Demand Planning Manager

# DEMAND PLANNING & S&OP MANAGER ## Company Overview *Information about the company has not been specified.* ## Job Summary The Demand Planning & S&OP Manager will own the demand-supply heartbeat of the brand, determining weekly production, procurement, stocking, and re-routing decisions as actuals diverge from the plan. This role is critical in a category characterized by short shelf life and high channel volatility, where the conversion of data into operating decisions influences margin, fill rate, and product freshness. ## Responsibilities - **Forecasting and Demand Sensing**: - Own the rolling 12-week SKU-city-platform forecast, incorporating base demand, promotional lift, and new product development (NPD) ramp, recalibrated weekly. - Analyze daily sell-through data from various platforms (e.g., Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, Amazon) to make necessary order adjustments. - Manage SKU phase-in and phase-out processes to prevent expiry write-offs during transitions. - Build promotional and event lift models, aligning them with commercial calendars. - Track and improve forecast accuracy and bias at SKU-city-channel level. - **S&OP Process Leadership**: - Execute monthly executive S&OP and weekly demand-supply meetings, defining agendas and decision rights. - Foster consensus among Commercial, NPD, Procurement, Operations, and Finance on a unified plan. - Manage channel allocation logic during supply constraints to prioritize SKUs, cities, and platforms. - **Supply Translation and Capacity Planning**: - Convert forecasts into actionable signals for long-lead raw materials and responsive finished goods production. - Coordinate with Capacity Management Units (CMUs) on capacity reservation and production scheduling. - Establish and maintain inventory norms at all operational nodes. - **Data, Dashboards, and Partnership**: - Maintain a central inventory ledger refreshed daily for accurate business decision-making. - Develop executive dashboards focusing on demand-supply KPIs, inventory health, and performance metrics. - Collaborate with Finance and Marketing on planning, targets, and promotional calendars. - **Exception Management and Continuous Improvement**: - Identify early signs of stockouts, overstocks, and other issues, leading corrective actions within weekly meetings. - Continuously recalibrate growth uplift, seasonality indices, and base demand throughout the S&OP cycle. - Transition from spreadsheet-based planning to a dedicated planning tool for scalable solutions. ## Qualifications - 4-6 years of experience in demand planning, supply chain analytics, or S&OP, preferably in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (CPG), food, beverages, or Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) industries. - Demonstrated success in building forecasting models from scratch in fast-growth environments. - Strong proficiency in Excel and Google Sheets; familiarity with Looker, Metabase, or comparable Business Intelligence (BI) tools is advantageous. - Experience with quick-commerce platforms (e.g., Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart) is strongly preferred. - Ability to work with complex launch-stage data and make informed demand-supply decisions. ## Preferred Skills - Strong analytical mindset with a capability to discern signals from noise. - Experience in project management with a disciplined approach that avoids bureaucracy. - Adeptness in cross-functional collaboration across various teams. ## Experience - 4-6 years of relevant experience in demand planning, supply chain management, or S&OP, particularly in CPG or e-commerce sectors. ## Environment *Specific work setting, location, or physical conditions have not been specified.* ## Salary *Salary information has not been provided.* ## Growth Opportunities *Potential career advancement opportunities within the company have not been specified.* ## Benefits *Details about offered benefits have not been provided.*