Role Overview
As part of METRO’s Global Solution Center, India, you are responsible for delivering accurate customer demand forecasts within METRO and enhancing them with market intelligence through cross-functional collaboration. This role ensures alignment across company functions by managing consensus on forecasts and driving continuous improvement in forecast accuracy through exception management and parameter updates. Operating within company policies and best practices, the Demand Planner plays a key role in decision-making and process improvement initiatives, working closely with the Supply Chain Planning Manager to optimize demand planning performance.
Key Responsibilities
Operational:
- Ensure timely and accurate demand forecasts for assigned articles and categories.
- Analyze and cleanse historical sales data to establish a solid foundation for forecasting.
- Generate statistical forecasts for short-, mid-, and long-term horizons (up to 52 weeks).
- Forecast sales for new product introductions.
- Calculate and refine promotional uplift in collaboration with other functions (e.g., Category Managers) to accurately forecast promotional sales.
- Review and analyze forecast results for regular assortment, promotional articles, and future events.
- Manage exceptions identified by forecasting tools, focusing on key assortments (e.g., high-rotation, new, seasonal, promotional, competitive, and top-customer articles) and take corrective actions, involving other functions as needed.
- Ensure proper aggregation and reconciliation of forecasts across all levels (article, category, store, time) in both units and value.
Continuous improvement:
- Identify opportunities for improvement and implement solutions.
- Analyze recurring exceptions and propose actions to minimize them.
- Fine-tune forecasting algorithms and parameters to enhance accuracy.
- Maintain Master Data in system
Collaboration:
- Work closely with Category Managers, Department/Store Managers, and Sales teams to optimize customer service.
- Gather market-related information from other functions (e.g., promotions, D&Rs, new article introductions) to support forecasting.
- Incorporate market intelligence into demand forecasts.
- Lead cross-functional demand planning meetings to achieve consensus on sales expectations.
- Challenge sales expectations from offer and operations teams through in-depth analysis of historical sales data.
Skills & Competencies
Primary Skills (Required)
- Strong knowledge of demand planning, sales forecasting and S&OP processes
- High proficiency in analyzing data, applying forecasting methodologies and making data-driven decisions
- Hands-on experience with planning tools such as SAP IBP/APO, o9, BlueYonder/JDA, Oracle Demantra
- Solid understanding of retail math and statistical forecasting techniques with SHL proficiency recommended
- Advanced capability in Microsoft Office including Excel, PowerPoint and Word with familiarity in planning tools and ERP systems as a plus
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with ability to influence and build consensus across functions
- Proven ability to work effectively with multiple departments such as Category Management, Sales and Operations
- Fluency in professional English
- Demonstration of cultural awareness and respect in cross-functional collaboration
Secondary Skills (Preferred)
- Experience with data mining and visualization tools (Power BI, SQL, MS Access, Excel)
- Familiarity with JDA Fulfillment and Allocation
- Exposure to retail or wholesale industry dynamics
- Fluency in additional languages
- Strong aptitude for identifying process improvement opportunities and implementing solutions
- Skilled in managing expectations and leading cross-functional meetings
- Strong social competence to connect, build networks and resolve conflicts
- Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management or Mathematics preferred.
- Minimum 3 years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, or supply chain management.
- Experience on retail/wholesale or consumer goods / FMCG is a plus.
