Market Demand Planner

The Market Demand Planner shares the responsibility with sub-region Demand Planner for the total market forecasts within the respective markets -Standard and promotional forecast **in collaboration with Sub region Planner and Area Demand Planner. **The responsibility to develop and maintain statistical forecasts in SAP-IBP will lie with the area team, but the Market Demand Planner will have direct responsibility to gather and challenge local market intelligence, to input the market intelligence into appropriate tool Application (ensuring **SAP-IBP** is up-to-date) and understand and maintain cannibalization effects with the right level of communication with the Area team to get the best possible total market forecast.

The Market Demand Planner will share the responsibility with Sub-region Demand Planner to prepare and facilitate the key market demand reviews (for S&OP) meetings. He or she needs to ensure, that all key market functions understand and align with the total volume forecast and that the business director validates and signs it off. The Market Demand Planner must also ensure that they remain aligned with the area process and connected to the area meetings to share information and gain feedback to share in their respective markets.

The Market Demand Planner remains focused on improving forecast accuracy and the correct horizon with the aim to maximize sales (minimize service issues) while balancing this with working capital targets. The Market Demand Planner will focus heavily on execution in market with commercial teams and customers where appropriate to develop the best possible approach to planning and business delivery.

The Market Demand Planner is responsible to suggest best Practice Development in market intelligence gathering tools; either within SAP-IBP or more generally market developed promotional tools with the end goal of getting to the most efficient approach for MI gathering.

The Market Demand Planner will be trained and responsible to be a back-up for other markets within International Modern Market to ensure operational robustness across the demand planning organization.

**Responsibilities**:

- To support area team and Sub-area Demand Planner by collaborating and sharing knowledge of historical events to filter and future gains and/or cannibalization impacts.
- To be involved in creation of market intelligence with local Marketing & Sales departments to get to a realistic forecast:

- promotional forecast
- promotional display forecast
- information regarding distribution gains and losses
- information regarding new product launch forecast
- information on Nielsen data and expected seasonality
- To analyze and support a closed feedback loop with sales and marketing monthly on market intelligence to ensure we take every opportunity to improve our MI forecasting.
- To own entry of market intelligence into the appropriate supporting tool with the end result of IBP being updated and collaborate with area team on impacts to statistical forecast.
- To collaborate with area DP team in analysis of forecasts and forecast error reports to improve forecast accuracy (net error and absolute error).
- Collaborate with area DP team on new product set up and forecast, a common understanding on cannibalization effects, promo analysis, code switches and product allocation in case of capacity constraints
- Collaborate with area DP team and Sub-region Demand planner to continually review best practices of IBP and other demand planning/ forecasting tools, processes and procedures.
- To build the pack for the market Demand Review (for S&OP) and facilitate the meeting and obtain the sign off of the forecast from the Market Business Director and connect to Area S&OP to understand impact of supply constraints.
- To identify and with the support of Area Team and Sub-region Demand Planner to investigate root causes of forecast errors.
- To support the implementation of the International Modern Market Roadmap for forecast improvement aligned to the priorities of your manager N+1 (Area Demand Planner ).
- To represent demand planning and promote its good practice and strategy within the market and with key market stakeholders.

**What we are looking for**:

- Be able to work with a team remotely
- Excellent working knowledge of a Supply Chain (specific DP background essential) gained in FMCG environment.
- Fluency in English.
- Proven IT skills i.e. Microsoft Office, especially Excel
- SAP-IBP / SAP knowledge desirable
- Education requirements (degree level educated)
- Very good communication skills
- Organizational skills to handle of work flow and deadlines
- Demonstrated Competencies:

- Teamwork
- Collaboration with ability to work in matrix environment and varied cultural teams
- Excellent analytical thinking
- Customer Focus with strong needs identification capacity.
- Results Orientated
- Influence
- Initiative (self-starter)

**Come join us**: