Demand Planner - JHB at Danone

Main job responsibilities along with summarised sub elements

Demand Planning

• Pro-actively works with the Demand Manager and the DP Business Partner, owning the statistical forecast and highlighting deviations to the shipment trends.
• Use and maintain the Barnton software as the primary forecasting system tool
• Collaborate with Key Accounts / Trade marketing on all forecast history cleaning activities including documenting adjustments and assumptions (market trends, seasonality, promotions).
• Maintain statistical parameters for “best fit” model & generate a baseline at least 18 months rolling.
• Maintain Barnton master data including, disaggregation factors and attributes in support of the correct DC split.
• Analyze outliers through appropriate reports and make corrections.
• Support scenario planning for promotions, innovation, and major events (duty, economics change, etc.) through stat analysis.
• Provide reports and insights to stakeholders to maximize the use of baseline forecast.
• Submit weekly forecasts to deployment and production planners
• Adjust daily forecast variations vs. actual, and correct them
• Communicate forecast (short/medium and long term with hypothesis and accuracy corridor) to internal customers
• Participate in de-complexity analysis and programs
• Actively participate in the forecasting process in new launch initiatives
• Collaborate with Production planner to determine the inventory level
• Achieve customer service and forecast accuracy targets

Provide key input to GPS process

• Participate where relevant in GPS process to align upon consensus forecast ( TLG, Building Blocks, Demand Review).
• Review statistical input to Strategic Planning and AOP process and challenge projected growth based on historical trends.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to conduct root cause analysis to identify drivers of forecast error and work together to take the necessary corrective action to drive continuous improvement in forecast accuracy and bias performance on a weekly and monthly basis.

Continuously improve statistical forecasting method:

• Test and implement new models
• Implement best practices
• Support system developments

Reporting

• Analyze and elaborate effectively and efficiently on the forecast at a customer, brand and sku level
• Communicate multiple horizon scenarios to enable internal forecasts.
• Present analyses on the effectiveness of promotions and other trade initiatives
• Collaborate with Sales to monitor the gaps between the forecast and actual sales volumes on a weekly basis
• Deliver on set KPIs, ensuring adequate customer service levels
• Ensure regular communication of all forecasts including deviations.
• Reporting on daily customer service levels and innovations tracking

 Relationship Building

• Build and maintain good working relationship with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Production Planning, procurement, and replenishment teams
• Ensure Logistics Operations is aware of short and long-term volume trends and uncertainties to enable adequate warehousing/production planning/procurement sourcing
• Contribute actively to Company projects and project teams

KEY REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB

• Bachelor’s degree or Diploma in Purchasing, Supply Chain Logistics or Engineering
• Mathematics or Statistics is an advantage
• 3 years FMCG related supply chain experience
• Previous experience in performing a planning function in a company with the complexity     of 100 items or more
• Previous experience in SAP is an advantage
• Previous experience in BI tools is an advantage
• Negotiating Skills
• Proficient in MS Office: Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint