Demand Planner

Wella Operations US LLC; Maharashtra; Hybrid; INR 2,500,000 - 4,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Wella Company seeks an experienced Demand Planning and S&OP leader for the India business. You will own the demand signal across a multi‑layer market, drive the monthly S&OP process with cross‑functional teams, and integrate brand initiatives into the 18‑month forecast while steering ecommerce planning and inventory strategies.

Your role will focus on forecast excellence, portfolio health, and reducing working capital through strategic initiatives and improved supply chain efficiency.

Qualifications

• MBA from Premier Institute (IIM, NITIE, SP Jain, IIT, etc.).
• 5-7 years of prior experience in demand planning or S&OP.
• Experience in FMCG demand planning preferred.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as Custodian of Demand for the India business and own the demand signal.
• Lead the monthly S&OP cycle and align with commercial to integrate brand blocks into the 18‑month forecast.
• Direct demand planning for Ecommerce and Quick Commerce channels using historical data and promos.
• Optimize forecast accuracy and manage Phase-In/Phase-Out for new launches with global teams.
• Strategize inventory deployment to balance service levels and working capital at DCs.
• Drive cross-functional cost-saving initiatives and network optimization projects.
• Identify opportunities to unlock working capital through capital efficiency improvements.
• Oversee product transfers and container utilization to reduce logistics costs.

Skills

Forecasting

Data analysis

Cross-functional leadership

Advanced Excel

Quantitative analytics

Education

MBA (Premier Institute)

Tools

SAP

IBP

Kinaxis

O9

Job description

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Together, WE enable individuals to look, feel, and be their true selves.

Wella Company is one of the world’s leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally, presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders.

The primary objective of this role is to lead the strategic demand planning function for the India business. This position bridges the gap between commercial strategy and supply chain execution, overseeing a portfolio exceeding $50M+ and driving digital transformation through advanced analytics and standardized planning ecosystems.

The incumbent will lead the end-to-end planning cycle; from the moment a marketing idea is born to the moment the product lands in a regional DC. You will drive project management through cross-functional leadership, spearheading network optimization and process improvements that unlock significant working capital. As a people manager and S&OP leader, you nurture a high-performing team while aligning country-level sales targets with global supply capabilities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: INDIA

S&OP & Demand Orchestration:

The role acts as the "Custodian of Demand" for the India business, you own the demand signal across a complex, multi-layered market, ensuring supply chain agility for diverse business models:

S&OP Orchestration:

You lead the monthly S&OP cycle, collaborating with commercial team to integrate brand building blocks into 18-month consensus forecast

Omnichannel Strategy:

Direct the demand planning strategy for the rapidly growing Ecommerce and Quick Commerce channels, utilizing historical data and promotional inputs

Forecast Excellence:

Optimize demand sensing for a portfolio of 1,000+ SKUs, consistently targeting and achieving forecast accuracy above 80%.

Portfolio Health:

Manage the Phase-In/Phase-Out (PIPO) transitions for new product launches, collaborating with global initiative leaders to keep E&O inventory below 1%.

Inventory Optimization:

Strategize stock deployment to maintain a 75-day inventory holding at local Distribution Centres while balancing service levels with working capital constraints.

Cost Savings Initiatives :

Leading cross-functional projects to improve the structural efficiency of the supply chain. This is where you drive bottom-line value through "smart" supply chain moves

Unlocking Capital:

Identify and execute network optimization projects, such as the strategic addition of new import locations, to bring efficiency in working capital

Operational Excellence:

Steer strategic initiatives related to product transfers between manufacturing plants and optimizing container utilization to reduce annual logistics costs.

PRINCIPLE KPIs:

Forecast Accuracy, BIAS, Fill Rate, Inventory Excess & Obsolete, Cost saving initiatives.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

• MBA from Premier Institute like IIM, NITIE, S P Jain, IIT etc
• Minimum 5-7 years prior experience
• The person should have handled Demand Planning preferably in an FMCG industry
• Technical Knowledge: SAP, IBP, Kinaxis, O9, Advanced Excel, Forecasting tools etc.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills

KEY INTERNAL / EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• Sales – RSMs, Trade Marketing team and Ecom KAMs
• Marketing – Brand Managers
• Finance
• Global supply chain stakeholders (ESP, Process experts, LCM, SP, IP etc)