Demand Planner

About the Company and Role

Nestlé South Africa, with over 150 years of global expertise, is currently seeking a skilled Demand Planner based in Bryanston, Gauteng. The ideal candidate will hold a degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, or related discipline and bring at least three years of operational experience across Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing or Finance areas.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, sustain, and enhance the Demand Plan for a portfolio covering products and customers, managing the statistical forecast generation using Sales, Marketing insight and external data.
• Align comprehensive Demand Plans with internal and external stakeholders via the Monthly Business Planning and collaborative planning processes.
• Improve demand plan quality and responsiveness by monitoring performance, managing exceptions, and adapting to evolving market conditions.
• Formulate supply and production schedules considering available capacities, ensuring optimal finished goods availability and cost efficiency.
• Create and maintain accurate master data in planning systems, ensuring data integrity in close coordination with Customer Services.
• Establish and nurture communication channels across Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing and Finance functions to gather assumptions and causal factors affecting demand.
• Leverage all functionalities of Demand Planning systems to implement exception-based management, incorporating methodologies like "Animal Farm" for streamlined processes.
• Utilize Forecast IQ (AI & Machine Learning tool) to apply statistical models generating precise base demand forecasts segmented by customer.
• Publish forecasts and demand plans through systematic reporting, enabling transparency across business units.
• Continuously track actual sales and Point-of-Sale data to swiftly identify demand anomalies, initiating corrective actions to mitigate deviations.
• Track Demand Plan Accuracy, analyze forecast errors using designated codes, keep learning logs, and drive improvements in forecast reliability.
• Coordinate stock policies for finished goods across sites, promoting freshness and minimizing waste, while ensuring alignment with production and supply constraints.
• Drive cross-functional planning activities such as Monthly Business Planning, Scenario Planning, and Dynamic Planning Framework adherence.

Success Factors and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, or equivalent field.
• At least three years in relevant operational roles within Supply Chain, Sales (Key Account Management or Customer Service), Marketing, or Finance (business planning).
• Adequate familiarity with Nestlé Continuous Excellence methodology and monthly business planning tools.
• Experience understanding roles and goals of cross-functional teams within Supply Chain, Sales, Marketing, and Finance.

Additional Information

Closing applications by 18 June 2026. Location is Bryanston, Gauteng, South Africa. Employment is full-time and on-site.