Demand Planner

About the role

Safal Group is looking for a Demand Planner who coordinates demand forecasting, production, material and dispatch planning so that customer requirements are met on time, in full (OTIF) at optimal cost. The role drives process improvements and aligns Sales, Production, suppliers and customers to improve efficiency, quality and service.

Key responsibilities

• Demand forecasting: develop and continuously improve statistical sales forecasts, using Sales and Marketing intelligence to improve accuracy and stability.
• S&OP planning: support the Planning Manager in Demand Review and S&OP, aligning demand and supply plans with sales forecasts, BPP objectives and quarterly priorities.
• Production and inventory planning: coordinate with Production Planning for finished-goods availability, optimal inventory, safety stocks and adherence to production plans.
• Materials and supply planning: maintain MRP, reorder points, Kanban/Make-to-Stock parameters, supplier lead times and stock policies to avoid stock-outs and lost sales.
• Planning systems and master data: keep planning master data accurate and implement technology solutions that turn demand into realistic supply plans.
• Cross-functional coordination: work with Sales, Production, Supply Chain and others to identify constraints, share delivery risks, support new products and optimise product flow.
• Performance, governance and people management: drive departmental performance, budgeting, compliance, safety, employee development, asset protection and continuous improvement, sharing best practices across Safal Group companies.

Required profile

• 10+ years in Supply Chain, with at least 5 years of hands-on Demand Planning / S&OP experience in a manufacturing or consumer goods environment.
• Proven track record of improving forecast accuracy, OTIF/service levels, inventory availability, working capital and stock-out performance.

Required skills

• Statistical forecasting, inventory optimisation and demand-supply balancing.
• Leading or supporting Demand Reviews and S&OP/IBP cycles with Sales, Production, Supply Chain and Finance.
• Hands-on ERP/MRP experience, preferably SAP, including material planning, inventory parameters and production requirements.
• Strong preference for SAP IBP, Kinaxis RapidResponse, o9 Solutions or similar platforms.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel for analysing large datasets and turning them into planning decisions.