Business Analyst (Demand Forecasting)

Business Analyst, Demand Forecasting Location: Burlingame, CA — Hybrid preferred (3 days onsite) Contract: 12 months, with potential for extension or conversion Schedule: 40 hours/week, Monday–Friday Pay Rate: $55/hr - $59/hr on W2 Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, 401K, PTO About the Role Our client is seeking a Business Analyst, Demand Forecasting to support demand planning across its VR headset and wearable product lines. This role will own and develop sell-through and sell-in forecasts, analyze weekly and monthly business performance, and translate complex datasets into actionable insights for business leaders. The ideal candidate is highly analytical and hands-on, with experience in consumer hardware demand forecasting, sales planning, business analytics, or related disciplines. You will collaborate closely with Sales, Channel Operations, Category Management, Marketing, and Data Analytics teams to improve forecast accuracy and identify opportunities to drive business performance. This role provides an opportunity to work directly with cutting-edge AR/VR and wearable hardware and influence production, inventory, and product launch decisions. Key Responsibilities • Build and maintain bottom-up Sell-Through and Sell-In forecasts using quantitative and qualitative data from multiple sources. • Forecast and track weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual sales performance for VR headsets, wearables, accessories, and other hardware products. • Own actuals vs. forecast vs. goal analysis and identify root causes behind performance gaps. • Develop mitigation plans and communicate recommendations to relevant stakeholders. • Partner with Sales Account Managers, Category Managers, Data Analysts, Marketing, and Channel Operations teams to improve demand planning and identify growth opportunities. • Analyze large datasets to identify trends, dependencies, correlations, and demand signals that can improve forecast accuracy. • Develop and implement tools, techniques, and processes to continuously improve forecasting accuracy. • Communicate forecast assumptions, business drivers, risks, and the potential impact of strategic initiatives to cross-functional teams. • Partner with Channel Operations teams to support production, inventory, and product launch decisions. • Prepare and present forecasting results, performance insights, and recommendations to business leaders. • Support recurring weekly and monthly forecasting activities while responding to ad-hoc analytical requests. • Proactively identify necessary forecast changes and adjustments based on evolving business conditions. Must-Have Qualifications • 4+ years of experience in demand forecasting, sales forecasting, or demand planning for hardware products, including accessories. • 6+ years of experience in business strategy, finance, business analytics, sales planning, or a related analytical discipline. • Hands-on experience developing and maintaining quantitative forecasting models using multiple datasets. • Experience analyzing actuals vs. forecast vs. goals and identifying root causes of performance gaps. • Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. • Strong PowerPoint and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex analysis into clear business insights. • Demonstrated experience working with cross-functional stakeholders across Sales, Marketing, Operations, Finance, Analytics, or related functions. • Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including the ability to identify trends, dependencies, correlations, and business drivers. • Ability to dive into the details and independently execute day-to-day and week-to-week forecasting activities. • Strong verbal and written communication skills. • Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent practical experience may be considered. Preferred Qualifications • Experience with physical consumer goods, consumer electronics, or hardware products. • Experience supporting VR/AR, wearables, connected devices, or other technology hardware. • Experience forecasting Sell-Through and Sell-In across multiple channels, including retail and direct-to-consumer. • Experience with forecasting or demand-planning systems such as o9 or similar platforms. • Experience supporting product launches, production planning, inventory planning, or channel operations. • Experience working with large and complex datasets and converting analysis into actionable business forecasts. • Experience independently managing forecasting processes from data collection through analysis, presentation, and follow-up. • Experience developing processes or tools designed to improve forecast accuracy and planning efficiency. • Experience working in a fast-paced technology, consumer electronics, or high-growth environment. Ideal Candidate Profile The ideal candidate is a hands-on demand forecasting and business analytics professional, rather than someone focused exclusively on high-level strategy. They should be comfortable working directly with data, building forecasting models, analyzing business performance, preparing presentations, and communicating recommendations to stakeholders. Experience with physical consumer products or hardware is highly valuable. Candidates whose experience is primarily limited to high-level strategy, without hands-on ownership of day-to-day and week-to-week forecasting activities, may not be the right fit for this opportunity.