General Manager - Demand Planning (Automotive)

Ghassan Aboud Holding; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

The candidate will drive cost efficiency, supplier negotiations, and scenario planning while building a high-performance planning team and ensuring data-driven decision making at the executive level.

Qualifications

• Mastery of statistical and collaborative forecasting techniques, S&OP design, and forecast accuracy management.
• Broad working knowledge of passenger and commercial vehicle portfolios, product lifecycles, and market dynamics across active regions.
• Strong understanding of inventory optimization, order planning, and OEM allocation processes.
• Proficient in demand planning/ERP systems, statistical forecasting tools, and data-driven decision-making.
• Experienced in building, leading, and developing planning teams and managers.

Responsibilities

• Defines and owns the Group's demand planning methodology, policies, and forecast governance framework across passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and other product lines.
• Leads the monthly S&OP cycle, aligning Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and OEM inputs into one consensus demand plan.
• Translates demand forecasts into stock and order recommendations, balancing service levels against working capital and ageing-stock exposure.
• Builds, leads, and develops the Demand Planning Manager(s) and analyst team; establishes structure, ways of working, and succession as the function matures.
• Partners with OEM/brand and supply chain teams on allocation, lead times, and product-launch demand ramps.
• Owns demand planning systems/tools, data quality, and continuous improvement of forecasting models and processes.
• Delivers structured forecast accuracy, inventory health, and demand-risk reporting to the CEO and leadership team.

Skills

Forecasting

S&OP

Team leadership

Stakeholder management

Data analytics

ERP systems

Forecast accuracy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain

Master's degree or APICS CPIM/CSCP

Tools

Forecasting software

ERP systems

Job description

General Manager - Demand Planning (Automotive) Jebel Ali, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 10 - 20 Years Permanent

Job Description

GENERALMANAGER – DEMAND PLANNING (AUTOMOTIVE)

Foundedin 1994, Ghassan Aboud Holding has grown to become one of the largestconglomerates in the Middle East region, with a global business footprintspanning multiple industries and countries and a focus on ‘building a betterfuture together.

Ourdiversified portfolio includes sectors such as Automotive, Retail, Healthcare,Hospitality, and Logistics. We are currently seeking a GM – Demand Planning tojoin our Automotive Division in Dubai.

JOBPURPOSE:

TheGeneral Manager – Demand Planning owns and leads the Group's end-to-end demandplanning function across the full automotive portfolio — passenger vehicles,commercial vehicles, and other product lines. converting commercial and marketinputs into a single, disciplined forecasting and S&OP process.

Thisis a senior, end-to-end ownership role. The incumbent is expected to managedemand planning A-to-Z — from forecasting methodology, governance, andcross-functional S&OP leadership through to team leadership, systemsgovernance, and executive reporting — reducing the Director’s direct day-to-dayinvolvement while maintaining close strategic partnership with Sales, SupplyChain, Finance, and OEM/Brand teams. Leading contractual negotiations withsuppliers on NDA’s, General Terms & Conditions and Production SupplyAgreements; Leading RFI/ RFQ/ RFP and strategic sourcing process. ManagingLogistic cycles of vehicle procurement. Driving cost model transparency tounderstand total cost of ownership for supplier selections; Developingcost-saving initiatives and identify other opportunities through benchmarking,competitive bidding and re-sourcing.

KEYRESPONSIBILITIES:

• Defines and ownsthe Group's demand planning methodology, policies, and forecast governanceframework across passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and otherproduct lines.

Cross-CategoryForecast Ownership

• Owns statisticaland collaborative forecasting across all product categories and isaccountable for forecast accuracy targets.

S&OPProcess Leadership

• Leads themonthly S&OP cycle, aligning Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance,and OEM inputs into one consensus demand plan.
• Translatesdemand forecasts into stock and order recommendations, balancing servicelevels against working capital and ageing-stock exposure.

TeamLeadership & Capability Building

• Builds, leads,and develops the Demand Planning Manager(s) and analyst team; establishesstructure, ways of working, and succession as the function matures.

OEM& Supply Chain Coordination

• Partners withOEM/brand and supply chain teams on allocation, lead times, andproduct-launch demand ramps.
• Works with Salesand Commercial leadership to translate targets, promotions, and marketintelligence into the demand plan.

Systems,Data & Process Governance

• Owns demandplanning systems/tools, data quality, and continuous improvement offorecasting models and processes.
• Identifiesdemand risk (market shifts, supply disruption, FX/tariff impact) anddevelops mitigation and scenario plans for CEO decision-making.

ExecutiveReporting & Business Partnering

• Deliversstructured forecast accuracy, inventory health, and demand-risk reportingto the CEO and leadership team.

JOBREQUIREMENTS

DemandPlanning & Forecasting Methodology

• Mastery ofstatistical and collaborative forecasting techniques, S&OP design, andforecast accuracy management; sets standards for the function.

AutomotiveProduct & Market Knowledge

• Broad workingknowledge of passenger and commercial vehicle portfolios, productlifecycles, and market dynamics across active regions.

SupplyChain & Inventory Management

• Strongunderstanding of inventory optimisation, order planning, and OEMallocation processes.

DataAnalytics & Planning Systems

• Proficient indemand planning/ERP systems, statistical forecasting tools, anddata-driven decision-making.
• Understandsrevenue, margin, and working-capital implications of demand and inventorydecisions; contributes to business cases.

PeopleLeadership

• Experienced inbuilding, leading, and developing planning teams and managers.

Stakeholder& Executive Communication

• Communicatescomplex forecasting insights clearly to the CEO and cross-functionalleadership; influences across Sales, Supply Chain, and OEM partners.

Qualifications& Experience:

• 12–15+ years of progressive experience in demandplanning, supply chain planning, or S&OP, including experience in theautomotive sector (dealership/distribution or OEM).
• Proven experience forecasting across multiple productcategories or brands (passenger and commercial vehicles preferred).
• Demonstrated people-leadership experience — buildingand managing planning teams or managers.
• Strong track record leading or driving S&OPprocesses with cross-functional senior stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency in demand planning/ERP systemsand statistical forecasting tools.
• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business,Engineering, or a related field

Preferred

• Master's degree or professional certification (APICSCPIM/CSCP, IBF, or equivalent).
• Experience across multiple countries/markets (MiddleEast like Syria & UAE , Africa, or other emerging markets).
• Prior exposure to OEM allocation and automotiveproduct-launch planning.
• Experience reporting to or advisingC-suite/board-level stakeholders.

Wethank all applicants for their interest.However, only those qualified individuals who closely meet thequalifications of the position will be contacted. The details of the positionare only a summary; other duties may be assigned as necessary