Demand Planning Manager
Leading FMCG Food Group
Location: Hertfordshire
Salary: £55k – £70k + Benefits
The Opportunity
Reporting directly to the Head of Planning & S&OP, you will be a key driver in professionalising the demand function and ensuring the business meets its ambitious growth and customer satisfaction targets.
With a transformation strategy in place, this role requires someone with a strong technical and analytical background, with excellent forecasting & S&OP
The Role
This is a leadership position managing a direct team of four Demand Planners. You will own the statistical and customer forecast requirements, acting as the strategic bridge between Commercial and Operations.
Key Responsibilities:
- Team Leadership: Manage, mentor, and develop a team of four, setting objectives and driving high performance.
- S&OP Ownership: Lead the demand input and output within the monthly S&OP cycle, facilitating consensus across departments.
- Business Partnering: Work closely with Sales Directors and the Supply Planning Manager to identify risks, opportunities, and ensure product availability.
- Data Analysis: Manage the review of historical sales data and trend analysis to produce accurate short, medium, and long-term projections.
- Continuous Improvement: Drive forecast accuracy improvements and manage Demand Planning KPIs and reporting via Excel and Power BI.
Your Skills & Experience
To be successful, you will be a highly analytical professional with a background in complex FMCG environments.
- Experience: 5+ years in Demand Planning or Forecasting (FMCG background highly preferred).
- Technical Skills: Expert proficiency in Excel. Experience with Power BI, SQL, or advanced ERP/Planning systems is highly desirable.
- S&OP Expertise: Proven experience in S&OP/SIOP processes and statistical modelling.
- Leadership: A natural leader with the ability to influence Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Procurement stakeholders.
- Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of budget management and the wider commercial impact of supply chain accuracy.
If you have any additional questions please contact me at nancy.record@drnewitt.com or 0131 563 4222