UFS Demand and Supply Planner

Job Ttile: UFS Supply and Demand Planner.
Location: UAE
About Unilever:
Every day, around the world, people reach for Unilever products. Our brands
are trusted everywhere and, by listening to the people who buy them, we've
grown into one of the world's most successful consumer goods companies. In
fact, ‎150 million times a day, someone somewhere chooses a Unilever product.
Look in your fridge, or on the bathroom shelf, and you're bound to see one of
our well-known brands. We create, market and distribute the products that
people choose to feed their families and keep themselves and their homes clean
and fresh.
Our Corporate Strategy aims to double the size of our business while reducing
our impact on the environment by ‎2020. As a result, in the months and years to
come, we envisage many opportunities for our staff to progress and gain vital
experience. It's never been such an exciting time to join Unilever!
Main Purpose of the Role: To own and administrate local company sales
forecasting and demand management for their respective categories across
Arabia markets/ To ensure finished goods supply to meet the planned
requirements.
Main Accountabilities:
‎1. Base Demand Plan:
* Identify the right historical sales horizon to use for the baseline generation.
* Clean the historical sales data from any outliers.
* Identify the most appropriate statistical forecasting algorithm and models that should be used.
* Generate the baseline using the model selected and adjust where necessary.
* Communicate the generated baselines to relevant stakeholders.
‎2. New Product Demand (NPD) Plan:
* Analyze the NPD bottoms up volumes provided by the Sales & Marketing team by using like model and scenario planning techniques.
* Challenge the NPD volumes (if required) then incorporate them in the demand plan.
* Work closely with Supply Chain and Category teams to ensure landing the NPD OTIF in all markets.
* Monitor the NPD performance for the first ‎3 months and highlight the need to amend forward forecast to the Category team.
‎3. Facilitate the Demand Planning Process:
* Own the forecast in any of the S&OP meetings (monthly cycle) and in the weekly operational meetings.
* Build the activities (that are over and above the baselines) provided by the Sales & Marketing teams.
* Maintain an assumptions tracker that would be used to evaluate the performance of the activity and challenge volumes going forward.
* Present the exceptions in the activity meeting and facilitate the process of reaching consensus on the final agreed unconstrained demand.
* Minute all the forecast changes that take place in any forum to ensure all stakeholders are aligned.
* Upload agreed unconstrainted demand in APO, ensuring Master Data related to each product is maintained on system to ensure accurate data flow.
* Send finance a constrained plan basis the demand and supply reconciliation output.

‎4. Communication with Extended Supply Chain:
* Communicate the most updated demand plan with the relevant Supply Planning and Customer Service teams.
* Work with Customer Service team to ensure stocks availability in all markets and to develop scenarios to mitigate supply gaps (if any) through demand adjustments.
* Ensure the promotional plans are aligned with the Promotions team.
‎5. Continuous Improvement:
* Analyze forecast accuracy and bias to identify and implement process enhancements to improve these KPI's.
* Present the KPI's to the Category team in order to find ways to improve them.
* Champion the development of changes to current processes.
* Coach the Category team on forecasting techniques to facilitate discussions while simultaneously improving KPIs.
‎6. Continuous Improvement:
* Manage supply planning operations to ensure the flawless supply through implementation and execution of weekly supply planning cycle.
* Assess supply risks and develop contingency plans to ensure consistent availability.
* Ensure maximum service while maintaining stocks and cash targets.
* Support the business by launching new innovations on-time in-full.
* Set control points with sourcing units to ensure supply at the right time and the right quantity.
* Generate bi-yearly stock model to maintain the most accurate target stock levels.
Key Competencies:
* Analytical and critical thinking.
* Adaptable to changes in a fast-pasted environment.
* Challenger to the status quo.
* Bias for action and proactivity.
* Excellent communication skills.
Relevant Experience:
* Industrial Engineering (preferred) or engineering degree, Business graduates with statistical courses, Supply Chain specialized degree.
* Fresh graduate or maximum three years of experience.
* Proficient in MS Office (knowledge of SAP, APO and R-studio is a plus).
* CPIM or CSCP certification is a plus.
Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to
drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our
diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a
diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion
across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual
bringing their 'Whole Self' to work and this includes you! Thus if you require
any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time
of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment
journey.