280 Demand Planner jobs in South Africa

The Demand Planner is responsible for developing accurate demand forecasts to support production planning, inventory management, and supply chain operations. This role acts as a bridge between sales, quality assurance dept and production teams to ensure we meet customer delivery efficiently

Requirements : Education

Supply Chain Qualification

Matric with Maths

Skills

Strong communication

Analytical

Excel knowledge

Attention to detail and problem-solving mindset

Understanding of manufacturing operations and supply chain dynamics

Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration abilities

Experience

1-2 years’ experience in similar role

Sync experience advantageous

Work Conditions

Fast-paced environment with tight production timelines.

Office-based with regular interaction with operations team

Key Responsibilities :

• Full responsibility of managing finished goods stock levels in line with company policies to achieve a 100% on time and in full delivery record.
• Managing inventory to strike a balance between meeting customer demand and avoiding exces inventory
• Ensuring all excess / obsolete stock is depleted timeously.
• Production Coordination : Collaborating with the production and manufacturing teams to ensure that finished goods are produced in line with customer delivery within the required lead times.
• Vendor Management : Working with suppliers and vendors to ensure on-time deliveries and to resolve any supply chain issues that may impact finished goods availability.
• Reporting and Analysis : Generating reports on inventory levels, stock turnover, customer demand
• System integrity : Ensuring the administrative process flow is managed correctly via the system and via relevant schedules
• Completing tasks that support the senior MRP planner to maintain customer service levels and company objectives

KPA's :

• Inventory Management
• Accuracy & Data Integrity
• Production Support
• Reports submission accurately and timeously
• Follow ups with supplier on packaging
• Follow up an communication with production planners

Join to apply for the Demand Planner role at myGwork - LGBTQ+ Business CommunityThis job is with Reckitt, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community.

Please do not contact the recruiter directly.We are Reckitt, home to the world's best-loved and trusted hygiene, health, and nutrition brands.

Our purpose is to protect, heal, and nurture in the pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world.

Join us in our mission to make access to hygiene, wellness, and nourishment a right, not a privilege.Our supply chain is crucial to our business, ensuring our trusted products reach people worldwide safely and efficiently.

We offer exciting career opportunities across all supply chain areas, including planning, procurement, manufacturing, and logistics.

You could develop global supply strategies, manage supplier relationships, improve manufacturing efficiency, or innovate product distribution.About The RoleAs a Demand Planner at Reckitt, you will utilize your analytical skills and business acumen to support our brand's growth.

Your role involves ensuring our products meet customer expectations and enhancing our delivery processes through impactful projects.You will be responsible for maintaining accurate demand forecasts to support sales, inventory management, and production planning, including SKU forecasts for third-party procurement.Your responsibilitiesBuild strong, productive relationships.Utilize planning systems and technology effectively.Apply strong numerical and problem-solving skills.Learn and grow within supply chain planning and logistics.Engage in analytics and data-driven decision-making.Proactively improve business processes.Create forecasts based on historical trends, promotional activities, and commercial team inputs.Analyze stock on hand and sell-out data for input into the IBP process.Lead meetings with commercial teams to produce unbiased forecasts and communicate supply constraints or risks.Enhance the IBP process and challenge forecasts using trend analysis and datamunicate forecasts via Kinaxis and coordinate with supply planners.Plan product replenishment to maintain service levels.Manage inventory levels within budgets.Report forecast accuracy and SKU volumes to finance.Early communication of issues for business alignment.Work with production sources to optimize levels.Minimize waste during relaunches or promotions.The experience we're looking forStrong relationship-building skills.Degree in Supply Chain or related field.Experience with SAP ECC, Kinaxis, JD Edwards, MS Office (Excel).Customer-centric mindset.Experience in demand / supply planning, inventory management, logistics, IBP.Analytical, fact-based decision-maker.Ability to work independently, challenge the status quo, and seek improvements.Team leadership skills.Motivated with a change-driven attitude.Understanding of FMCG industry.Proficiency in English.Technologically savvy with planning systems.Numerical and problem-solving skills.Interest in analytics and data-driven decisions.The skills for successSupply Chain Management, Business Partnership, Collaboration, Relationship Management, Business Acumen, Productivity, Business Process Improvement, Advanced Analytics, Data Analytics, Supply Chain Planning, Logistics Management.What we offerWe promote inclusion through global Employee Resource Groups, support wellbeing with parental benefits, mental health programs, life insurance, and share plans.

