Reports To: Demand Planning – Sales & Customer Care Lead

Purpose of the Role

The Demand Planner will play a critical role in driving accurate demand forecasting and ensuring alignment between sales demand and production capabilities.

This role requires a highly analytical and proactive individual who can interpret complex data, identify trends, and collaborate cross-functionally to support business performance. The position is central to improving forecast accuracy, supporting S&OP processes, and enabling a responsive, customer-focused supply chain within a fast-paced FMCG manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Demand Planning & Forecasting
  • Analyse historical sales data, demand trends, and customer buying patterns to inform forecasting decisions
  • Develop, maintain, and continuously refine accurate demand forecasts across multiple product categories
  • Ensure forecasting strategies support optimal operational and production outcomes
• Data Analysis & Insights
  • Interpret complex data sets and translate insights into actionable planning strategies
  • Monitor forecast vs actual performance and identify gaps, risks, and opportunities
  • Recommend corrective actions to improve forecast accuracy and business responsiveness
• S&OP & Continuous Improvement
  • Contribute to and support Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives within demand planning and forecasting practices
  • Identify inefficiencies and support process enhancements across the planning function
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Work closely with Sales, Production, Supply Chain, and Operations teams to align demand and supply
  • Facilitate communication between departments to ensure coordinated planning and execution
  • Support a customer-first approach while maintaining operational efficiency
• Reporting & Performance Monitoring
  • Provide regular reporting on demand trends, forecast accuracy, and performance indicators
  • Highlight risks, constraints, and opportunities to relevant stakeholders
  • Support decision-making through data-driven insights
• General Responsibilities
  • Support operational planning and business objectives as required
  • Take on additional responsibilities aligned to the role and business needs

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business, Economics, or a related field
• Minimum 3–5 years’ experience in demand planning, forecasting, or supply chain roles
• Experience within FMCG or manufacturing environments is preferred
• Strong systems exposure (ERP systems such as SAP, SYSPRO or WMS advantageous)
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel

Key Competencies & Skills

• Strong analytical and numerical capability
• Ability to interpret complex data and translate into actionable plans
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Proven ability to collaborate across functions
• High attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong problem-solving capability
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment

Personal Attributes

• Customer-focused and operationally driven mindset
• Highly organised with strong time management skills
• Resilient, adaptable, and able to influence outcomes
• Proactive and solutions-oriented approach

Key Relationships

• Internal: Supply Chain, Procurement, Operations, Production Planning, Warehouse, Logistics/Dispatch, Finance, Sales
• External: Customers, Suppliers, Distributors, Consultants

Other Requirements

• Must be based in or willing to work in the Kempton Park area
• Comfortable operating in a dynamic, operationally driven environment

Benefits

• A competitive, market-related Total Cost to Company (TCTC) package aligned with the scope of the role within the organisation will be offered.
• Opportunities for professional growth in a dynamic FMCG manufacturing environment.
• Exposure to advanced automation and engineering systems.