Demand Planning Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Summary

The Demand Planning Manager leads the Sales &Operations Planning (S&OP) demand stream, responsible for developing accurate forecasts based on industry trends and demand patterns, collects data from internal and external sources on factors known to affect demand and subsequently implement actions or solutions to improve the accuracy of demand forecasting in the organization.  They work closely with cross-functional teams (including Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing and Finance) to capture supply constraints, sales risks (downsides) and opportunities (upsides), marketing programs to drive demand and ensure that the overall forecast are aligned to financial targets.

Essential Functions

Key Result Area 1 : Demand Planning Process

1.     Historical Forecast Review & Analysis

• Identify, measure and document historical sales outliers driven by non-recurring sales activities, risks, opportunities and supply availability.
• Establish statistical baseline forecast per BU product as reference (ADQ, Average Daily Quantity)
• Communicate statistical product forecast changes to Marketing Team and other key stakeholders during Demand Review.

2.     Forecast Assumptions

• Consolidate all critical forecast assumptions on new store openings, new product introductions, marketing campaigns & sales programs by collaborating with key functions and ensure assumptions are validated every cycle.
• Capture other assumptions that affects forecast such as seasonality and other events.
• Consolidate all Bill of Materials (BOM) assumptions for translating menu level item forecast into required forecast level of detail (Level 2, Level 3).

3.     Demand Plan Generation

• Update demand planning model to generate store pull-out projections based from agreed level of material granularity (e.g., menu-item level, supply SKU, etc), timeline or delivery frequency and supply depot (if required).
• Coordinate with relevant functions to ensure correctness and updated Bill of Materials (BOM), BOM unit of measures and other assumptions assumed in the forecast.

4.     Key Performance Indicators

• Generate and analyze WAPE (Weighted Average Percentage Error) and Forecast Bias.
• Identify key forecast error drivers and provide demand plan recommendations.
• Identify near expiring and non-moving products in terms of quantity and value.

Key Result Area 2: Demand Review

• Lead and facilitate the discussion with Business Unit (BU) to review and assess forecast.
• Ensure alignment on key assumptions, risks and opportunities and capture other key drivers that affects forecast.
• Secure demand plan approval from BU head including all identified action plans, risks and opportunities.
• Communicate to all key stakeholders the approved unconstrained demand plan after the Demand Review for further analysis, constraining and alignment to the financial plan.
• Document all risks & opportunities identified by the BU in both the tactical (Month+2 to Month+12) and strategic (Month+13 to Month+24) horizon.
• Ensure timely submission of Sales & Operations reports and demand inputs into planning tools.
• Communicate with the BU teams on the agreed action plans generated during the Demand Review, defines clear accountability of the action plans and ensures that issues are closed within the agreed timeline.

Key Result Area 3: Risk Management

• Provide timely advise to Supply Planning on critical forecast deviations within the frozen period (low, high forecast accuracies).
• Coordinate with BU Marketing and other stakeholders in driving achievement of forecast including driving agreement on actions for identified issues.
• Secure alignment and approval from BU and Supply Chain in handling sales plan exceptions with the frozen period.
• Lead the gap analysis and action planning of BU-level issues related to sufficiency to target. Review and assess demand variability and identify opportunities to manage and mitigate risks.
• Present relevant demand plan issues that require SBU head sign-off or decisions such as SKU optimization model, product prioritization plan and demand and supply risk mitigation plan. Recommends action steps and proactively coordinates with concerned BU team to address risk.
• Drive key stakeholders to improve forecast accuracy & assumptions by communicating WAPE/Forecast Bias performance.

Key Results Area 4: Reporting and Insights

• Provide and deliver monthly demand reports summarizing demand forecasts vs actuals, including variance analysis, trend identification and root cause explanations highlighting risks (forecast dips) and opportunities (upsides) and corrective actions.
• Present demand scenario planning outcomes to assess impact of various market situations such as promotions, price changes, supply disruptions, or competitors’ actions.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

• At least Bachelor’s degree graduate in Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, Economics or any related field.
• With Master’s degree or professional certification, preferred.

EXPERIENCE

• At least 5 years of progressive experience in demand planning, supply chain management, Sales and Operations Plans (S&OP) or related field, with a progressive and extensive work experience or proven track record of success on these fields or any equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
• Demonstrated record of improving forecast accuracy and inventory accuracy
• Experience implementing or using forecasting systems or planning tools (e.g. Anaplan, SAB IBP, Excel-based modules) or any equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Training,  License & Certification

• Professional certification (i.e. American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS), Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) or its equivalent or CSCP (Certified Supply Chain Professional)
• Six Sigma or Lean Certification is a plus.

Essential Skills

1. Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with proficiency in statistical forecasting methods and data analysis
2. Excellent knowledge of demand planning software and tools (e.g., SAP APO, ANAPLAN, IBP, etc) including complementary tools such as Power Business Intelligence (Power BI), Power Query, etc.
3. Working knowledge of ERP systems (SAP ECC/S4HANA preferred)

THIS JOB IS FOR IMMEDIATE PLACEMENT.

APPLICANTS MUST BE AUTHORIZED TO WORK IN THE USA.

This Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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