Demand Planner

Foods people love. Brands people trust. And a career that nourishes your future like no other.If you're driven by the passion to do something meaningful that changes lives, Nestlé is the place for you! Nestlé USA is one of seven operating companies that make up Nestlé's presence in the United States. We're in 97% of American homes, and as the leading food and beverage company, our goals are to continue to deliver quality food and beverage products, strengthen our local communities, and reduce our environmental and climate impact.We're determined to challenge the status quo and be better tomorrow than we are today. As individuals and teams, we embrace our entrepreneurial culture and have created a workplace where collaboration is essential, courage is rewarded, speed is expected, and agility is the norm to delight our consumers every single day. Here, you will find limitless opportunities to learn and advance your career, and feel empowered to succeed in the workplace and beyond. Because our focus is not only on nourishing our customers, it's about enriching you!Supply Chain at NestléAt Nestlé USA, our Supply Chain team is passionate about the desire to deliver world-class service and support to our trusted retail partners. Passionate about our company's four key Ways of Winning - Speed, Agility, Collaboration, and Courage, Nestlé's Supply Chain professionals strive to efficiently and effectively distribute our products 'wherever and whenever' needed while fulfilling our commitments and delivering outstanding value to our customers.POSITION SUMMARY:You will be responsible for developing the sales & production forecasts for Nestle products and presenting them to key partners in the Monthly Business Planning (MBP) process. Through a combination of demand, capacity and inventory analysis a future sales projection and production plan is built. These projections are then discussed with the MBP team to identify risks and trade-offs against the financial plans. You will use statistical models, production planning systems and high level scenario planning to evaluate how proposed plans may impact the business and Planner will provide specialized analytical support to Marketing, Sales & T&P as needed in support of business goals/objectives.YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE:Analyze factors that impact demand for Nestle products (i.e., category trends / trade promotions / high-reaching products / seasonality / retail consumption / distribution channels), and demonstrate statistical models to build a demand plan that quantifies the business environment in rolling 78 weeks horizon:

In partnership with the Sales team, use promotion event post-audit data to analyze the effectiveness of trade promotions. Use the resulting insight to forecast the impact of future promotion events. Advice management regarding which promotion vehicles would be most effective under which circumstances.

Develop statistical models of causal factors that have a strong correlation to demand for Nestle products (i.e., sales of cars four years ago drive sales of replacement tires today).

Compare forecasts to financial budgets. Explain variances, note uncertainty and highlight risk areas.

Analyze buying patterns of key customers and predict how they will react to incentives.

Analyze market response to new products and use this to develop forecasts for new items not yet introduced.

Regularly validate forecast splits down to the Item/DC/Week level. Adjust the short-term DC-Week forecasts throughout the month as necessary to support effective deployment of inventory

Develop 78-week master production schedule on a weekly basis that achieves targeted inventory and service levels. Monitor APO alerts to identify potential inventory problems through all planning horizons and coordinate efforts to resolve. Collaborate with Factory Supply Chain on the tactical execution of the production plan:

Continuously work to align with manufacturing on the operating conditions of the factory(s), including calendar and performance assumptions. Offer suggestions and seek dedication to best meet Customer demand, ensuring high Customer Service and Freshness, while minimizing cost.

Work with and through the Purchasing group to resolve scheduling constraints and raw material availability to support current manufacturing plans.

Act as a Business guide for all planning and ensuring supply responsibilities:

Present demand and production plans to the cross functional team. Explain business assumptions behind the plans and methods used to quantify each event.

Develop and maintain critical SAP/APO Master Data to fully demonstrate the system planning process

Coordinate, facilitate and support cross functional meetings to drive alignment on the end-to-end plans. Meetings may include: the Weekly Operations review (OPs DSR), Production Reviews (WPR/MPR), NPDI Task Force, critical supply meetings (as needed) and MBP meetings.

Participate in the development of integrated budgets; responsible for the alignment of demand plans, master schedules, factory schedules, and purchasing programs.

Develop and lead short term projects related to capacity/demand studies, cost savings initiatives, and other Ensure Supply objectives related to DSP.

Craft and maintain reporting to all levels of the organization that summarizes inventory levels, capacity, service level, sales and all related issues that support these key performance indicators.

Any other task and/or responsibility assigned by your manager

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:Works with matrix structure with responsibility to both the Supply Chain organization and the inventory- owning Division. You will receive direction regarding business priorities, key performance indicators and direction on business processes and policies.

Works collaboratively with internal partners including, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Demand & Supply Planners, Factory Supply Chain, DRP Planners, Deployment/Demand Managers and Procurement. May also work with external partners, such as 3rd Party Co-Manufacturers and Sub-Contractors.

SUPERVISION GIVEN:No direct reports

May have indirect leadership of projects and/or meetings as needed

FINANCIAL/STRATEGIC IMPACT:Major impact on:customer service

supply chain costs

financial risk assessment, and (4) trade funds allocation.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:BA/BS; MBA/MS desirable.

Coursework in a combination of 2 years Economics, Marketing, Computer Science, Supply Chain and Statistics desirable.

Minimum 3-5 years of relevant work experience in consumer goods Sales/Marketing, operations/engineering, Demand/Supply Analytics desirable.

Strong analytical aptitude with a shown ability to analyze/interpret data and build quantitative models of business problems.

Excellent oral and written skills, organizational and time-management abilities, effective inter-personal skills, and the ability to work with personnel at all organizational levels. Flexibility and adaptability to the demands and requirements of a dynamic environment with multiple demands and priorities.

Excellent creative thinking skills with emphasis on developing solutions to complex problems that may not have one clear answer.

Experience utilizing SAP and APO' Demand and Supply Planning software desirable

Advanced knowledge know business software: Excel, Outlook, Access, Word, SAS Modeling, consumption data/POS/Nielsen desirable

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.