Demand Planner

Description Overview

In the role of Demand planner you will report to the Demand lead Benelux & Green Division.

You will be responsible for maintaining and developing the demand planning process within the S&OP drumbeat of the Benelux, being responsible for a part of the Benelux brand portfolio. In this role you get a chance to make a real difference for the entire organization, both on a national and international level. 

This position requires working from multiple locations (Gent and Antwerp & occasionally Rotterdam) depending on the cluster needs and developments (including the flexibility to work from home).

In this position you will be responsible for setting up the demand forecast for several brands per customer group, while at the same time supporting the process from a supply chain perspective. You will work very closely with the category managers, sales- and marketing department, the finance- & operations team and the central European S&OP team to create and maintain the demand plan and to drive the S&OP process. 

Scope of the Role

• Creating the volume forecast per SKU per customer group which is the base for the P&L on a brand level, by analyzing sales- and market trends, stock in trade development and changes related to the assortment, level of distribution and promotional schedule;
• Organize and lead recurrent S&OP meetings with several stakeholders, like the sales- and marketing team, category management and the local- & central S&OP team to get insights in the latest developments, to identify changes vs previous updates and to identify potential risks and opportunities;
• Optimize the forecast accuracy and drive the process of supply/demand reconciliation to reduce the out-of-stock- and obsolete risks;

Experience Required

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a related field;
• 3-5 years’ experience in supply chain and demand planning preferably in the FMCG industry;
• Analytical mindset, able to analyses large amounts of data and make clear recommendations based on these numbers;
• Familiarity with segmented approach as well as good knowledge of statistical analysis and technique;
• Continuously look for ways on how to drive efficiencies, automation and improvements in your day to day job. You embrace continuous learning and process improvement;
• Experienced participation in S&OP processes;
• Known with execution in the local market of guidelines and strategies defined at central level (in terms of process and system utilization)
• Excellent communication (English and Dutch, French is a plus);
• The ability to lead meetings and translate input into conclusions and action points; to challenge where needed; to act as intermediate between all stakeholders and maintain excellent relationships with them; 
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills;
• Experience with Supply Chain planning systems (SAP IBP) preferred