Demand Planning Team Lead

bp; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A global energy company in Kuala Lumpur is seeking a Demand Planning Team Leader to build and manage a team of planners. The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience in leading Sales & Operations Planning, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and proficiency in digital planning tools like Kinaxis. This role emphasizes team leadership and collaboration across various markets. Competitive compensation and a supportive work environment are offered.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience leading the Sales & Operations Planning function.
• Proven experience in demand planning and understanding its integration in the S&OP cycle.
• Strong experience with digital planning tools.

Responsibilities

• Build, manage and develop a team of planners.
• Responsible for demand forecast accuracy and reporting.
• Oversee daily operations of the demand planning team.

Skills

Leadership and motivation skills

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in supply chain management or related field

Tools

Kinaxis

SAP ECC

Integrated Business Planning (IBP)

Job description

The Demand Planning Team Leader will build, develop and manage a team of planners. They will be responsible for creating an open and supportive environment where people can learn and develop in their roles and contribute to the growth and success of the Business Technology Centre. Strong communication, decision‑making and problem‑solving skills are crucial for this role. The team leader is responsible for supervising and supporting a team of demand planners across all the demand planning activities of the organization. They are accountable for forecasting accuracy and bias, owning and managing demand planning end to end and all associated reporting and model generation. They oversee and support all daily operations of the demand planning team.

The role holder plays a fundamental role in the generation and maintenance of the demand plan for the different geographies and markets where the business operates. By using our digital planning tool (Kinaxis), the Demand Planning Team Leader will use systems generated data, market insights and intelligence, and customer requirements and assumptions to build an accurate and robust demand plan that reflects as closely as possible real customer unconstrained demand. The role holder must demonstrate excellent organisational and skills and solid demand planning expertise (ideally acquired within a global business environment) together with strong statistical modelling capabilities. They need to be able to leverage data and insights to identify trends and propose and implement solutions that improve demand forecast accuracy. The individual will provide forecast and inventory estimations for management review and reporting and oversee demand planning processes and reporting.

This position requires proven experience with digital planning and forecasting tools (e.g. Kinaxis or Integrated Business Planning (IBP), together with strong analytical skills and some knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g. SAP ECC or /S/4). The role holder must be skilled at fostering collaborative working relationships across the global supply chain function, and cross‑functionally with colleagues in Pune and other markets.

Education: Bachelor's degree in supply chain management, Business or a related field.

Language: Mastery in English and Malay

• A minimum of 5 years of experience of leading the Sales & Operations Planning function, with an excellent understanding of the end‑to‑end planning cycle (preferably gained from working within a global business environment) from demand through to supply and inventory planning. The role holder must be an experienced user of digital planning tools (such as Kinaxis Maestro or IBP).
• Requirements: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and develop a team of planning professionals (ideally within a global environment) including performance management and fostering an open, inclusive and supportive work environment.
• Prior line management experience is essential for this position.
• Experience in performance management, including setting objectives, providing feedback and conducting performance reviews.
• Skilled at setting clear goals and priorities for the team.
• Ability to resolve conflicts, foster teamwork and create a positive working environment.
• Proven experience in Demand planning and a clear understanding of its integration in the S&OP cycle.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with a clear ability to analyse complex data and identify trends.
• Excellent Communication and Interpersonal skills being able to communicate effectively with partners and colleagues at all levels, and to work effectively with a diverse set of stakeholders.
• Highly proficient in Digital Planning tools (Kinaxis Maestro) and ERP systems (SAP ECC, S4 Hana).
• Commitment to continuous improvement and fostering a collaborative team culture.
• Curious mindset that is focused on problem‑solving and finding solutions using data and analytics to enable the business to grow and evolve.
• Good coaching and mentoring skills to enhance team members’ capabilities and to support the growing team in Pune.
• Experience with recruiting and onboarding teams (desirable).