Lead - Supply Chain Planning - FMCG (10-14 yrs)

The role holder is responsible for driving the demand forecasting and supply chain planning function, maintaining daily working relationship with client team and ensuring planning related KPIs are being met.

Roles and Responsibilities:

Demand Forecasting and Planning:

- Gain insights into the client industry, channels and space of operations

- Understand and capture demand signals into demand forecasting

- Develop/ deploy effective machine learning models based on industry trends and demand patterns

- Define and implement solutions to improve demand forecast accuracy

- Conduct S&OP meeting with clients and finalize forecasts

- Monitor and report on important modifications in forecasts and its impact on budgets

- Closely coordinated with new product development team and category managers for new SKU launch

Supply Planning and Inventory Management:

- Understanding of the current inventory control and replenishment process and drive improvements

- Follow the cycle time for the inventory replenishment process

- Manage variability in demand and ensure stock levels are adequately maintained

- Standardize the inventory planning process across DC's and vendors

- Keep strict controls & alerts in place to avoid any stock outs impacting fill rate of customer

- Use tools and historical data for tracking variability and factor the same in inventory planning for future

- Avoid loss of revenue for organization due to over stocking of products

- Evaluate vendor performance on service levels and suggest measures to improve the same

- Ensure adequate shelf life of products for customers as key deliverable

- Zero write off on inventory on account of inventory planning

- Define working capital target for each month and track adherence of the same

- Escalate slow moving products, obtain approval for disposal of the same

Overall:

- Plan and implement a centralized replenishment cell

- Manage both demand and supply planning teams

- Work closely with clients supply chain, planning and operations team for the monthly, weekly and daily plans

- Manage any customer complaints and resolve them through coordinating with the central teams

- Escalate to Regional Heads and Seniors any foreseeable concerns from the client

- Prepare reports/ presentation and attend the monthly reviews with client

- Ensure highest level of demand planning accuracy, Ontime, Case Fill rates, Order Fill rates, SIFOT, order accuracy, customer satisfaction and related parameters

- Coordinate with the order management to ensure daily orders are processed on a timely manner

- Coordinate with the distribution centers to ensure inventory norms are been met at the distribution centers

- Coordinate with the central control tower and the logistics team on the status of vehicle and delivery times

- Prepare and hold the daily, weekly and monthly reports

Experience:

- MBA/ PGDM with Engineering Background preferred

- 10-12 years of experience of which 6-7 years of experience in Demand Forecasting, Demand & Supply Planning, Inventory Planning, and Client Interaction in Supply Chain industry, Food and Beverages, Cloud Kitchen etc.

- Experience of working on Forecasting Tools and R Application

- Good understanding of various statistical models

- Very good understanding of inventory management practices and procedures

- Experience of managing a team of planners Skills & Competencies

- Planning skills

- Analytical skills

- Customer-centric

- Communication skills

- Team management and coordination skills