Planning Executive - Sales S&D

Job summary

This role focuses on steering demand planning so that available stock is used as effectively as possible while maintaining efficiency, safety, and profitability.

Role overview

The Demand Planner acts as the key link between demand-facing teams and supply-side functions. The position requires a strong understanding of forecasting, market dynamics, and cross-functional coordination to support accurate planning and informed business decisions.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as the central communication bridge between demand-side teams such as sales, category marketing, and trade marketing, and supply-side teams including supply planning, manufacturing, and BU scheduling.
• Build a solid understanding of the markets in which the company operates and apply that knowledge to improve demand forecasting quality.
• Lead the demand forecasting process and develop highly reliable forecasts, while documenting assumptions, risks, and opportunities tied to the plan.
• Use Demantra as the primary planning system to create baseline forecasts, record uplift information, and keep planning data accurate and up to date.
• Prepare and facilitate the monthly Demand Review meeting, ensuring the category consensus forecast is based on sound analysis and realistic assumptions.
• Support the monthly S&OP cycle, including Demand Review, Pre-S&OP, and executive S&OP meetings, by preparing reports, analyses, and supporting documents for senior leadership sign-off.
• Share detailed sales forecasts with the supply planning team and collaborate closely to resolve issues and evaluate trade-offs.
• Identify unusual or unexpected demand patterns and partner with sales and supply chain teams to find ways to fulfill orders and improve future anticipation.
• Compare forecasted sales with actual results and recommend planning adjustments where needed.
• Track forecast accuracy using MAPE, investigate root causes of weak accuracy, and continuously improve planning outcomes.
• Review the product portfolio and inventory position to suggest rationalization opportunities, flag expiry risks, and support liquidation plans with the sales team.
• Assess the impact of promotions and help Sales and Marketing design more effective promotional activities.
• Coordinate with Sales, Marketing, and other relevant teams on new product launches.

KPIs

• Sales forecast accuracy measured through MAPE and forecast bias.
• Inventory levels, expressed as days of finished goods inventory.
• Percentage value of non-moving inventory.
• Percentage value of obsolete inventory.

Experience required

The role calls for 3 to 5 years of supply chain experience in respected organizations. FMCG background is preferred, and at least 2 years should be specifically in demand planning.

Qualification

A graduate degree in Business Administration, Logistics & Trade, or International Business and Trade is required. An MBA in Supply Chain is preferred.

Competencies

• Capacity planning and operational efficiency
• Production planning
• Production quality control and procurement processes
• Schedule management
• Inventory management
• Self-management and team management
• Change management
• Planning and decision-making
• Strategic thinking
• Ownership and results orientation