We reward performance in line with our pay-for-performance philosophy.EqualityWe hire for potential and value diversity, considering all qualified applicants regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, or other protected categories.Additional DetailsSeniority level : Entry levelEmployment type : Full-timeJob function : Management and ManufacturingIndustries : Technology, Information and InternetReferrals can double your interview chances.

Notifications about similar jobs in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, are available.

Permanent

Thekweni

Overview

We are a Supply Chain and Sales & Merchandising partner adding value to your business through a fully integrated, temperature-controlled network in Southern Africa.

But we are also more than that. We are people serving people. While we boast the best in tech and infrastructure, our people are our greatest resource. With our skilled, curious, can-do people at the forefront, our assets become your assets, our service your solutions.

Vector’s vehicle fleet includes a food industry first in ‘multi-temperature’ vehicles enabling the company to service business across frozen, chilled and ambient temperature zones on a single delivery.

Job Purpose

To work as part of a cross-functional team (sales, supply planning and finance) to deliver the sales forecasting and demand management process within Vector.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Execute the degree of forward planning (3 - 6 months, 2 years etc.) as defined by management.
  
  

• On a weekly and monthly basis, analyse actual sales to generate the forecast, make recommendations, and drive continuous improvements to gain consensus with the cross-functional team on the forward forecast (including base and event).
  
  

• Analyse historical demand and remove anomalies (including outliers) from the norm using historical information, knowledge of the category and through getting input from the sales teams.
• Identify the most appropriate statistical forecasting model for each product group in order to generate an accurate base forecast.
• Generate the base demand plan using the most appropriate statistical forecasting algorithm and make adjustments where necessary.
• Understand any variance between actual customer demand and the statistical forecast and appropriately challenge, change and make recommendations to the base forecast.
  
  

• Work with the customer team to determine promotional activities volume and track the effectiveness of the promotion (costs vs promotional volume increment). Question the promotional volume based on the success/failure of past promotions.
• Use the promotions grid and related discussions with the sales team as input into the event forecasts.
• Work closely with the sales team to document the assumptions for each promotion, driving clarity on volume, price and customers.
  
  

• Present forecasts along with assumptions to get a consensus forecast to be used by the Business.
• Publish the agreed forecast in an appropriate format to ensure transparency and one set of numbers. This will include publishing the information on the intranet and uploading into SAP and the finance forecasting tools.
• Use the agreed forecasting KPI's to drive improvement in the forecasts and to minimise volatility. Use these KPI's to assist when analysing the historical data while generating the forecasts.
• Publish the forecasting KPI's in the agreed format, in line with the agreed timeline for weekly reports and monthly scorecards.
  
  

• Work with the sales, supply planning and procurement teams to develop the forecast for new products using appropriate forecasts copied from other products plus appropriate market intelligence.
• Document all assumptions.
• Track and publish KPI’s for each new innovation.
• When discontinuing a product, work closely with the supply planning team to ensure accurate ‘bleedout’ forecasts to enable a smooth run-out process.
• Use the agreed forecasting KPI’s (bias, hits and misses and accuracy) to drive improvement in the forecasts and to minimize volatility. Use these KPI’s to assist when analysing the historical data while generating the forecast.
• Publish the forecasting KPI’s in the agreed format, in line with the agreed timeline for weekly reporting and monthly scorecards.
  
  

• Complete the data analysis to provide input into discussions on portfolio management.
• Make recommendations on where opportunities exist to remove SKU's from the portfolio using agreed guidelines.
  
  

• Work closely with the Demand Planning Manager and finance team to deliver the Sales and Operations Planning pack, ensuring that the information is available on time and is accurate.
• Using the forecasting and customer service KPI's, work closely with the supply planning team to deliver improvements in customer service, particularly by providing insight into stock holding by branches to ensure that promotions are delivered.
• Provide the required data to the Finance team in the appropriate format to enable the annual and quarterly budget planning process.
  
  

• Contribute to the maintenance of master data and hierarchies.
  
  

• Participate as an integral member of cross functional teams to deliver business projects.
  
  

• Oversee filing and safeguarding of records within area of responsibility.
• Compile ad hoc spreadsheets when required.
  
  

• Report on demand by principal.
• Compile other reports as set out by management.
  
