Demand Planner

• A robust and unbiased consensus demand forecast across the agreed horizon.
• Effective business rhythm forums that support and drive decisions and accountable actions.
• Commercial strategy translated into clear volume, phasing, value and supply implications.
• Forecast MAPA at or above 85% and Bias within ±5%, sustained across the year.
• Timely identification and escalation of material risks, opportunities and decisions.
• Stock-at-risk and write-off exposure identified early, with clearance actions agreed and owned in partnership with Supply Planning
  
  

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the baseline and promotional customer and product demand forecast across a rolling 24-month planning horizon.
• Own the preparation, facilitation, decision capture and continuous improvement of the monthly Volume Review process, including volume concessions and reporting.
• Act as the Demand Planning lead within Commercial Review, ensuring customer and commercial plans are reflected accurately in the demand forecast
• Monitor forecast accuracy, bias and stability, identifying root causes of variance and driving corrective actions
• Maintain visibility of material business risks and opportunities, developing demand scenarios to support decision-making.
• Partner with Supply Planning to communicate demand changes, priorities and constraints, and provide demand input into S&OE processes.
• Lead forecast collaboration with customers and represent Demand Planning in retailer planning forums. Use retailer forecasts, scan data and point-of-sale insights to improve forecast quality.
• Maintain promotional forecasts and ensure new products, delists and range changes are accurately reflected in demand plans.
• Review stock-at-risk positions and coordinate clearance strategies with Sales, Customer Service and Supply Planning.
• Manage demand planning reports, forecasting models and planning system data to support business decision-making.
• Drive improvements in demand planning processes, governance, reporting, systems and organisational capability.

• Represent Demand Planning in relevant business forums and discussions.
• Facilitate the Volume Review process and recommend the consensus demand position.
• Challenge assumptions made by Sales, Marketing, Finance, Category teams, customers and external stakeholders.
• Request supporting evidence for material forecast changes.
• Recommend that unsupported forecast changes are revised, excluded or escalated.
• Determine the most credible demand forecast based on available evidence and agreed planning principles.
• Escalate unresolved risks, opportunities, gaps and decisions through the IBP process.
• Recommend improvements to demand planning processes, tools, measures and governance.
• Recommend clearance, delisting and hold-versus-delete decisions for at-risk inventory to the Demand & Supply Manager.
  
  

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Demonstrated ability to facilitate cross-functional conversations, influence stakeholders and constructively challenge assumptions.
• Strong commercial and analytical acumen, including the ability to translate customer and business activity into volume and phasing implications.
• Experience in Demand Planning, Supply Chain Planning or another analytical role involving cross-functional decision-making
• Experience building baseline and promotional forecasts, including new product introductions, delists and clearance of at-risk stock, with working knowledge of inventory metrics (weeks cover, MLOR, write-off exposure).
• Advanced Excel capability and hands-on experience with a demand planning system, such as Blueshift or equivalent, ERP systems and Power BI.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled tools and their application in demand planning and analysis.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, ambiguity and incomplete information while maintaining clear governance and follow-through.

• Direct demand planning or forecasting experience in FMCG, retail or consumer products.
• Experience working within an S&OP or IBP process and participating in structured business rhythm forums.
• Relevant degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business, Commerce, Finance or a related discipline.
• APICS CPIM, ASCM or equivalent planning qualification.
• Experience using retailer scan or point-of-sale data (e.g. Woolworths, Coles, Metcash) to refine forecasts.
  
  
  
  
  

Benefits

• Additional 1% Superannuation
• Flexible / Hybrid working options
• Birthday Day Leave
• Discounted Twinings Co products
• Access to LinkedIn Learning
• Access to ABF Networking, connect, collaborate, and grow across the ABF Group.