Demand Planner Sadc

We are Reckitt

Home to the world's best loved and trusted hygiene, health, and nutrition brands. Our purpose defines why we exist: to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We are a global team united by this purpose.

Join us in our fight to make access to the highest quality hygiene, wellness, and nourishment a right and not a privilege

Our supply chain is the backbone of our business. It's how we get our trusted products to people all over the world, safely and efficiently. And it's our talented and passionate teams that make this happen.

If you're looking for a career in supply chain, there's no better place to be than Reckitt. We offer a variety of exciting opportunities in all areas of the supply chain, from planning and procurement to manufacturing and logistics. You could join our Global Supply Planning team to develop and implement our global supply strategy, or work with our Procurement Centre of Excellence team to negotiate and manage our supplier relationships.

Our Manufacturing Excellence team help us improve the efficiency, quality and safety of our manufacturing operations, and our Logistics Excellence team develop new and innovative ways to distribute our products to customers.

Are you ready to become the cornerstone of our supply chain, ensuring our customers get what they need when they need it? As a Demand Planner SADC at Reckitt, your expertise will drive our production, purchasing, and provide invaluable insights into our supply dynamics. In this strategic role, you’ll be responsible for maintaining an accurate demand forecast supporting the Supply Organisation to deliver on its objectives in both Customer Service and Inventory Management for the company to deliver sales

You will maintain SKU level forecasts that will be used for planning production across our factories and the purchase of finished goods from third parties, as well as providing a forward view of sales revenue to the Business through the S&OP process.

The role interfaces closely with commercial functions in order to accurately reflect promotional and marketing activity in the forecasts. The role also interfaces with Finance in providing SKU volumes used for the quarterly Business Forecast and Plan.

Join us and be part of a dynamic team where your passion for excellence will shape the future of our global supply chain.

• Lead accurate demand forecasting, integrating data on sales, promotions, trends, and seasonality into actionable insights.
• Conduct monthly reconciliation of distributor Stock on Hand (SOH), In-Market Sales (IMS), and shipments to ensure data accuracy and identify variances for corrective action.
• Generate IMS forecasts through analysis of historical trends, promotional calendars, and commercial activity plans; derive shipment forecasts aligned to distributor SOH targets and demand.
• Lead IBP meetings with the commercial team and country managers to deliver an unbiased forecast, identify gaps, and communicate supply constraints or business risks.
• Challenge forecasts when needed using trend analysis, MAPE, BIAS, promotional plans, and media phasing insights.
• Communicate agreed IMEX forecasts to source points via Rapid Response and Supply Planners for stock planning.
• Plan replenishment to maintain targeted service levels and manage the local IBP process for assigned brands and categories.
• Produce, update, and publish key reports, including monthly forecast accuracy, and IBP gap (initial and final); provide SKU volumes to Finance for business forecasts and planning.
• Communicate both risks and opportunities early through the IBP process to enable alignment and proactive action planning.
• Collaborate with source points to ensure optimal production levels.
• Ensure inventory levels and controls remain within budget and aligned to forecast.
• Minimise business waste related to product relaunches and promotions.
• Challenge assumptions and influence other teams when necessary to ensure the best outcomes for our supply chain.

• University degree in Supply Chain, Procurement, or a related field.
• Proficiency in Rapid Response, SAP Turbo, and MS Office (with strong Excel skills).
• Strong customer-centric approach with a service-oriented mindset.
• Driven by a passion for customer service and an understanding of complex supply chains.
• Experience across various supply chain functions, including Demand and Supply Planning, Inventory Management, Logistics, and S&OP.
• Highly analytical with strong fact-based decision-making skills.
• Ability to work independently, think logically, challenge the status quo, and drive continuous improvement for productivity gains.
• Strong teamwork capability with the ability to lead within a cross-functional environment.
• Committed to continuous improvement and excellence in business processes.
• High level of motivation and a drive for execution; able to act as a catalyst for change.
• Solid understanding of FMCG operations and…