  

• Take ownership and accountability for tasks and activities and demonstrate effective self-management in terms of planning, prioritising and self-development.
• Follow through to ensure that quality and productivity standards of work are consistently and accurately maintained.
• Inform relevant parties in the event of tasks or deadlines not met, the potential risks thereof and provide appropriate resolution.
• Support and drive the business core values.
• Manage colleagues and clients’ expectations and communicate appropriately.
• Demonstrate willingness to help others and “go the extra mile” to meet team targets and objectives.
• Champion training and development of self and others through utilising available training opportunities or contributing to the development of new training solutions relating to product costing in collaboration with national training specialists.
• Participate in and drive regular performance appraisals and ensure that own targets and goals are clear and achievable.
• Maintain a basic appreciation and awareness of employee relations climate and ensure corrective action is taken where required in line with relevant legislation and company policy.
  
  

• Customer management team
• Operational team
• Finance team
  
  

• Principal planning teams
  
  

• Bachelor of Commerce/Economics degree or related Supply Chain National Diploma (eg: SAPICS CPIM) or BEng (Industrial Engineer).
• 2 - 3 years supply and/or demand planning experience including depot / stock replenishment and forecasting.
• Previous experience on SAP and SAP BW would be an advantage.
  
  

• Translating modelling techniques into business language.
• Verbal and written communication.
• Computer literacy (SAP and MS Office skills prerequisite).
• Report writing.
• Interpersonal.
• Relationship management.
• Logical thinking.
• Analytical thinking.
• Presentation.
• Numeracy.
• Organisational awareness.
  
  

• Statistical modeling.
• Demand forecasting tools and principles.
• Vector business processes, partners and products.
• Supply chain principles and practices.
• Multiple key performance indicators, inter-relationships and bottom-line sensitivity.
• SAP.
  
  

Job category: Manufacturing, Building and Manual Work

Location: Durban

Contract: Permanent

Remuneration: Market Related

EE position: Yes

Are you a strategic thinker with a knack for driving efficiency and enhancing customer satisfaction? We're on the lookout for a skilled Demand Planner to lead our sales forecasting and demand management processes. If you thrive in a dynamic environment and possess strong analytical, leadership, and communication skills, this opportunity is tailor-made for you!

• Take ownership of the sales forecasting and demand planning process, enhancing product prioritization, business decision-making, and customer service.
• Prepare and manage the annual volume budget, refining forecasts for all products/regions and ensuring alignment with sales teams.
• Lead the monthly S&OP forecasts, incorporating factors like promotions and price increases.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to negotiate volumes for key customers and validate forecast integrity.
• Establish and maintain an effective joint customer inventory planning process, optimizing demand for efficient production and warehouse operations.
• Manage short-term issues and prioritize processes in coordination with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, with approximately 5 years’ experience in a relevant supply chain/demand planning function.
• Demonstrated expertise in demand planning, forecasting, and supply chain operations.
• Strong analytical skills to drive continuous improvement and cost reduction initiatives.
• Effective communication and negotiation skills to collaborate with stakeholders and customers. JDE/SAP, MS Office, Pastel, and Advanced Excel are critical for the role.

Applicants who have not heard from us within 20 days of their application may assume that their application has been unsuccessful. We thank you for your interest.

*Position will be filled in line with the company’s transformation objectives.*

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Industry: Food Production

Job Description:

RPO Recruitment's client, in the food production industry, is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Demand Planner to join their team in Cape Town. The Demand Planner will be responsible for developing and maintaining accurate demand forecasts to drive production planning and inventory management. The successful candidate will work closely with the Sales, Marketing, and Production teams to ensure that customer demand is met while minimizing excess inventory and production costs.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Develop and maintain demand forecasts based on historical data, market trends, and input from Sales and Marketing teams.
2. Collaborate with Sales and Marketing teams to gather insights on customer demand and market conditions.
3. Monitor and analyze factors that may impact demand, such as promotional activities, seasonality, and new product launches.
4. Communicate demand forecasts to the Production team to facilitate production scheduling and resource planning.
5. Work closely with the Supply Chain team to ensure that inventory levels are optimized to meet customer demand.
6. Identify and address discrepancies between forecasted and actual demand to improve forecasting accuracy.
7. Provide regular reports and analysis to management on key demand planning metrics and performance.

Requirements:

1. Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
2. Minimum of 2-3 years of experience in demand planning, preferably within the food production industry.
3. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
4. Proficiency in demand planning software and Microsoft Excel.
5. Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
6. Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
7. Knowledge of inventory management principles and best practices.

Salary: negotiable. Our client is offering a highly competitive salary for this role based on experience.

Apply for this role today, contact Shannon Thomson and Jamie-lee McCallum at RPO Recruitment or on LinkedIn.

