FMCG Demand Controller: Forecasting & Planning Lead

PATTIES FOODS; City of Kingston; Hybrid; AUD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working arrangements

Free parking on site

Free take-home product

Job summary

Patties Food Group in Mentone, Victoria, is seeking a commercially minded Demand Controller to join its Supply Chain team. You will manage short-term demand across our brands, aligning customer orders with forecasts to support service, inventory and cost outcomes.

Reporting to the Demand Planning Manager, you will partner with Sales and Planners to optimise inventory, phase-ins for NPD, and hedge strategies while building strong cross-functional relationships in a fast-paced FMCG environment.

Qualifications

• Five+ years in demand or supply planning, forecasting or analytics.
• Experience in manufacturing or distribution within FMCG.
• Strong data interpretation and decision-making skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication across functions.

Responsibilities

• Manage alignment between customer order plans and sales forecasts across the short-term planning horizon.
• Monitor actuals against forecast, identify risks, variances and actions.
• Coordinate cross-functional decisions for constrained supply and stock risk.
• Support daily case-fill targets while improving forecast accuracy and reducing bias.
• Manage short-term planning changes and pipeline-fill activity.
• Partner with Sales through customer collaboration meetings to improve forecast alignment.
• Work with Demand and Supply Planners on inventory targets and hedging strategies.
• Coordinate product phase-ins/phase-outs to minimise stock at risk.
• Build strong relationships across Sales, Customer Experience, Operations and the wider Supply Chain.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Forecasting

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

FMCG experience

Education

Tertiary qualification in business or supply chain

Job description

Patties Food Group in Mentone, Victoria, is seeking a commercially minded Demand Controller to join its Supply Chain team. You will manage short-term demand across our brands, aligning customer orders with forecasts to support service, inventory and cost outcomes.

Reporting to the Demand Planning Manager, you will partner with Sales and Planners to optimise inventory, phase-ins for NPD, and hedge strategies while building strong cross-functional relationships in a fast-paced FMCG environment.