Position Summary
We are seeking a highly capable Supply Chain Business Analyst Contractor to lead business analysis and support the development of a supplier forecast model. The contractor will rapidly learn complex supply chain processes, translate business needs into clear model requirements, and build practical, accurate, and user-friendly Excel-based solutions that improve supplier demand visibility and planning decisions.
The ideal candidate is a fast learner with strong logical reasoning, structured problem-solving skills, and advanced Microsoft Excel expertise. This individual will own the end-to-end analytical lifecycle, from requirements gathering and business-rule definition through model design, VBA automation, validation, documentation, user enablement, and ongoing support.
Key Responsibilities
Business Analysis & Stakeholder Partnership
- Partner with supply chain, sourcing, procurement, planning, logistics, manufacturing, operations, and leadership teams to understand supplier forecasting needs.
- Translate business questions into clear functional requirements, business rules, data specifications, calculation logic, and model outputs.
- Facilitate requirement-gathering sessions, map current and future-state processes, document assumptions and exceptions, and align stakeholders on definitions and expected outcomes.
- Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical audiences and serve as the bridge between business stakeholders, data owners, and solution developers.
Supplier Forecast Model Development
- Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain an Excel-based supplier forecast model that is reliable, scalable, and easy to use.
- Create intuitive model outputs and charts that help users quickly understand supplier demand, timing, trends, exceptions, risks, and required actions.
- Develop forecast logic across customer demand, project schedules, product configuration, material requirements, supplier allocation, lead times, and planning horizons.
- Build effective filtering, scenario analysis, data refresh, navigation, input controls, and self-service capabilities while maintaining a consistent user experience.
- Optimize model performance, calculation speed, refresh reliability, usability, maintainability, and user adoption.
Data Analysis, Integration & Governance
- Design scalable, reusable, and well-structured data models that can support changing supplier forecast requirements.
- Integrate, cleanse, reconcile, and transform data from ERP, planning, manufacturing, operational, Excel, SharePoint, database, and other approved sources.
- Use advanced Excel formulas, Power Query, VBA macros, PivotTables, and established data-modeling practices to prepare reliable forecast datasets and outputs.
- Ensure data accuracy, consistent business logic, transparent assumptions, traceability, appropriate access controls, and adherence to data governance standards.
- Establish robust validation, reconciliation, exception-handling, and quality-control processes to build trust in forecast outputs.
Model Sustainability & Support
- Own the ongoing maintenance and enhancement of the supplier forecast model after initial deployment.
- Document data sources, transformations, formulas, VBA code, business rules, assumptions, refresh processes, dependencies, version control, and support procedures.
- Diagnose and resolve data, calculation, macro, refresh, performance, and usability issues in partnership with business and technical teams.
- Create reusable standards, templates, controls, and development practices that reduce dependency on individual developers.
- Train business users and designated support resources on model usage, forecast interpretation, data refresh, and basic troubleshooting.
Requirements
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Information Systems, Analytics, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Demonstrated experience in business analysis, supply chain analytics, forecasting, data modeling, or a related field, with substantial hands-on Microsoft Excel experience.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including VBA macros, complex formulas, charts, PivotTables, data validation, structured tables, and performance optimization.
- Strong logical reasoning and the ability to convert complex business rules into reliable calculations, formulas, and automation logic.
- Strong data-modeling and analytical skills, including relationships, data granularity, scenario logic, reusable model structures, and performance-conscious design.
- Proven ability to use Excel VBA macros to automate repeatable processes, improve data quality, and reduce manual effort.
- Working knowledge of Power Query, SQL, and data integration concepts.
- Demonstrated ability to gather requirements, challenge assumptions constructively, analyze complex data, identify gaps, and present findings in a clear and decision-oriented manner.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to work independently in a fast-paced contractor environment.
Supply Chain Knowledge
The candidate should understand core supply chain concepts and have practical exposure to several of the following:
- Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), demand planning, and integrated planning processes
- Supplier forecasting, supply planning, backlog, capacity, and constraint visibility
- Bill of Material structures, material requirements, inventory availability, shortages, and working capital
- Manufacturing and project schedules, production plans, throughput, schedule adherence, and quality
- Procurement, supplier allocation, supplier capacity, performance, lead times, cost, and purchase-order visibility
- Logistics, transportation, regional lead times, delivery performance, and order fulfillment
- Forecast accuracy, scenario analysis, exception management, KPI governance, and root-cause analysis
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting a global or multi-region supply chain organization.
- Experience with ERP and planning platforms such as SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or similar systems.
- Familiarity with Power BI, Power Automate, Microsoft Fabric, Azure data services, or Python.
- Experience developing supplier forecast models, planning tools, or management reporting for leadership reviews.
- Experience establishing model-development standards, documentation, testing, change control, version management, and user-adoption practices.
- APICS or ASCM certification, training, or equivalent practical supply chain experience.
Engagement Deliverables & Success Measures
- Deliver a clear, scalable, and validated supplier forecast model using supply chain, project, product, and supplier data.
- Establish trusted business-rule definitions, assumptions, forecast logic, and transparent calculations aligned with business owners.
- Create reusable model structures that support future forecast requirements without unnecessary redevelopment.
- Use Excel VBA macros, formulas, PivotTables, and Power Query to improve automation, refresh reliability, data quality, and forecast-cycle speed.
- Provide business insights that help leaders identify supplier risks, demand changes, capacity constraints, priorities, and actions.
- Complete business, technical, code, and user documentation to support long-term ownership and continuity.
- Enable internal users to operate, understand, troubleshoot, and sustain the supplier forecast model after the engagement.