Arun Kumar Nedunchezhian
Supply Chain Planning Leader

Arun Kumar Nedunchezhian

Program Management · Forecasting · Capacity Planning — Rivian, Volvo Group, Hyundai

I re-architected how a $2M+ demand planning system got built, adopted, and scaled — then did it again with a $6M inventory model. I lead the systems and programs that let supply chain organizations scale without breaking.

About Me

At Rivian, I was the Business Lead and SME on a $2M+ enterprise implementation (PTC Servigistics) — coordinating offshore vendors, engineers, and project managers to launch on time. The result: a 40% improvement in forecast accuracy and inventory turns up from 1.2x to 1.9x in 8 months.

I manage a team of 5 planners running a large-scale inventory portfolio, and I've built forecasting and inventory models in Python and SQL that eliminated 20+ hours of manual work per planner per week and generated $6M+ in estimated annual savings.

I sit at the intersection most program roles need but rarely find: I can run the cross-functional program and build the technical tool that makes the program work. I started as a Quality Engineer at Hyundai, root-causing failures in physical parts — that engineering-first instinct is why I gravitated toward systems and process design instead of staying in pure analytics.

Core Competencies

  • Supply Chain Planning
  • Inventory Optimization
  • Demand Forecasting
  • Network Optimization
  • Program Management
  • New Product Introduction
  • Material Management
  • Integrated Business Planning & S&OP

Tools & Certifications

  • Python & SQL
  • Advanced Planning Systems (PTC Servigistics)
  • Power BI
  • Splunk Certified User 6.x
  • Lean Foundations
  • Python for Time Series Analysis
$2M+
Enterprise APS implementation led end-to-end
40%
Improvement in forecast accuracy at Rivian
$6M+
Estimated annual savings from inventory model
5
Demand planners managed across a large inventory portfolio

Highlighted Projects

Selected systems and models I've designed and shipped that moved real business metrics.

Systems Implementation

Enterprise APS Implementation (PTC Servigistics)

Business Lead and SME on a $2M+ Advanced Planning System rollout, coordinating offshore vendors, engineers, and PMs to launch on time. Forecast accuracy improved 40%; inventory turns rose from 1.2x to 1.9x in 8 months.

Program Management APS Rivian
Inventory Optimization

Multi-Location Inventory Model

Built a model automating new-parts planning by part compatibility across 8,000+ SKUs, generating an estimated $6M+ in annual inventory savings.

Python SQL Rivian
Forecasting

Automated Multi-Variable Forecasting Tool

Built a Python forecasting tool with multi-variable inputs adopted by 6 planners, eliminating manual data entry and cutting processing time by 20 hours per planner per week.

Python Automation Rivian
Predictive Modeling

Telemetric Part-Availability Forecast Model

Built a predictive forecast model using telemetric and maintenance data, increasing part availability 30% and cutting customer repair wait times by 2 days.

Machine Learning Rivian
Demand Forecasting

ML-Based Regional Demand Forecasting

Built and automated large-scale demand forecasting using machine learning models across 3,000 SKUs and 3 regions, reducing forecast model variance by 15%.

Machine Learning Volvo Group
Process Automation

KPI & Back-Order Reporting Automation

Built automated KPI and ETA reporting tools in Power BI and SQL used by 20+ planners, and automated back-order invoicing with Python — cutting manual reporting time by 30%.

Power BI SQL Volvo Group

Experience

7+ years across automotive and industrial supply chains, from the shop floor to enterprise program leadership.

