Demand Planner

DEPARTMENT

• Supply Chain Management: Planning

TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT

• Permanent

JOB PURPOSE

• Drive the S&OP process for assigned portfolio and effectively translate commercial insights and analytics into an accurate consensus forecast.

• Coordinate and collaborate with supply planning, analysts and suppliers, commercial and finance to optimize inventory and stock availability.
• Complex role with multiple facets and both highly analytical, transactional, and operational in nature. Multiple stakeholders and focus on collaborative and cross functional working with both local and global stakeholders.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Continuously improve the demand forecast and drive forecast accuracy improvements.
• Gain market insights using analytical, marketing and sales data as well as qualitative inputs to improve forecasts through demand driven forecasting.
• Collaborate closely with commercial teams, finance, supply planners, other relevant stakeholders, and suppliers locally and internationally.
• Maintaining and ensuring master data integrity across SAP, IBP, and relevant systems
• Support, analysis, and reporting for S&OP Process, specifically Demand reviews.
• KPI reporting and compiling presentation decks to relevant stakeholders
• Lead and manage demand review process with Commercial and finance for assigned portfolio.
• Support the reduction of stock expiry risk and excess inventory, by driving demand shaping and mitigation planning with Commercial, Finance and Supply Planning.
• Providing monthly commentary on forecast errors and demand movements
• Engage and coordinate discussions with commercial and supply planning team to proactively manage risk and opportunities relating to demand.
• Close collaboration with Supply planners/ suppliers to maintain Days of Forward Cover (DOFC)) / Safety Stock and optimise inventory levels.
• Order execution and management (as required) in response to demand movements in conjunction with supply planners / suppliers / commercial.
• Provide front end feedback to the supply planner/suppliers on latest demand movements.
• Support PMO and Commercial with New Product Launches & relaunches to ensure stock availability for on time launches while maintaining optimal inventory.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT:

• Conduct analytics required to drive forecast accuracy improvements.
• Support demand and supply planning and Analytics teams with process and system improvements and optimisation.
• Driving Digitalization and automation of analytics and reporting in supply chain

KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS:

• Computer skills on MS Office (Advanced Excel Skills) is required.
• A solid understanding of S&OP, demand, and supply planning
• Deep working knowledge of ERP, Forecasting/Planning & BI systems
• Deep technical knowledge of demand & supply planning as well as inventory management
• Experience on demand & supply management is a plus
  
  

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

• Effective planning, organising and co-ordinating.
• Results driven.
• Effective problem solving and decision making.
• Commercial and strategic awareness
• Independent and self-directed individual that can drive execution.
• Great cross-functional collaborator with strong influential skills
• Effective interpersonal skills, the ability to communicate effectively (written and verbal) and articulate risks with an understanding of overall impact/sensitivity to rest of the business.
• Attention to detail.
• Project management skills preferred.
• Ability to think strategically and innovatively, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• A positive minded team player
• Experience in statistical software / forecasting is ideal.
• Being able to coach and transfer knowledge to peers and pipeline talents.
• Ability to operationalize and adopt planning best practices in day-to-day planning
  
  

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• Relevant Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management (BCom), Business Economics, Logistics, (BCom), Engineering (BEng), or related field
• 3+ years of demand planning and/or supply planning, supply chain analytics, industrial engineering
• Exposure to supply chain and supporting S&OP process is required.
• Experience in Demand Planning including replenishment forecasting is required.
• Previous exposure on working with statistical forecast is a plus.
• Previous experience in data analytics/science is a plus.
• APICS certification (CPF or CPIM) is an advantage.
• Experience in the FMCG/Pharmaceutical industries is advantageous.
• Good working knowledge with ERP systems (SAP), Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and BI Platforms
• Fluent level of written and spoken English. Additional language is a plus.
  
  

JOB LOCATION

Cape Town

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY

Cipla is an Employment Equity employer, and this position will be filled based on our Employment Equity Plan.