Manager Demand Planner

This role is managing & executing the National Demand Planning process to ensure participation/ alignment / execution and synchronization of the Country Demand Planning activities cross all the APAC territory.

Key objective is to plan and execute the monthly demand planning process, at market level, together with all cross functions involved for each market, to ensure market management review and sign off on the demand plan. Further this role supports the monthly product review process.

This position is part of the demand planning function which is part of the Sales & Operation Planning (S&OP) function.

A. POSITION DIMENSIONS

Demand Planning responsibilities for the full India SKU scope: 700 SKUs

Constant synchronization with all commercial & operations related functions

B. POSITION NATURE & SCOPE

Key Accountabilities:

Execution of the monthly demand planning process (at market/ Sales channel / SKU level) and product review process to ensure a timely execution of the whole S&OP process in an integrated way

Execute the weekly demand review together with all markets to ensure that plan execution, initiate escalation in case targets are not meet

Contribute to the regional S&OP process as "voice of the customer"

Drive the discussion and actions together with Sales, Marketing, and Finance to close any market gap versus yearly BDG targets (sales, revenue, and gross profit)

Monitor and execute improvements on commercial / demand planning related KPI's as direct measurement of the effectiveness of the demand planning & product review process

Execute and contribute improvement projects which are linked directly to S&OP as well as non S&OP related matters

Support the budget process and long term planning from a demand planning perspective

Key Challenges:

• To execute the defined Demand Planning process from a single SKU up to the level of market consensus sales forecast with all the stakeholders
• Analyzing the sales history and to define base on statistical forecast algorithm the base line forecast which then will be confirmed from commercial departments (sales & marketing)
• Ensure the preparation and execution of the monthly demand planning meetings at market level
• Organize and execute weekly check points with all the markets to monitor the plan execution and to highlight differences versus the plan
• Upload the agreed demand plan into the ERP system (SAP ECC)
• Preparation and follow-up of the key customer forecast process
• Analyzing the financial impact of the demand plan and gap vs. BDG (volume, revenue, gross profit) and initiate discussions to close this gap with Sales & Marketing
• To communicate to the management forecasts, key assumptions, volumes, gaps, risks and opportunities for the business for all functions involved
• To contribute and interact with the product management for the new product launches
• Follow-up of product phase in and product phase out
• Contribution of product / SKU rationalizations together with marketing
• KPI follow-up, improvement actions definition & execution
• Interface to Supply Planning - factory set-up according to demand expected & inventory targets
• Follow-up of agreed actions out of the different meetings

Communication and Working Relationship (Internal/External):

• External – non
• Internal – almost all internal functions like Sales, Marketing, Operations, Logistics, R&T, Finance

Qualifications & Education:

MBA / Bachelor's degree in Operations/ Engineering/ Supply chain equivalent from a recognized University

Skills/Experience/Knowledge:

• Minimum 5 years of demand planning or supply chain planning experience
• Proven stakeholder management experience especially within a commercial environment (Sales & Marketing)
• People Management - able to interact and engage with internal senior stakeholders and other colleagues
• Excellent communication skills, effective inter-personal skills, and the ability to work with personnel at all organizational levels.
• SAP knowledge requested in the area of SD and MM