Demand and Distribution Planning Manager CEE (f/m/x)

Royal Canin, Supply Chain Department

Location: Riga

***Hybrid (up to 50% remote) ***

Are you excited by the challenge of balancing customer service, product availability, inventory, and forecast accuracy across multiple markets? Do you thrive in a fast-paced international environment where strategic thinking, leadership, and operational excellence come together? Join us as a Demand & Distribution Planning Manager and take ownership of both demand and distribution planning across the CEE cluster, leading a talented team and driving end-to-end supply chain performance. In this highly visible role, you will shape planning decisions that directly impact customer experience, business growth, inventory efficiency, and supply chain resilience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end Demand & Distribution Planning agenda across the cluster, ensuring alignment between customer demand, inventory strategy, and product availability.
• Own the demand planning process, driving forecast accuracy, data quality, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement.
• Lead and facilitate the Demand Management Review (DMR) process within S&OP+, ensuring alignment of volume forecasts across Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams.
• Ensure optimal inventory levels and replenishment strategies across the regional distribution network to deliver service, cost, and cash objectives.
• Lead distribution planning activities and proactively manage supply-demand imbalances, mitigating potential risks to customer service.
• Partner closely with European factories, local Supply Chain teams, and key stakeholders to continuously improve end-to-end supply and distribution performance.
• Act as the functional expert and key user for planning systems, supporting system enhancements, digital transformation initiatives, and future capability development.
• Build, develop, and inspire a high-performing planning team, fostering engagement, capability growth, and succession planning.

Candidate Profile

• At least 8 years of experience in Demand Planning, Supply Planning, Distribution Planning, or broader Supply Chain Management, preferably within the FMCG industry.
• Proven experience leading and developing teams in a complex, international environment.
• Strong expertise in demand forecasting, inventory management, distribution planning, and end-to-end supply chain processes.
• Experience leading S&OP, Integrated Business Planning, or similar cross-functional planning processes.
• Demonstrated success in driving process improvements, transformation initiatives, and operational excellence.
• Advanced analytical capabilities and strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and supply chain planning systems.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build collaborative relationships across functions, markets, and manufacturing sites.
• Master's degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field preferred; APICS CPIM, CPF, or equivalent certification is a plus. Experience with Navision, 1NAV, FuturMaster, or similar planning platforms, as well as additional language skills relevant to the cluster, will be considered an advantage

What can you expect from Mars?

Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.