Demand Planner at Hire Resolve

Job Description

• An international food and beverage and fresh produce company specializing in the global citrus trade is seeking an analytical, data-driven Demand Planner to serve as the critical bridge between production, supply, demand, and commercial operations.

Responsibilities:

• Analyze production forecasts and track daily actuals (volumes, varieties, size/count splits, and grade distributions).
• Identify and report variances between forecasted and actual production.
• Analyze commercial customer demand, specs, and requirements by variety, grade, and count.
• Identify stock risks, shortages, and excesses.
• Recommend reallocation or alternative customer targets for excess or slow-moving stock.
• Advise the commercial team on available-to-sell inventory, stock excesses, and potential substitutions.
• Recommend optimal product allocations based on commercial strategy to maximize return and prioritize key accounts.
• Prevent overselling, underutilization, or misallocation of fruit.
• Own and maintain company pack plans; translate customer demand into actionable packing schedules.
• Prepare demand analyses and present weekly pack plans to commercial and production teams.
• Track pack plan execution, identify deviations early, and analyze budget vs. actual production variances.
• Maintain direct, daily communication with packhouse managers and production teams regarding packing schedules, grade/count splits, quality metrics, and unexpected delays.

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Industrial Engineering preferred).
• Experience Level: Early-career professional (approx. mid-20s to early-30s).
• Excel: Expert/advanced MS Excel capabilities for daily data modeling and analysis.
• Problem-Solving: Highly analytical, quick learner, and adaptable under pressure.
• Languages: Business-fluent English (written and spoken) and functional Afrikaans comprehension (listening/reading; spoken Afrikaans not required).
• Transport: Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable personal transport.

Desirable / Advantageous Skills

• Software Development / Coding: Ability to code or build systems to help implement and automate Twente's custom planning and forecasting tools.