DEMAND PLANNER/FORECASTER

Demand Planner/Forecaster

Our client a well established organisation within the FMCG/Retail sector is looking for an analytical and commercially minded Demand Planner/Forecaster to join their team

The successful candidate will be responsible for developing accurate demand forecasts, analysing sales trends and market information working closely with Sales, Marketing , Supply Chain and Operations to ensure the right products are available at the right time.

Key Responsibilities

Forecasting

• Build and maintain rolling 52-week forecasts at SKU, category, and store/cluster level using Netstock, BI tools, and sales history
• Create baseline, seasonal, and event-based forecasts for key retail
• Use supplier intelligence to model demand trends and anticipate supply constraints
• Build demand scenarios for new ranges, promotions, and assortment changes to support merchandising decisions
• Facilitate monthly Demand Review meetings with relevant stakeholders
• Identify forecasting risks early and escalate accordingly to the relevant stakeholders

Replenishment & Allocation

• Set and review min-max levels, safety stock, and reorder points to optimize inventory levels across branches
• Run and release allocations to ensure stores receive appropriate stock based on demand, capacity, and performance
• Maintain auto-replenishment rules and monitor exceptions (stockouts, excess inventory, DC imbalances)
• Track weeks of cover (WOC) against plan and adjust replenishment strategies to maintain targets
• Proactively manage stock levels to prevent overstocks and aged inventory through markdowns, exit strategies, SKU rationalization, and inter-branch transfers
• Input and align with planogram capacity assumptions to ensure space-to-range alignment

Promotions & Markdown Support

• Support promotional and markdown plan development by modelling performance uplift and preparing buy quantities
• Quantify forecast error post-event to drive continuous improvement in promotional forecasting
• Track margin leakage from promotional activity and recommend corrective actions

Cadence & Reporting

• Prepare and publish weekly availability and cover dashboards to monitor stock health across branches
• Maintain accurate data in Netstock and forecasting tools to ensure data integrity
• Prepare and publish category packs with demand forecasts and allocation plans
• Highlight risk and opportunity SKUs for proactive management
• Support weekly trade and WSSI meetings by refreshing dashboards, preparing decks, minuting actions, and chasing owners for closure

Data Quality & Master Data Management

• Maintain accurate planning parameters, clustering rules, and forecasting hierarchies
• Ensure master data aligns with space capacity, product hierarchy, and planogram assumptions
• Audit data quality and resolve errors that impact forecasting and allocation accuracy

Calendars & Governance

• Maintain the retail calendar (range launches, promotions, planogram changes, pricing events)
• Schedule Sales & Operations Planning meetings with Supply Chain and Merchandising teams
• Schedule pricing and demand review meetings to ensure cross-functional alignment

Ad-Hoc Analysis

• Conduct ad-hoc analysis to support merchandising, planning, and operational decisions
• Investigate demand anomalies, supply chain disruptions, and inventory imbalances
• Provide analytical support for strategic initiatives and business cases

Qualifications and Experience

Relevant tertiary qualification in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration,

Logistics, Data Science/analytics, Economics or a related field.

3-5 years’ experience in demand planning, forecasting or allocation, including responsibility for building forecasts, managing replenishment and optimizing inventory levels within a multi store retail environment

The ability to translate shopper behaviour into demand drivers and manage inventory under period pressure.

Strong Excel Skills and experience working with forecasting/planning systems

Netstock

Power BI

Tableau

Competencies:

Analytical Thinking and Problem Solving

Attention to detail

Planning and prioritisation

Communication and collaboration

Commercial Acumen

Relationship Building

Resilience and Stress Management

If you are passionate about demand planning and enjoy using data to drive better business decisions, we would love to hear from you.

To apply: Please submit your CV to diane@Light516.co.za

Pay: R250 000,00 - R350 000,00 per year

Application Question(s):

• Demand Planning/Forecasting experience is essential

Work Location: In person