SENIOR DEMAND PLANNING MANAGER- FMCG

Amicus Search & Recruitment; Dublin; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Amicus Search & Recruitment represents a global FMCG Drinks organisation for a Senior Demand Planning Manager role. Lead the Demand Planning team and drive S&OP across the business to ensure a structured planning process and improved forecasting accuracy.

You will own the 18-month rolling forecast, develop best-in-class processes, and collaborate with commercial, finance, and supply chain to optimize inventory and working capital. A strong leadership profile and FMCG background are essential.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of demand planning experience in FMCG.
• Experience implementing S&OP processes is a plus.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation of S&OP across cross-functional teams.
• Own the end-to-end planning cycle across Demand, Supply & Production, and Executive S&OP.
• Maintain the 18-month rolling forecast with the commercial team.
• Present plans and insights to stakeholders and drive cross-functional alignment.

Skills

Demand planning

S&OP

Leadership

Forecasting

Stakeholder management

Job description

Due to continued growth , my client- a global FMCG Drinks organisation - are looking to recruit an ambitious SENIOR DEMAND PLANNING MANAGERto join their team. Although they have a large brand portfolio and have over 400 employees in the business- this supply chain/ demand planning team is a tight knit team- a team of 15 people in total with 2 fantastic Supervisors in place.

I had a really good meeting with Aidan- and he is a massive selling point to the role- highly respected; calm and leads by example“Denis the culture here now is a really good one and we have brought in some really sharp people- yes it is fast paced and we are results driven business, but I am proud of my team- and the new Demand Planning Manager will work closely with 2 fantastic Supervisors- someone who is comfortable with compliance issues; has S&OP process experience would have a distinct advantage and what is just as important is someone who has gravitas and can hold their own and lead by example.”

For this role, you must have 5-8 years demand planning experience and you must have FMCG background – Full bonus in this role is attainable – and the team, brands and Aidan makes this a very attractive proposition for an ambitious Demand Planning Manager – who is looking for that next step in his/her career..

The purpose of the role

This role is pivotal in driving the next phase of the company's supply chain evolution. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading the Demand Planning team and function, while also leading the implementation of Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) across the business ensuring a structured, sustainable, and cross-functional planning process. In this role, it is all about driving continuous improvement in forecasting accuracy across categories and channels and support inventory optimization and demand alignment to positively impact working capital.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the implementation of S&OP across cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment between supply chain, commercial, finance, and category functions.
• Lead the end-to-end planning cycle, ensuring alignment across Demand Planning, Supply & Production Planning, and Executive S&OP.
• Connect operational and financial forecasts to support decision-making and business performance.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration to align sales and operations, enhance customer-driven forecasting, and connect operational plans with financial objectives through continuous S&OP improvement.

Demand Planning & Forecasting

• Own and evolve the Demand Planning strategy, embedding best-in-class processes and tools.
• Manage and develop the Demand Planning team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.
• Formalize and document existing demand planning processes to ensure consistency and reduce knowledge risk.
• Develop and execute a knowledge transfer plan to capture critical team expertise and ensure continuity.
• Maintain and enhance the 18-month rolling forecast in partnership with the commercial team, ensuring accuracy and responsiveness to market dynamics.
• Drive internal and external forecast review forums, ensuring robust dialogue and decision-making.
• Oversee the generation and analysis of demand planning reports, providing actionable insights to stakeholders.
• Present demand plans and forecasting insights to internal and external stakeholders, supporting strategic decision-making.

Leadership & Strategic Contribution

• Lead and develop a high-performing Demand Planning team, fostering accountability, growth, and excellence
• Collaborate closely with supply chain and cross-functional colleagues, providing support and expertise as needed.
• Support peer managers, sharing expertise and driving cross-functional alignment.
• Contribute to department strategy, identifying opportunities for growth and improvement.
• Drive continuous improvement across supply chain tools, systems, and ways of working supporting the wider team’s goals

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• Proven experience in demand planning ( ideally 5-8 years experience) and S&OP implementation would be a distinct advantage within a fast-paced FMCG or similar environment.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into strategic insights.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Experience working cross-functionally with commercial, finance, and supply chain teams.