Rivian Manager, Demand Planning
July 2024 – Present
Irvine, CA

Manager, Demand Planning

  • Led a $2M+ Advanced Planning System (PTC Servigistics) implementation as Business Lead and SME across offshore vendors, engineers, and project managers — launched on time and improved forecast accuracy 40%, lifting inventory turns from 1.2x to 1.9x within 8 months.
  • Manage a team of 5 demand planners across a $40M+ inventory portfolio, building a growth-oriented culture that produced 2 internal promotions within 2 years.
  • Led cross-functional continuous improvement programs with NPI, Engineering, and Purchasing, redesigning supply network workflows that reduced new service part introduction time by 10%.
  • Rebuilt the core forecasting framework and S&OP review cadence, cutting historical forecast error by 15% through cross-functional alignment with Product Engineering, Sales, and Supply Chain.
Rivian Senior Demand Planner
Jan 2021 – July 2024
United States

Senior Demand Planner

  • Built a multi-location inventory optimization model automating new parts planning by part compatibility across 8,000+ SKUs, generating an estimated $6M+ in annual inventory savings.
  • Built a predictive forecast model using telemetric and maintenance data, increasing part availability 30% and reducing customer repair wait times by 2 days, in partnership with Service Engineering, NPI, and Field Operations.
  • Increased inventory turns from 0.9x to 1.5x with proprietary sell-down and procurement-timing logic across 6 vehicle variants and 3 vehicle models (R1T, R1S, EDV).
  • Built an automated Python forecasting tool with multi-variable inputs, adopted by 6 planners, cutting processing time by 20 hours per planner per week.
  • Built a part-chain lineage tool mapping asset relationships, identifying 10+ critical system gaps and establishing a recurring team-wide data audit process.
Volvo Group Demand and Inventory Planner
Feb 2019 – Jan 2021
Greensboro, NC

Demand and Inventory Planner

  • Built and automated large-scale demand forecasting using machine learning models across 3,000 SKUs and 3 regions, reducing forecast model variance by 15%.
  • Automated the forecast override process using VBA scripting, cutting process lead times by 80%.
  • Automated analytical scripts supporting business-critical forecasting decisions, saving 10 hours per week in manual analysis time.
  • Led cross-functional research with Sales and Marketing to reconcile forecast variances across Volvo Trucks and Mack Trucks product lines.
Volvo Group Business Analyst
Aug 2018 – Feb 2019
Greensboro–Winston-Salem–High Point Area

Business Analyst

  • Automated the back-order invoicing process using Python scripts, improving process efficiency by 50%.
  • Built and automated KPI and ETA reporting tools in Power BI and SQL, used by 20+ planners.
  • Managed end-to-end back-order processing and sourcing across the supply chain.
  • Built daily KPI dashboards in Power BI for back-order recovery, cutting manual reporting time by 30%.
Tampa General Hospital Data Analyst
Aug 2016 – Dec 2016
Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL

Data Analyst

  • Analyzed 720+ surgical cases across 120+ variables to identify factors behind surgical site infections (SSI).
  • Built a predictive classification model to identify factors affecting SSI rates, using hypothesis testing and statistical analysis.
  • Visualized findings in R, Minitab, and Excel to support hospital decision-making, within ACS NSQIP® compliance standards.
TI Cycles of India Production Engineer
July 2015 – Dec 2015
Chennai, India

Production Engineer

  • Applied Six Sigma methods to improve production line efficiency and reduce repetitive strain on assembly workers.
  • Conducted a Time and Motion study on the Brake System assembly line to identify bottlenecks and improvement opportunities.
  • Redesigned Brake assembly line staffing, reducing headcount needed to run the line smoothly by one.
Hyundai Motor India Ltd. Quality Engineer
Dec 2014 – May 2015
Chennai, India

Quality Engineer

  • Root-caused thread washout failures in the rocker shaft mount of the three-cylinder Hyundai Eon engine using Fishbone Root Cause Analysis.
  • Recommended a cold-press manufacturing process for the bolt, improving thread hardness by 40% and surface finish.
  • Improved engine life expectancy by reducing the probability of failure from the thread washout issue.

Education & Certifications

University of South Florida

Master's Degree, Industrial Engineering · 2016 – 2018

Anna University

B.E., Mechanical Engineering · 2012 – 2016

Splunk Certified User 6.x Lean Foundations Learning SQL Programming Python for Time Series Data Analysis

Let's Connect

I'm looking for the next org where the problem is bigger than one team's forecast — global network capacity, multi-tier supplier coordination, or systems that need to scale across regions. If you're building a program management or capacity planning function, I'd like to talk.