Demand Planning Manager: Culinary

Tiger Brands; Boksburg; On-site; ZAR 500,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company is seeking a Demand Planner responsible for developing a robust demand plan, analyzing trends, and managing forecasting processes. The position requires strong competencies in data analytics, demand forecasting, and supply chain management. Candidates should possess relevant academic qualifications and at least 5 years of experience in planning, preferably within the FMCG sector.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in planning, preferably in FMCG.
• Experience in sales and marketing is desirable.
• Leadership qualities: collaboration, conflict management.

Responsibilities

• Develop a rolling demand plan and maintain the assumptions database.
• Analyze sales trends and manage the forecasting capabilities.
• Lead customer and category demand reviews.

Skills

Data Analytics

Demand & Supply Chain Risk Management

Forecasting Techniques

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

National Diploma in Logistics

B-Tech in Supply Chain Management

Degree in Business Administration

CPIM Certification

Industrial Engineering

Job description

THE JOB AT A GLANCE

Responsible for developing a 24-month rolling, unbiased demand plan across categories, regularly revising opportunities, vulnerabilities, and risks to reflect the best estimate of future customer demand. Facilitates the demand review process across all categories. Manages and enhances SAP IBP forecasting capabilities within the business unit. Focuses on continuous improvement in demand planning, standardizing processes, and adopting demand planning tools.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Analyze sales trends, validate promotional uplifts, and integrate sales and marketing uplifts with other demand drivers to support target volume achievement.
• Gather and assess event volumes from Sales & Marketing for the planning horizon; update volumes as necessary.
• Maintain and manage the sales & marketing assumptions database. Drive cost efficiency, supplier innovation, and ensure business requirements are met, economies of scale are maximized, and financial risks are managed.
• Discuss new product launch volumes and discontinued items with the supply team to ensure readiness.
• Lead Category Demand Review by compiling demand review packs, analyzing variations between actual demand, targets, and previous plans.
• Lead Customer Demand Review by preparing pre-customer demand packages and analyzing demand variations.
• Develop baseline demand forecasts, evaluate forecast error and bias, and maintain internal and external baseline drivers.
• Evaluate and revise demand forecasting approaches; generate and validate base demand plans using statistical techniques for a rolling 24-month period.
• Oversee end-to-end demand planning, collaborating with Sales & Marketing for inputs, monitoring activities, and revising forecasts accordingly.
• Coordinate demand and supply-side actions to match future demand and address gaps.
• Achieve consensus on unconstrained demand planning by SKU/category, review with supply to identify potential gaps.
• Review demand plans versus targets at the category level and update unconstrained demand plans after demand reviews.

WHAT YOU WILL BE MEASURED ON

• Forecast error and bias
• Achievement of consensus demand plan
• Customer service levels
• DPA and bias metrics
• Base demand plan accuracy for rolling 24 months
• Baseline drivers and uplifts
• Updated sales & marketing assumptions database

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE TABLE

Key Professional Competencies

Core knowledge includes Data Analytics, S&OP / IBP processes, Demand & Supply Chain Risk Management, Scenario Planning, Stakeholder Engagement, Financial Awareness, Forecasting Techniques (e.g., Demand Shaping), NPI.

Key Foundational Competencies

Academic qualifications such as a National Diploma, B-Tech, or degree in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Data Analytics, Statistics, CPIM, CPF, Industrial Engineering.

Leadership qualities like collaboration, conflict management, business partnering, accountability, planning, organizing, and result orientation.

Personal effectiveness skills including effective communication, interpersonal skills, integrity, creativity, and continuous learning.

Experience

• At least 5+ years in planning; experience in sales and marketing is desirable.
• Experience in the FMCG industry is preferred.

About Us

Tiger Brands is Africa’s largest listed FMCG manufacturer, impacting lives daily with iconic brands. Our core business involves manufacturing, marketing, and distributing branded food and beverages relevant across every meal occasion. We are committed to diversity and inclusion, supporting employment equity goals.