SUMMARY:
Demand, Planner, and, Analyst, Food, Industry,
POSITION INFO:
The following internal vacancy has become available at Magic Brands - Goosebumps (Pty)Ltd.:
DEMAND PLANNER & ANALYST
Position Identification
Job Title: Demand Planner & Analyst
Department: Supply Chain / Operations
Reports To: Operations Manager
Location: Blackheath, Kuilsriver, Cape Town, South Africa
Industry Sector: FMCG – Food Manufacturing
Employment Type: Permanent, Full-time, On-Site
Purpose of Position
The Demand Planner & Analyst serves as the central operational hub driving inventory optimization and production alignment. The primary objective is to manage, refine and secure consensus on a rolling 13-week demand forecast.
Because outbound logistics, transport, distribution and baseline statistical forecasting are managed by a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) provider, this role does not manage physical fleet distribution. Instead, it translates commercial strategy and market intelligence into a balanced demand plan. The position ensures the business maximizes on-shelf availability while aggressively minimizing short-shelf-life product waste.
Key Performance Areas (KPAs) & Responsibilities
Consensus Forecast Management
- Lead the weekly consensus forecasting process by bridging communication between the internal Commercial team and the external 3PL.
- Review, challenge and adjust the 3PL’s baseline statistical forecasts by incorporating real-time market realities, regional trends and field intelligence.
- Maintenance and continuous refinement of the rolling 13-week demand plan to guarantee smooth mid-to-long-term resource planning.
- Document assumptions behind forecast changes, keeping an audit trail of adjustments made due to commercial inputs or operational constraints.
Cross-Functional Liaison & Execution
- Commercial Teams (Sales & Marketing): Collaborate closely to model the volume impact of upcoming retail promotions, seasonal bakery events (e.g., Easter, festive peaks), price shifts, and New Product Introductions (NPI).
- Production Operations: Translate the agreed-upon 13-week consensus plan into short-term daily/weekly production requirements. Alert manufacturing leadership to looming capacity bottlenecks, scheduling conflicts or raw material supply constraints.
- 3PL Forecasting and Replenishment Hub: Act as the primary technical point of contact for the 3PL's analytics team. Ensure smooth data pipelines between internal systems and the 3PL's forecasting software.
Analytics, Metrics & Continuous Improvement
- Monitor and analyse critical supply chain performance indicators weekly, including Demand-and- Supply Service Levels, Forecast accuracy and Forecast Bias.
- Run root-cause analysis on notable forecast deviations, linking errors back to either production shortfalls, retail order changes, or 3PL delivery failure.
- Monitor waste and write-off metrics. Directly adjust planning parameters to mitigate product loss.
Systems & Data Governance
- Ensure the finalized consensus demand plan is systematically uploaded to the internal ERP framework to accurately drive downstream Material Requirements Planning (MRP).
- Maintain master data records relating to historical volumes, promotional calendars, and lifecycle statuses of active product lines.
Requirements & Qualifications
Education
National Diploma (NQF Level 7) or Bachelor’s Degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Statistics, Economics, Commerce, or a related quantitative field.
Experience
- Minimum of 3 years of dedicated demand planning, inventory analysis, or production scheduling experience.
- Prior experience in the FMCG or food manufacturing industry is essential. Direct exposure to short-shelf-life or fresh food environments is highly advantageous.
- Demonstrated experience interfacing with data provided by Third-Party Logistics agencies.
Technical Knowledge & Competencies
- Advanced Excel Capabilities: Absolute proficiency in building complex data models, pivot tables, nested formulas and data cleaning scripts.
- ERP & Software Systems: Competency working within enterprise platforms (e.g., SAP, Syspro, Sage) alongside dedicated forecasting tools.
- FMCG Dynamics: Deep understanding of the operational stress points tied to daily short-shelf-life products, order lead times, and retail service level agreements (SLAs).
