedules, forecast changes, and financial variances.
- Ability to develop clear assumptions and distinguish between firm demand, forecast demand, risk, and opportunity.
- Strong meeting-facilitation, presentation, and written-communication skills.
- Ability to influence and align stakeholders without direct reporting authority.
- Ability to communicate effectively with operational teams, functional leaders, and executives.
- Strong attention to detail, data accuracy, and process discipline.
- Ability to summarize complex information and provide clear recommendations.
- Familiarity with continuous improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, or structured problem-solving methods.
- APICS/ASCM, IBF Certified Professional Forecaster, or comparable certification is preferred but not required.
Leadership Skills / Management Skills / Personal Skills
- Analytical thinking and sound judgment
- Customer and program orientation
- Planning, organization, and prioritization
- Effective communication and active listening
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Constructive challenge and influencing skills
- Problem-solving and root-cause analysis
- Adaptability and flexibility
- Integrity and accountability
- Dependability and follow-through
- Initiative and continuous-improvement mindset
- Ability to work effectively with ambiguity
- Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines
- Ability to identify emerging risks and escalate them appropriately
- Change leadership and process discipline
TRAVEL SPECIFICITY
Travel to customer, supplier, and partner locations may be required, including travel between domestic or international sites.
Expected travel: Up to 10%
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to remain in a stationary position and occasionally move about the office and laboratory. Constantly operates and uses a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a copier/printer and laboratory machinery. The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information. The ability to observe, identify and assess details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds across the office for various needs.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment is split between office & laboratory work, with most work being performed in the office. The noise level in the office is typically quiet while the noise level in the lab can occasionally require hearing protection.
EXPERIENCE IN RELEVANT BUSINESS SECTOR
Experience working with manufacturing companies. Experience within the aerospace industry is a plus but not required.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Safran is an international high-technology group operating in the fields of aerospace (propulsion, equipment and interiors), space and defense. Its mission is to contribute sustainably to a safer world, where air transport becomes ever more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Present on every continent, the Group employs 110,000 people and generated €31.3 billion in revenue in 2025. Safran holds, either independently or through partnerships, leading global or European positions in its markets.
Safran was ranked second in the Aerospace & Defense sector in TIME magazine's "World's Best Companies 2025" ranking.
Safran Electronics & Defense is an international company with more than 19,000 employees who bring together expertise and team spirit to design high-technology solutions for the aerospace, defense and space sectors. By combining human and technological intelligence, the company develops products and services for both civil and military customers, operating on land, at sea, in the air and in space.
LOCATION
Location: Rockford, Illinois, United States
Contract type: Permanent
Contract duration: Full-time
Required degree: Bachelor's Degree
Required experience: More than 3 years
Professional status: Professional, Engineer & Manager
Salary range: $87,000 - $120,000 depending on experience level
See all 57+ OPT Demand Planning Manager Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Demand Planning Manager Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Demand Planning Manager
Target supply chain-heavy industries first
Retail, consumer goods, and manufacturing companies run large demand planning teams and sponsor work visas regularly. These industries hire Demand Planning Managers at scale, giving OPT students more sponsorship opportunities than smaller or newer organizations.
Quantify your forecasting impact on your resume
Employers sponsoring OPT hires want proof of ROI. Lead with metrics: forecast accuracy improvements, inventory reduction percentages, or revenue impact. Concrete numbers make a stronger case for sponsorship than general descriptions of planning responsibilities.
Get certified in demand planning tools
Proficiency in SAP IBP, Oracle Demantra, or Kinaxis RapidResponse signals job readiness to sponsoring employers. Certifications in these platforms differentiate your application and reduce the perceived risk of sponsoring an OPT worker.
Apply before your OPT clock runs thin
Start your job search at least four months before OPT expiration. Demand planning roles often have longer hiring cycles involving case studies or technical assessments, and employers need time to initiate sponsorship paperwork before your authorization lapses.
Highlight cross-functional collaboration experience
Demand Planning Managers work closely with sales, finance, and supply chain teams. Demonstrating experience aligning forecasts across departments shows hiring managers you can operate at a senior level, which strengthens the case for sponsorship investment.
Pursue STEM OPT extension if your degree qualifies
A STEM-designated degree in industrial engineering, data science, or supply chain analytics can extend your OPT to 36 months. This gives employers two additional H-1B lottery cycles to secure your sponsorship, making you significantly easier to hire.
Demand Planning Manager OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Demand Planning Manager role qualify as a specialty occupation for OPT and H-1B purposes?
Yes. Demand Planning Manager is a specialty occupation because the role typically requires a bachelor's degree or higher in supply chain management, business analytics, industrial engineering, or a related field. USCIS looks at whether the position normally requires a degree in a specific discipline, and demand planning roles consistently meet that standard, making them well-suited for both OPT authorization and H-1B sponsorship.
How can I find Demand Planning Manager jobs that sponsor OPT and H-1B visas?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters jobs by sponsorship willingness, so you can focus on employers who have a documented history of sponsoring work visas. Searching on Migrate Mate saves time compared to screening hundreds of general postings that never clarify sponsorship status.
Which industries hire the most Demand Planning Managers willing to sponsor OPT workers?
Consumer packaged goods, retail, pharmaceuticals, and electronics manufacturing are the strongest sectors. These industries run large, dedicated demand planning functions and routinely sponsor H-1B visas because forecasting expertise is hard to find locally. Companies like large food and beverage manufacturers or medical device firms tend to have established immigration programs that make OPT-to-H-1B transitions more straightforward.
What happens to my OPT authorization if I switch from a junior analyst role to a Demand Planning Manager position mid-OPT?
You can change employers on OPT as long as the new role is directly related to your degree field. A promotion into demand planning management from a supply chain analyst role is typically consistent with that requirement. Report the employer change to your DSO within ten days so your SEVP record stays current. Gaps longer than 90 days in aggregate can jeopardize your OPT status.
Does a STEM OPT extension apply to Demand Planning Manager roles?
It depends on your degree's CIP code, not your job title. Degrees in industrial engineering, data analytics, supply chain management (if classified under a STEM CIP code), or operations research can qualify you for the 24-month STEM extension. Confirm your degree's CIP code with your DSO. If it qualifies, the extension gives your employer two more H-1B lottery attempts, which meaningfully improves your sponsorship odds.