Demand Planner

Lindt & Sprüngli; Richmond; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading chocolate manufacturer in the United Kingdom is seeking a Demand Planner to manage and develop accurate forecasts through collaboration with cross-functional teams. This pivotal role requires strong analytical, mathematical, and communication skills. Candidates should have a relevant undergraduate degree and proficiency in Excel and SAP. The salary range is £40,000 - £50,000, with added benefits including bonuses and a chocolate allowance.

Benefits

Bonus

Pension

Life cover

Chocolate allowance

Chocolate discounts

Birthday day off

Qualifications

• Experience working in collaboration with Sales or Marketing in an FMCG company.
• Ability to develop actionable demand plans from market insights.
• Competence in demand forecasting processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation and drive monthly demand reviews as part of the IBP process.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to align on forecast assumptions.
• Maintain a weekly base forecast leveraging historical data.

Skills

Analytical skills

Mathematical skills

Commercial acumen

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

Undergraduate degree in Supply Chain, Maths, Science, Finance, Business, Economics or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

SAP S4

SAP IBP

Visual Fabric

Job description

A little bit about Lindt

We are a premium chocolate manufacturer established in 1845 operating in over 86 countries around the World. Guided by our Global purpose to Enchant the World with Chocolate and UK vision of Creating Moments to Make Everyone Feel Special, we have around 400 team members in the UK across our Head Office, Retail, and Field Sales divisions. We are a Top 20 Great Place to Work and are proud of our incredible people, our unique values-led culture and our iconic market leading brands such as LINDOR & GOLD BUNNY.

We’re also proud of being one of the few ‘bean-to-bar’ chocolate makers in the world, where we control every step of our chocolate production.

Where you’ll be based

This role is based in our Head Office in Richmond Upon Thames.

How you could help us to Enchant the World with Chocolate

In this role you will play a pivotal role in shaping, developing, and reporting the demand plan developed through cross‑functional consensus between Supply Chain, Sales, and Marketing. This high‑visibility position serves as the primary liaison between the market and the supply chain function, ensuring timely and complete delivery of goods.

The role is accountable for the effective use of demand planning tools and involves daily collaboration with cross‑functional teams—including Supply Chain, Sales, Retail, Marketing, and Finance—as well as direct engagement with retailer supply chain teams to support collaborative planning and execution. The objective is to meet business benchmarks through accurate, customer‑and brand‑level rolling forecasts.

Key responsibilities include leading and preparing monthly demand reviews (as part of the IBP process) for assigned accounts, co‑owning customer forecasts in partnership with the Sales team, and providing critical forecasting insights through analysis of historical, current, and projected purchasing trends. A strong commercial mindset is essential to interpret market dynamics and translate them into actionable demand plans that support business growth and service excellence.

Additionally, the Demand Planner will collaborate closely with Marketing and / or Retail teams to deliver long‑term forecasts at the brand and division levels, facilitating monthly alignment meetings with relevant stakeholders to support strategic planning.

Key Responsibilities include :

• Within the IBP process, prepare and drive the monthly demand and IBP reviews, leveraging demand forecasting tools to deliver an accurate consensus forecast at SKU and customer level. Accurate documentation and timely follow‑up on meeting outcomes are essential
• Generate insights through data analysis, using available tools to validate and explain forecast outputs and variances
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Customer Services, Demand Control and Logistics to align on forecast assumptions and demand execution.
• Develop and maintain a weekly base forecast, taking full ownership of its creation using historical data, market intelligence, and system inputs. This forecast will be aligned and validated in close collaboration with the Sales team to ensure accuracy and consensus across functions
• Continuously evaluate and improve demand planning processes, proactively identifying and proposing enhancements to increase forecast accuracy and efficiency
• Monitor forecast accuracy and bias, and assess the impact of forecast performance on service levels, inventory health, and supply chain efficiency
• Collaborate with Marketing and Product & Activity teams to manage new product introductions and the phase‑in / phase‑out of SKUs, ensuring accurate forecasting throughout the product lifecycle
• Work closely with Demand Control and Supply Planning teams to ensure future demand is visible and supply constraints are addressed in a timely manner
• Build strong relationships with customer planning counterparts, fostering open data exchange and influencing volume and phasing decisions
• Ensure customer demand signals—particularly for promotional and seasonal activity—are accurately captured and reflected in the forecast to support service level and inventory targets
• Support collaborative forecasting initiatives with key retail partners, ensuring alignment with trade plans and retailer‑specific planning tools

What experience you will bring

• Demonstrate a high level of knowledge of FMCG businesses, the category and the trade
• A proactive learning mindset and adaptability to evolving business needs are essential
• Strong analytical and mathematical skills are required
• Functional knowledge of retail and account management functions in order to understand all the relevant factors which must be taken into account when analysing business strategy
• Experience of working in collaboration with Sales or Marketing within a commercially‑orientated FMCG company
• Strong commercial acumen to interpret market dynamics and translate them into actionable demand plans
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Proven ability to influence across, and network with, a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• Highly organised, detail‑oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
• Excellent attention to detail
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint is required. Experience with SAP and demand planning systems (e.g. SAP S4, SAP IBP, Visual Fabric) is essential
• Undergraduate degree (or similar) preferred, in Supply Chain, Maths, Science, Finance, Business, Economics or other related field

How you will be rewarded financially

Internal level 1.c

For the position of Demand Planner the salary range is £40,000 - £50,000 pro‑rated. In addition, you will receive a benefits package including bonus, pension, life cover, chocolate allowance; chocolate give‑aways, chocolate discount, £100 personal incentive, birthday day off and so much more!

Being yourself every day

We want everyone at Lindt feel safe to be themselves, ensuring they are empowered, represented, celebrated and included in our workplace. You’ll notice this throughout the recruitment process; in our ‘dress for your day’ policy and through our proactive DE&I strategy.

Living our values everyday

At Lindt UK, our values guide us in everything we do. Being Passionately Lindt, Always Evolving, Building Real Relationships, Acting Responsibly and Making An Impact are an integral part of life here at Lindt.

What you can expect from us

In return for everything that you’ll bring, we can offer you an exciting role in a fast‑growing organisation, where we’ll provide an environment where you will thrive, feel supported and fulfil your career aspirations, all while supporting your physical and mental wellbeing.

Applications will be reviewed after the 6th January 2026 so please be patient in expecting to hear from us.