Principal Specialist Channel Demand Plan at Vodafone Global Enterprise

Role Purpose/Business Unit:

• Manage sales forecasts alignment across channels focused on demand planning and inventory management.
• Development and execution of initiatives to optimise sales forecasts, inventory management, and demand planning processes by partnering closely internal and external stakeholders i.e. (sales, logistics, marketing, go to-market, trade marketing, consumer product management, finance, portfolio management, and supply chain teams).
• Responsible for best-in-class demand planning and sales forecasting monthly model.
• Review of demand planning and forecasting priorities by identifying insights, areas of improvement/opportunities and trends together with seeking resolution and ensure follow through to completion.

Your responsibilities will include:

Supply and Demand Management:

• Manage and lead end to end Best in class demand planning management across retail channels ensuring that channels receive a high level of service with timeous and accurate execution.
• Responsible for demand planning, sales forecasts alignment across retail focused i.e., demand planning and inventory management in line with business strategy, SLA management, operational performance improvement.
• Manage supply and demand planning by focusing on understanding demand patterns, market trends, and internal production capabilities
• Optimise Inventory to ensure retail channels avoid overstocking or stockouts and manage any potential financial losses and customer dissatisfaction.
• Optimise inventory to reduce transportation and warehousing costs i.e., overproduction.
• Manage ongoing improvements on forecast accuracy for retail channels to make informed decisions relating to production, procurement, and distribution.
• Reduce forecast errors to improve ability to respond to changing market conditions.
• Align demand planning with actual market requirements to ensure customers receive their orders timeously leading to a positive customer experience and brand loyalty.
• Manage and monitor key output/performance indicators across retail channels in line with targets and assist to drive an efficient and effective forecasting model.
• Manage, lead, and drive all demand planning capabilities that drive from effective forecasting to efficient inventory and commercial management.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with all demand planning principles.

Operational Excellence & Business Transformation:

• Analysing demand trends to support development of sales and marketing strategies, new product launches, and capacity planning.
• Provides critical insights to senior management for calculated decision-making.
• Monitor market changes and promptly adjust forecasts and production schedules.
• Maintaining and improving the customer demand administrative processes and reduce stock holding & obsolescence at store/region/channel level.
• Effective utilisation and improvement of local Vodacom and global Vodafone systems & manage SLA’s where applicable.
• Continuously improve the Vodacom demand planning and sales forecasts policies, processes, systems that impact the customer and channels.
• Formulate performance reporting and presentations for the management of initiatives, projects, activities that related to demand planning.
• Manage and govern minimum standards across channel/s relating to demand planning management.
• Ensure effective communication as necessary to the Regions, Trade, Suppliers and Retail Division through managed communication efforts.

Reporting Management:

• Provide executive management, other internal and external stakeholder s with reports, as well as interpret and analyse management information that relates to sales
• Forecasts, inventory management, and demand planning focused on performance, trends, learnings, insights, recommendations, and actions.
• Provide a range of reports to ensure that agreed SLA’s and performance are measured and monitored on an on-going basis.
• Provide commercial and cost/revenue reporting on sales and stock management.

People/Stakeholder Leadership:

• Foster collaboration between departments such as sales, marketing, supply chain, finance, and other areas across the full business
• Ensure internal/external stakeholder are aligned toward common business objectives.
• Building strong and productive business relations with suppliers, third parties and customers
• Managing a cross-functional team with relevant Business Units and other support structures to ensure delivery of strategic roadmap and initiatives.

Commercial Management:

• Manage model efficiencies and optimise services as and when/where required.
• Develop and implement plans to deliver on sales revenues growth together with various business units.
• Manage applicable budgets for operational excellence and business support.
• Manage commercials and SLA performance within portfolio requirements.
• Understand basic cost-to-implement projections relating to business improvements and projects and make decisions accordingly and accurately.
• Structures to ensure delivery of business roadmap and initiatives.

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• Matric essential and
• Relevant 3-year Degree in Business Management /Operations/Commerce essential and
• Minimum of 8 years relevant experience in:
• Demand Planning for stock & sales management for retail or similar large entity model
• Demand planning model development, reporting and dashboard formulation.
• Experience of QlikSense or other globally recognised module will be an added advantage
• Telecoms industry experience especially in consumer /retail business operations areas preferable

Knowledge:

• Demand planning, sales forecasting, or related roles
• Demand planning software and data analysis tools.
• Business model focused on demand planning management and sales forecasting.
• Solving and dissolving complex stock and stock planning challenges
• Business Change Management and Transformation management
• Service Level Agreement and Contract Level Agreements
• Exposure to digitally led solutions systems/reporting/dashboard and/or other digital interfacing platforms/capabilities/models - highly beneficial.

Skills:

• Analytical and data-driven decision-making skills
• Communication and interpersonal skills for effective cross-functional collaboration.
• Build effective relationships with various stakeholders internal and external.
• People Leadership skills
• Persuading and influencing
• Report and Presentation writing
• Critical thinking and resolution management skills

We make an impact by offering:

• Enticing incentive programs and competitive benefit packages
• Retirement funds, risk benefits, and medical aid benefits
• Cell phone and data benefits, advantages fibre connection discounts, and exclusive staff discounts offered in collaboration with partner companies

Closing date for Applications: 13 February 2026.