Operations Demand Planner

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Operations Manager, this role will enable the successful candidate to take ownership of the Demand Planning process and all relevant departmental activities for the business unit in Oceania. The role will be required to gather intelligence data and inputs from the market and local team and timely translate them into accurate forecast to ensure product availability, high levels of service and contributing to optimised global inventory levels as well as follow up on the alignment between forecast and budget, understanding and explaining discrepancies. The emphasis will be on leading S&OP process, forecasting, exception order management and coordinating inbound product supply to ease operational complexities. 

What you'll get to do

Lead Sales and Operational Planning (S&OP) process:

• Follow Annual S&OP Calendar
• Conduct monthly Demand Consensus meetings with with relevant Commercial and Marketing stakeholders to review the promotional plan and gather market intelligence data to forecast at SKU level. 
• Conduct historical sales analysis and data cleansing to ensure Forecast consistency and accuracy.
• Reconcile the forecast valuation with the budget and explain the differences.
• Ensure monthly forecast is updated in the IBP system meeting Main Forecast Publish deadline. 
• Develop, prepare and drive monthly Local S&OP meetings sponsored by General Manager.
• Control Demand and Supply related KPIs. 
• Identify/champion process enhancements to improve forecast accuracy and bias.

Launch and promotional planning:

• Actively participate in planning quantities for new launches based on analysis of launch patterns and cycles.
• React to changes in sell in based on level of success and amend forecast accordingly.
• Analyse cannibalisation and adjust product line forecast accordingly. 
• Lead the review of success of launches and promotional actions with Commercial and Marketing teams.
• Track leftover promotional stock and work with the sales and marketing teams to exit.

Build strong collaborative relationships with Local and Global teams:

• Liaise with respective teams to reconcile demand and supply planning to mitigate shortfalls and excess of inventory while supporting new launches, production related shortage updates or un-forecasted demand spikes. 
• Build and maintain relationships with Local teams and relevant Global departments to allow clear flow of information. 
• Gain a strong understanding of retailer strategies by working closely with Commercial team.
• Follow the evolution of brands and plans in the short and long term with Marketing.
• Work with Finance to build the phased Net Revenue Budget by product line and to align understanding.
• Provide Global Demand planners with local market information effecting product line forecasts, explaining changes in the forecast. 
• Liaise with Global Supply Planning team regarding specific actions and how to meet local requirements.
• Connect and work with other Local Demand Planners to develop best practices.

Build and maintain relationships with retailers Supply Chain teams:

• Work together in a collaborative way to maximise efficiencies in the supply chain.
• Work with key retailers to build a joint forecast at peak trading periods. 
• Understand retailers strategic inventory plans and sales expectations. 
• Review service levels and forecast accuracy based on joint plans.

Other:

• Align and budget key customers large orders with the Area Managers for final approval prior to release for Execution area. 
• Maintain and enhance local forecasting system/database/files.
• Ensure catalogue forecasts are aligned to financial budgets, SKU quotas, and bottle size quotas (when applicable)
• Participate in Demand and Supply planning related projects. 

We'd love to meet you if you have

Experience: 
Possess at least 5 years of experience in Demand Planning and well familiarized with Supply Planning in a FMCG company.
Prior experience with SAP and/or statistical forecasting tool like IBP/JDA will be advantageous.
 
Skills & Knowledge Required: 

• Strong analytical skills, sound judgement and drive for excellence
• High level of commitment and initiative with ability to work independently.
• Curious, Data driven and Innovation-oriented mind. 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Organisational awareness 
• Highly proficient in Excel
• Have a solid knowledge of any of the following: IBP, JDA, APO, SAP, BIW 
• Knowledge of Power BI and/or SAC tools is a strong advantage.
• Degree holder in supply-chain, business or other relevant disciplines

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