Junior Demand Planner - (Baby/Health)

Clicks Group Limited; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Clicks Group Limited is seeking a Junior Demand Planner to support forecast accuracy and inventory optimization for assigned categories. You will collaborate with category managers, analyze forecasts, and contribute to pre-season planning and post-promotional reviews.

The role focuses on data analysis, statistical forecasting, and effective stakeholder communication to ensure profitable inventory turns and improved margins in a retail/FMCG environment.

Qualifications

• Strong planning and buying experience with solid understanding of financial and statistical analysis of both
• 1 - 3 years’ experience with in Demand Planning in a retail / FMCG environment
• Distributions requirement planning and other supply chain processes such as production planning, scheduling and transportation
• Supply chain software knowledge ( BY / EP) advantageous (Desirable)

Responsibilities

• Accountable for forecast accuracy within allocated categories
• Optimize inventory levels within allocated categories and minimum order quantity
• Partner with Category Managers on development of pre-season sales, markdown, margin, and inventory plans
• Analyze and propose top line shifts in assortment investment at category level
• Monitor projections, inventory flow and seasonal sell-off plans; validate monthly forecast for OTB management
• Recognize and reconcile forecast exceptions; track sales vs forecast and validate forecast for OTB
• Determine causal factors impacting forecasts and respond appropriately
• Ensure effective stakeholder management to determine trends and inventory/replenishment requirements
• Generate and deliver accurate management reports and maintain key metrics
• Lead consensus forecast meetings with key stakeholders

Skills

Causal factor analysis

Deep analytical skills

Interpersonal communication

Business math & reporting

Forecasting consumer trends

Statistical decision making

Presentation skills

MS Office proficiency

Complex problem solving

Retail financial calculations

Education

Diploma in Purchasing/Business Management Financial/Retail Management (Desirable)

Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Math, Decision Science, Marketing, Business, related area or equivalent experience

Tools

BY / EP (supply chain software)

Job description

Clicks is on the hunt for a Junior Demand Planner, to ensure effective demand and statistical forecasting for assigned categories in order to drive profitability through increased sales, improved margins, and working capital productivity.

• To be accountable forforecast accuracy within the allocated categories
• To be accountable foroptimized inventory levels within the allocated categories and minimum order quantity within the allocated categories
• To partner with the CategoryManagers on the development of pre-season sales, markdown, margin, and inventory plans
• To analyze and propose to the merchandising department top line shifts in the assortment investment at the category level
• At the category level monitor projections, inventory flow and seasonal sell-off plans as well as validate monthly forecast for open to buymanagement
• To recognize and reconcile forecast exceptions to track and manage sales against forecast and validate forecast for OTB management
• To determine causal factors impacting forecasts and respond appropriately, (weather, moving events, promotions etc.)
• To ensure effective stakeholder management and engagement in order to determine trends, identify new products, evaluate risks and determine inventory and replenishment requirements
• To generate and deliver accurate and timely management reports and maintain key metrics against goals in order to analyze forecast performance and ensure forecast accuracy and inventory optimization
• To effectively analyze post promotional and event data to determine opportunities andimprove future forecasts
• To effectively lead and prepare for the consensus forecast meetings with key stakeholders in order to enhance key insights and decisions taken
• To ensure the effective execution of the range review process and decision making in order to assist the Category Team to determine optimal range

EDUCATION

• Diploma in Purchasing/Business Management Financial/Retail Management (Desirable)
• Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics, Math, Decision Science, Marketing, Business, related area or equivalent experience

JOB EXPERIENCE

• Strong planning and buying experience with solid understanding of financial and statistical analysis of both
• 1 - 3 years’ experience with in Demand Planning in a retail / FMCG environment
• Distributions requirement planning and other supply chain processes such as production planning, scheduling and transportation
• Supply chain software knowledge ( BY / EP) advantageous (Desirable)

JOB RELATED KNOWLEDGE

• Retail / FMCG Demand Forecasting, Supply Chain and Logistics
• Data analysis models
• Ability to understand and fine tune algorithms for optimal forecast performance
• Execution of the new stores / lines / products process using required commercial acumen
• Understanding of the consistent management and planning of the supplier base performance metrics, promotional planning cycle, product lifecycle, supply chain optimization for their products, business analysis and reporting
• Financial planning models and methodologies (Desirable)
• Understanding of customer needs and wants, trends, competitive environment and market share (Desirable)

JOB SKILLS

• Causal factor determination and event driven adjustments
• Deep analytical skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, to build relationships and drive consensus and collaboration across functional groups
• Business math acumen and analysis to comprehend financial information and reporting to make business decisions
• Forecasting consumer trends and buying habits 9 – 24 months in the future
• Complex decision making based on statistics, trends and opinions
• Presentation skills with focus being on oral and written communication skills
• Proficiency on MS Office Excel, Word, Outlook and Power Point, spreadsheets, databases
• Complex Problem solving
• Retail financial & mathematical calculations (e.g. variance to last year, percent of total, turn, Open-to-Buy)
• Strong negotiating and influencing skills

COMPETENCIES

• Deciding and Initiating Action
• Persuading and Influencing
• Presenting and Communicating Information
• Analysing
• Planning and Organising
• Delivering Results & Meeting Customer Expectations