Demand Planner

Job description / Role

Responsible for all forecasting activities associated with customers and products. The Demand Planner creates and maintains forecast models for customers Markets, incorporating business intelligence and forecast information gathered from sales, marketing, finance, retailer replenishment analysts, and other sources (i.e.: Nielsen or other syndicated consumer data). This position is the talent pool for the Planning Manager positions within the Organization.

The Demand Planner is the integration point into the sales and commercial organization. Basic forecast modeling is the responsibility of this position. This position leads the dialogue each month for their respective customers and products with key counterparts in Sales and Marketing.

Main Functions are:
- Develop demand forecasts (operational forecasts) at multiple levels of aggregation for multiple time horizons as part of a demand planning function.
- Review historical sales trends, research demand drivers, prepare forecast data, develop statistical forecast models, and evaluate forecast results.
- Coordinate cross-functional research activities to reconcile significant variances and refine the forecast model to reflect updated sales and marketing assumptions.
- Interact with sales, marketing, and customer finance to understand demand forecast drivers.
- Utilize a collaborative and consensus approach by working with Sales, Marketing and Customer Finance to obtain and ensure that current and accurate information is used for demand forecasts.
- Use and maintain the Demand Planning software as the primary forecasting system tool.
- Provide input to the Supply Planning organization in developing inventory strategies on existing items, new products, and product phase-outs.
- Closely coordinate and communicate customer action plans with supply planning

Job Functions:

Create statistical forecasts:
- Gather, analyze and validate data
- Execute statistical modeling software
- Review resulting statistical forecast model
- Apply error analysis techniques to improve forecasting
- Summarize/aggregate statistical forecasts

Review sales plans, customer finance Budget Updates or Latest Estimates and demand drivers:
- Present, solicit, and assess feedback on the various forecasts from sales, and finance
- Recommend adjustments for operational forecasts
- Review promotional plans with sales

Achieve consensus for operational demand forecasts by facilitating a collaborative planning process with sales, marketing and finance personnel:
- Prepare relevant material to facilitate research and discussion

Provide input to volume planning ( Latest Estimates / annual process)
- Facilitate and manage demand planning/customer meetings
- Achieve consensus with the business side and the demand chain

Maintain demand planning system and software
- Enter and modify data and ensure the correctness of product hierarchy
- Monitor trends in forecast error
- Identify relevant market-related data and competitive intelligence

Prepare and maintain relevant reports pertaining to demand planning process

Requirements

- Holder of a BA or a B.Sc. from a recognized university.
- Two to Three years of experience in FMCG industry.
- BA/BS college degree or its equivalent. MBA preferred
- APICS or other forecasting Certification preferred
- Good command of the English Language.
- To be acquainted with different computer programs.
- Analytical person.
- Decision maker
- Time management skills
- Working within a supply chain team is advantageous

About the Company

Since its inception in Kuwait back in 1964, Americana Group has grown into one of the largest and most successful corporations in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). Publicly traded on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (FOOD.KW), Americana Group is managed to world-class corporate standards, with activities spanning 13 countries and a payroll of over 63,000 employees from 21 nationalities.

Americana Groups main lines of business are operating food & beverage outlets, as well as manufacturing food products. With a network of over 1,480 outlets, it is not only the largest operator of restaurant chains in the MENA region, but also one of the most successful franchise operators in the whole world. The Groups network encompasses 12 of the worlds most recognized brands in the Quick Service, Casual Dining and Fine Dining categories, such as KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardees, TGI Fridays, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn, Signor Sassi, Costa Coffee, Krispy Kreme and, most recently, The Counter. In addition, Americana Groups thorough understanding of Middle Eastern tastes has led it to create 6 of its own homegrown brands, which have proven to be as successful with consumers as their global counterparts.