You can also visit the RPO Recruitment website: rporecruitment.us or email us your CV:

Job Purpose

To manage the demand process in collaboration with Sales, Operations, Finance and IT in order to obtain an unconstrained demand plan which ultimately ensures an adequate supply of finished goods such that we are able to meet the ongoing demands of client requirements. In the agreed businesses (i.e. Gyproc/Isover or Weber-abe), driving the implementation of S&OP best practices to achieve higher forecast accuracy remains a key lever for ensuring customer service levels, growing market share and optimizing production costs and efficiencies.

Qualifications required to fulfil the role

• Supply chain/commercial degree or equivalent.
• Qualifications in CSCP, CPF or CPIM is advantageous.

Specific Work Experience, Knowledge and Skills required to fulfil the role

• 3 - 5 years experience in supply chain or demand planning function, preferably within manufacturing.
• Ability to effectively operate SAP.
• SAP APO demand planning or similar demand planning system knowledge and experience.
• ERP and advanced planning and scheduling APS for running a comprehensive, best practice supply chain for a manufacturing and distribution business.
• Knowledge of supply chain best practice (i.e. Sales and Operations Planning) or Integrated Business Planning (IBP), MRPII, Theory of Constraints, Strategic Sourcing and related best practices.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Business acumen.
• Manage multiple tasks at once.
• Proven track record of improving demand planning.
• Strong verbal, written and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate at all levels of the organisation.
• Results focused, customer focused, and a team player.

Key Accountabilities

Demand Planning:

• Manage the Demand Planning cycle to ensure a high accuracy demand forecast is implemented in system and is accessible to key stakeholders.
• Building, designing and incorporating the Market Segment Model into demand and sales to check forecasting provided by the sales team.
• Executing local demand schedules, balancing monthly planning & forecasting tools.
• Facilitating demand management for all regions (KZN, Cape, Inland and Africa).
• Anticipating abnormal demand and communicating it to relevant parties.
• Assisting other Business Units with concerns related to master data and range management.
• Implementing Strategies to improve Forecast Accuracy for all assigned Regions, Plants and Service Centres.

Forecasting

• Assist the manager to co-ordinate budget process with Sales, Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain in line with S&OP/IBP process.
• Presentation of budget/forecast and identify Gaps in terms of Budget vs Forecast at monthly Demand Review.
• Sales vs forecast analysis for developing strategy in terms of pricing and promotions.
• Proactively facilitating and re-engineering, best practices & gain consensus between functional experts.

Analysis

• Correct/fix, analyze demand/forecast issues for all plants.
• Facilitate Sales & Marketing collaboration to prepare a final demand plan for business approval.
• Prepare & present final demand plan for approval at monthly Demand Reviews.
• Monitor sales vs. forecast by regions and categories.
• Manage assumption modeling by managing and performing analytics on data & demand plans.
• Support Weber.abe business with Demand Planning Processes as needed.
• Support purchasing teams with forecast information impacting MRP decisions.
• Assist, manage & Implement Demand portion of Integrated Business Planning (IBP).

Reporting and Data Integrity

• Proactive management of the company ERP and forecasting systems and related inventory data repositories.

Legal Statement

We value the importance of a diverse workforce as a cornerstone of our business success. Our primary focus in selecting the most suitable candidates for our roles is based on their skills, qualifications, and experience. We wholeheartedly embrace the principle of equal opportunity in our employment processes and are committed to eliminating any unlawful discrimination in our hiring practices.

Benefits in joining us

Joining Saint-Gobain offers a range of benefits including opportunities for exposure, diverse career paths, and a focus on innovation and sustainability. Employees benefit from professional development and training programs, stable and resource-rich work environments, and competitive compensation packages.

Hire Resolve's client is seeking a skilled Demand Planner to join their team in Somerset West. The ideal candidate will be responsible for generating accurate demand forecasts for the food manufacturing industry, ensuring optimal inventory levels are maintained to meet customer demand while minimizing excess stock. The Demand Planner will work closely with sales, marketing, and production teams to develop and implement strategies to meet demand fluctuations and improve forecast accuracy.

• Develop and maintain demand forecasts for all products based on historical data, market trends, and input from sales and marketing teams.
• Collaborate with production and supply chain teams to ensure inventory levels are optimized to meet customer demand.
• Monitor market trends and adjust forecasts accordingly to minimize stockouts and excess inventory.
• Analyze and report on forecast accuracy, identifying areas for improvement and implementing corrective actions.
• Communicate forecast changes and production plans to all relevant departments to ensure alignment and smooth operations.
• Work closely with sales and marketing teams to understand promotions, new product launches, and other sales initiatives that may impact demand.
• Utilize forecasting software and tools to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of demand planning processes.

