The Demand & Supply Planning Manager will partner with Sales, Marketing, Operations and Finance to develop an accurate demand forecast to maximize cash flows and sales and service levels for all SKUs in the designated area of the business. In addition, He/she is responsible for managing short term and mid-term supply to support business sales targets, whilst meeting service level and stock holding objectives.

KEY JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategic Contribution: 

• Ensure optimization of demand forecasting & supply planning and execution to meet business requirements.
• Provide guidance / oversight of SKU level forecasts, to ensure alignment with business direction and consistency with market trends.

Functional Policies and Procedures:

• Follow and implement function demand forecasting & supply planning policies and procedures keeping in view the global guidelines and local business requirements
• Ensure internal controls are followed and maintained in demand & supply planning process.
• Manage the Stock Equation of Finish Goods (Units & Value

Forecasting, Planning and Budgeting

• Lead forecasting and inventory planning meetings to assess potential sales forecasts and goals.
• Support and coordinate sell-in forecast construction by product / account on monthly basis on launches and promotions. 
• Development of accurate forecasts based on external trends, internal events and trade and marketing assumptions, keeping in view the demand history, product launch plans to support Operations, Sales and Financial Planning.
• Provide monthly forecast to divisions for optimal demand and supply planning.
• Manage and set levels of inventory/goals by divisions to achieve optimal balance in inventory.
• Develop annual budgets and cost-effectiveness plans.
• Build monthly and quarterly budgets of finished goods supplies/ inventories as per the demand plan. 
• Perform forecasting activities; making monthly and quarterly supply plans of finished goods as per the demand plan.

Purchasing and Inventory Management:

Ensure end to end purchasing and inventory management of finished goods from Loreal Factories (Local & Global) which includes:

• Responsible for Order processing and transmits order to the factories based on demand plan.
• Reconciliation of purchase orders to vendor acknowledgements.
• Following on timely delivery for all purchase orders.
• Ensure tracking of purchase orders for on time delivery.
• Analyzes shortage causes, including the ones on shelf, and propose action plan.
• Manages and set levels of inventory on monthly basis by brand to achieve a balance of inventory productivity.
• Adjust the supply parameters in order to optimize stocks and costs throughout the supply chain.
• Project Service Level and Inventory level risks weekly in order to pre-empt possible issues in the short and medium term.

Operations Management

• Monitor division’s catalogue alignment with distributor & update division’s master database.
• Challenge customer’s orders as well as replenishment parameters to meet stock holding targets.
• Ensures the alignment of the catalogue and product information between the Business Unit/Subsidiary and the supplier.
• Communicate actively with local and global factories to prevent out of stock risks from occurring and to recover from supply issues as soon as possible.
• Strong coordination with Suppliers on Supply Orders, Forecasts and Forecast Confirmations.
• Act as POC for order Transit Management.

Quality Assurance:

• Implementation of best practices, progress of improvement plan and partner with Business Unit to contribute to growth and business strategies.
• Ensure that all processes (especially Disputes & returns) & KPIs (scorecard) are aligned between retailer and L’Oréal.

Analytics

• Track promotional sell-out and make necessary adjustments internally and externally.
• Analyze and challenge monthly stock in trade. Establish and manage SKU level statistical forecasts for their specific area of accountability.
• Develop routine and ad-hoc demand related reports for management.
• Prepare activity reports (Risk management, costs) to inform and alert the hierarchy on the progress of projects.
• Prepare and present trend updates of supply planning costs, trends & indicators to senior management while keeping all stakeholders informed.
• Work with commercial team, customer services, physical distribution team and masterdata manager to ensure customers have the correct master data.
• Communicate to the business any risk of out of stock and ensure all relevant parties have timely and accurate availability information

Risk Management 

• Identify demand forecast & supply risks and develop effective mitigation plans 
• Manage regulatory risks.
• Analyze and troubleshoot demand & supply related issues in a timely and accurate manner.
• Work with stakeholders to develop new processes and implement projects to improve the supply chain costs and indicators.
• Conduct Root cause analysis of shortages with recommendation of appropriate action.

People Development: 

• Supervise directly in their day-to-day tasks and guide them in managing their performance by providing appropriate feedback and counselling. Provide recommendations to the Line Manager and Human Resources on hiring and promotions.
• Consistently promote high standards through personal example and roll out through the team so that each member of the team understands the standards and behaviors expected of them.
• Setting individual objectives, conduct periodic performance reviews, providing feedback and appraisal in order to maximize subordinates and departmental performance.

Continuous Improvement:

• Lead continuous improvement program with suppliers.
• Implement, modify and create necessary processes, reports to gain efficiency, quality, consistency and for right decisions making for this position and stakeholders.

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal: Finance, Marketing, Commercial, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and other departments within L’Oréal. 
External: Distributor, Suppliers, Vendors 3P Logistics

QUALIFICATIONS; SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum Experience:

• 3-5 years prior work experience in Supply and Demand planning 
• Strong mathematical and statistical knowledge
• Understanding of the different sales channels and distribution models