The S&OP Demand Planner plays a crucial role in aligning the sales, manufacturing, and supply chain functions of a company to ensure that the organization can meet its sales goals while maintaining optimal inventory levels and operational efficiency, and responsible for developing, monitoring, and adjusting demand forecasts to ensure the efficient operation of the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process. The primary purpose of this role is to support investment decisions, profitable growth and ensure top notch customer satisfaction with all stake holders.

The role involves close collaboration with manufacturing, sales, marketing, finance, and supply chain teams to create a consensus-based demand plan that supports the company’s strategic goals. The Demand Planner ensures that inventory levels are optimized to meet customer demand while minimizing excess stock and obsolescence.

Demand Forecasting:

· Develop and maintain rolling demand forecasts using statistical models, historical sales data, market trends, and customer insights.

· Collaborate with sales, marketing, and product management teams to incorporate promotional plans, new product launches, other factors into the demand forecast and also ensure constant product integrity.

· Regularly review and adjust demand forecasts based on actual sales performance and changing market conditions.

S&OP Process Management:

· Facilitate monthly S&OP meetings, ensuring that key stakeholders are aligned on demand, supply, and financial plans.

· Present demand plans and assumptions during S&OP meetings, highlighting risks, opportunities, and scenarios to optimize decision-making.

· Work closely with supply chain and operations teams to ensure supply plans align with demand forecasts, balancing customer service levels with inventory costs and resolving supply chain constraints and discrepancies between supply and demand.

Data Analysis & Reporting:

· Analyze demand data to identify trends, deviations, and underlying drivers of demand variability.

· Generate and distribute reports on forecast accuracy, demand variability, and inventory performance.

· Use data insights to recommend actions for improving forecast accuracy, inventory management, and overall S&OP effectiveness.

· Monitor and report on all related KPI’s to meet and exceed the target (>95%) related to forecast accuracy and conversion rate and backlog (<10%) and/or any KPI that is set that can help to support and improve the S&OP Process.

Collaboration & Communication:

· Serve as the primary point of contact for all demand-related inquiries and issues.

· Partner with finance to align demand forecasts with financial plans and budgets.

Continuous Improvement:

· Continuously seek to improve forecasting methods, tools, and processes.

· Lead or participate in cross-functional projects aimed at enhancing the S&OP process, improving demand planning accuracy (>95%), or optimizing inventory levels.

· Stay current with industry best practices, technological advancements, and emerging trends in demand planning and S&OP.