• Bachelor's degree in business, supply chain management, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience in demand planning in the food manufacturing industry.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and forecasting software.
• Experience with Syspro.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Contact Hire Resolve for your next career-changing move.

• Salary: negotiable.
• Our client is offering a highly competitive salary for this role based on experience.
• Apply for this role today, contact Ashley Feldtmann at Hire Resolve or on LinkedIn.

We will contact you telephonically in 3 days should you be suitable for this vacancy. If you are not suitable, we will put your CV on file and contact you regarding any future vacancies that arise.

Reference: NES018160-KOMU-1

This person will create and maintain product forecast for customer groups.
Responsibilities:

• Develop demand forecast on daily/weekly/monthly basis
• Create, analyse, and communicate reports
• Optimise and review ideal inventory levels
• Maintain Planning Master data
• Facilitate new product launches between Marketing, Trade Marketing & Planning

• Minimum 2 years Demand Planning experience with exposure to short shelf-life products - essential
• Excellent Excel skills - advanced level
• Statistical or Mathematica Qualification an advantage

We are Reckitt, home to the world's best-loved and trusted hygiene, health, and nutrition brands. Our purpose is to protect, heal, and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. Join our global team united by this purpose, and help make access to high-quality hygiene, wellness, and nourishment a right, not a privilege.

Our supply chain is the backbone of our business, ensuring our trusted products reach people worldwide safely and efficiently. We offer exciting opportunities across all areas of supply chain management, including planning, procurement, manufacturing, and logistics. You might join our Global Supply Planning team to develop and implement our supply strategy, work with our Procurement Centre of Excellence to manage supplier relationships, or help improve manufacturing and distribution processes.

As a Demand Planner at Reckitt, you will apply your analytical skills to support our supply chain, ensuring our products meet and exceed customer expectations. Your role is vital in delivering our consumer products smoothly, with opportunities to lead impactful projects that enhance our processes and efficiency.

You will be responsible for maintaining accurate demand forecasts to support sales, inventory management, and production planning, including SKU forecasts for third-party purchasing.

1. Build strong, productive relationships within the team and with stakeholders.
2. Utilize planning systems and leverage technology effectively.
3. Apply strong numerical and problem-solving skills.
4. Continuously learn and grow within supply chain planning and logistics.
5. Engage in analytics and data-driven decision-making.
6. Create forecasts based on historical trends, promotional activities, and commercial input.
7. Analyze stock on hand, sell-out data, and promotional activities, inputting insights into the IBP process.
8. Lead meetings with the commercial team to produce unbiased forecasts, identify gaps, and communicate risks.
9. Enhance the IBP process through continuous review and best practices.
10. Challenge forecasts when necessary using trend analysis, MAPE, BIAS, and promotional data.
11. Communicate forecasts to sourcing and planning teams via Kinaxis and other tools.
12. Plan product replenishment to maintain service levels and manage inventory within budgets.
13. Generate and publish reports on forecast accuracy, IBP gaps, and SKU volumes for finance.
14. Communicate business updates early to enable timely action.
15. Coordinate with sources to ensure optimal production levels.
16. Maintain inventory controls and minimize waste during relaunches or promotions.

1. Strong relationship-building skills.
2. University degree in Supply Chain or related field.
3. Experience with SAP ECC, Kinaxis, JD Edwards, MS Office, especially Excel.
4. Customer-centric with a strong service mindset.
5. Experience in demand/supply planning, inventory management, logistics, or IBP.
6. Analytical and fact-based decision-making skills.
7. Ability to work independently, challenge the status quo, and seek improvements.
8. Leadership and teamwork abilities in a cross-functional environment.
9. Motivated and proactive, acting as a change catalyst.
10. Understanding of FMCG industry and business.
11. Proficient in English.
12. Interest in analytics and data-driven decisions.

Supply Chain Management, Business Partnership, Collaboration, Relationship Management, Business Acumen, Productivity Management, Business Process Improvement, Advanced Analytics, Data Analytics, Supply Chain Planning, Logistics Management.

We prioritize inclusion and support our employees through various benefits, including parental leave, mental health programs, life insurance, global share plans, and performance incentives. We believe in hiring potential and experience equally, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of protected characteristics.