Strategic Demand & Capacity Planning Manager Astronics Subsidiary Astronics CSC Location Waukegan, IL Description Astronics Connectivity Systems and Certification (formerly Telefonix PDT and Astronics Armstrong Aerospace) serves as the experienced, global market leader for in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) solutions for aircraft. As a systems certification provider, Astronics CSC has worked on over 100 projects for industry partners to upgrade commercial and business aircraft with new passenger power systems, IFEC navigation, communication and flight safety systems. Additionally, Astronics CSC offers proven IFEC hardware systems, flexible design platforms, high customer satisfaction, and long-term relationships with industry leaders to help make the connected aircraft a reality. The company now employs over 300 employees and is a six-time recipient of Chicago's Best and Brightest Employers to Work For award. **Summary** The Strategic Demand & Capacity Planning Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining the organization's long-range demand, capacity, and operational readiness plans to support business growth, customer commitments, and strategic objectives. This role serves as the primary link between Business Development, Program Management, Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Finance, and Executive Leadership to ensure future customer demand is understood, forecasted, and translated into actionable business plans. The Strategic Demand & Capacity Planning Manager proactively identifies future constraints, capacity limitations, supply chain risks, and investment opportunities, enabling the organization to make informed decisions regarding staffing, procurement, production capacity, inventory strategy, and capital investments. The position plays a critical role in aligning market opportunities with organizational capabilities and ensuring the company remains prepared for future growth. **Essential Duties and Responsibilities** The essential duties and responsibilities include the following, other duties as may be required from time-to-time. **Strategic Demand Planning** + Develop and maintain short-term, mid-term, and long-term demand forecasts. + Consolidate customer forecasts, backlog, bookings, market intelligence, and business development opportunities into integrated demand plans. + Analyze demand trends across product lines, customers, and business segments. + Identify forecast changes and potential business impacts. + Establish forecasting methodologies and reporting standards. + Monitor forecast accuracy and recommend improvements. **Capacity Planning** + Develop enterprise capacity models for engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, customer service, and program management functions. + Evaluate current and future resource requirements. + Identify capacity constraints before they impact customer commitments. + Support workforce planning and organizational growth strategies. + Recommend investments in personnel, equipment, facilities, and infrastructure. **Market & Business Intelligence** + Partner with Business Development to monitor industry trends, customer developments, competitor activity, and emerging technologies. + Analyze aerospace and defense market conditions that may impact future demand. + Evaluate customer acquisition opportunities and forecast impacts. + Support strategic planning initiatives through market-driven insights. **Supply Chain Risk & Readiness Planning** + Partner with Supply Chain to identify long-lead-time material risks and supply chain constraints and to develop strategic procurement plans. + Support advanced procurement initiatives. + Recommend inventory strategies to support future demand. + Assess supplier capacity and readiness risks. **Business Development Support** + Partner with Business Development to evaluate pipeline opportunities. + Support capture planning and growth initiatives. + Analyze resource and operational impacts of potential new business awards. + Provide operational readiness assessments for major opportunities. **Executive Planning & Decision Support** + Develop executive dashboards and planning tools. + Present demand forecasts, capacity analyses, and strategic recommendations to leadership. + Support annual strategic planning and operating plan development. + Provide scenario planning and sensitivity analyses. + Assist leadership in evaluating growth strategies and investment opportunities. **Cross-Functional Leadership** + Facilitate Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP) and Integrated Business Planning (IBP) processes. + Lead cross-functional planning reviews. + Align Program Management, Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Finance around future business requirements. + Drive organizational readiness planning. **Continuous Improvement** + Develop and improve forecasting models and planning processes. + Implement best practices for demand planning and