Demand Planning Manager - JHB North at Yum! Brands

Planning

• Drive the creation of short, medium and long-term demand baseline forecasts at menu board item level
• Coordinate the creation of a promotional forecast at menu board item level
• Work with Marketing and Finance to combine, refine and publish the total business demand plan
• Measure forecast accuracy at granular and total category levels
• Create insights from business forecast analysis to drive continuous improvement (specifically from a proactiveness point of view) in Supply Chain
• Maintain all product-related Master Data – including BOM files and price masters.
• Work with marketing and finance departments on the impact of mix changes on business profitability and supply planning
• Manage NPD introduction demand plans to deliver key KPIs
• Drive service levels with incremental improvements by working closely with the supply planning and 3PL teams
• Collaboration and information sharing across functions and stakeholders
• Incorporate market intelligence into demand plans
• Coordinates cross-functional resolution of day-to-day issues related to supply and demand discrepancies
• Performs root cause analysis on key forecast deviations. Supports Business, Marketing, Supply Planning and production strategies and identifies opportunities to meet market needs.
• Lead the integration of demand plans into the KFC business through joint business planning
• In collaboration with Supply Planning and Category Teams, ensure the right stock is in the right place at the right time to deliver customer requirements regionally and at DC level
• Balance a complex set of variables to ensure a reduction in overall forecast errors
• Forecast analysis and improvement
• Analyze the business: identify and manage trends. Formulate action plans.
• Review historical trends, research demand drivers, prepare forecast data, develop statistical models, and evaluate forecast results
• Collaborates with Supply Planning Managers in planning for new items and items to be transitioned or discontinued.
• Generates KPIs that will monitor demand expectations and take corrective action
• Work with Supply Planner to review and assess supply and demand variability risks and identify opportunities to manage and mitigate risk.
• Continuously evolve Demand Planning strategy and roadmap to stay abreast of industry standards and best practices.

Stakeholders

• Marketing and Finance Colleagues - to create consensus total business demand plan, identifying volume gaps and readjust to plan for exceeding targets
• Supply Planning Colleagues – aiding in the translation of demand plan into a comprehensive and reliable supply plan which will be communicated to 3PL and suppliers to ultimately drive improved customer service levels

Working conditions

• Hybrid working model in the office plus regular field trips
• Willingness to work additional hours when required

Requirements

Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain/ Logistics/ Engineering/ Science
• Statistics Certification preferred

Knowledge and Experience

• Min 6 to 8 years of experience in Demand Planning in a cold chain environment
• Advanced Excel proficiency
• Strong knowledge of forecasting techniques
• Business Intelligence

Competencies

• Proactive problem solving
  • Disagreement on demand forecast; high levels of forecast accuracy; short term gap filling initiatives; master data discrepancies Some processes already exist to solve these (and similar) problems, however, it is expected of this role to develop improved approaches/methods to overcome these challenges in a more agile, comprehensive and collaborative manner 
• Judgement and decision-making
  • Pushing back & recommending amendments in forecast if significant estimated inaccuracies are anticipated (which includes phasing)
  • Recommending demand plan creation cycle with involved parties in the business
  • Recommending amendments in Product Master Data and signing off final approval as Product Master Data custodian/owner
• Driver for Results
• Analytical Thinking               
• Strategic Thinker
• Process/system thinking ability
• Ability to deal with high levels of complexity under pressure
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to innovate: It is expected of this role to critically review all current demand planning and master data management processes in order to make recommendations on improving overall effectiveness
• Effective conflict management skills