Manager Demand & Starts Planning (f/m/d)

The Manager Demand & Starts Planning is responsible for leading the Front-End Planning team with a focus on Demand Planning, Wafer Starts Planning, and Integrated Die Planning. This role ensures that customer demand is translated into a robust production and wafer start plan and serves as a key interface between Business Units, Supply Planning, Operations, Manufacturing, and Executive Management. The position plays a critical role in supporting the successful implementation of the ONE Renesas transformation and the future scalability of the Planning organization.

Reporting Line

- Reports to Director Production Planning

- Location: Dresden, Germany

- Leads a global team located in Germany and the United States

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in: Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, Engineering or a related discipline

Functional Competencies

- Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP)

- Demand Planning

- Master Production Scheduling

- Wafer Starts Planning

- Capacity Planning

- Inventory Management

- Semiconductor Supply Chain Management

- Forecasting & Analytics

- Risk Management

- Scenario Planning

Systems Knowledge

- Kinaxis RapidResponse

- SAP ERP / SAP IBP

- Advanced Microsoft Excel

- Power BI

Leadership

- Strong leadership and people management skills

- Ability to lead teams through organizational and transformational change

- Talent development and coaching capabilities

Communication

- Excellent communication skills in English

- Ability to effectively communicate with senior leadership and executive stakeholders

- Strong intercultural collaboration skills

Working Style

- Analytical and data-driven mindset

- Strong initiative and ownership

- Structured and results-oriented approach

- High level of accountability

Personal Attributes

- Strong decision-making capability

- Ability to influence and drive alignment across organizations

- Resilient and able to perform in a fast-paced environment

- Trusted business partner to leadership teams and business stakeholders

Responsibilities

Own and manage the end-to-end Demand Planning process across multiple Business Divisions.; Consolidate customer demand, forecasts, and business requirements.; Ensure high-quality demand signals across the supply chain.; Lead demand review meetings with Business Units and Sales organizations.; Identify demand-related risks and escalate capacity constraints proactively.; Own Wafer Starts Planning across internal and external foundries.; Translate demand and supply signals into executable wafer start plans.; Ensure the optimal balance between service level, inventory, and capacity utilization.; Own and maintain the Integrated Die Plan.; Conduct scenario analyses to address demand, capacity, and supply changes.; Build, develop, and lead a global Demand & Starts Planning team.; Coach and support employee development and career growth.; Define roles, responsibilities, and planning standards.; Foster a high-performance and collaborative team culture.; Collaborate closely with: Business Units, Operations Planning, OSAT Planning, Supply Planning, Manufacturing, Finance, Sales & Marketing; Lead regular demand and supply review processes.; Manage critical escalations and drive resolution plans.; Drive continuous improvement of planning processes within the ONE Renesas framework.; Leverage and optimize Kinaxis RapidResponse and other planning tools.; Promote process standardization, automation, and digitalization.; Define and maintain relevant KPIs and management dashboards.

Requirements

Minimum 8-10 years of experience in Supply Chain, Production Planning, or Operations Planning.; Minimum 3-5 years of international people management experience.; Experience within the semiconductor industry, including Foundry, Wafer Fab, Assembly/Test, or Operations Planning environments.; Proven experience in Demand Planning and Supply Planning.; Experience managing global and virtual teams.