Market Collaboration Planner (Demand Planner)

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We have a long tradition of being a progressive, responsible business. It goes back to the days of our founder William Lever, who launched the world’s first purposeful brand, Sunlight Soap more than 100 years ago, and it’s at the heart of how we run our company today. In 2022 Unilever Australia & New Zealand became a Certified B Corporation™ (B Corp), joining a growing network of organisations committed to galvanising a stronger, more inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy for all.  

A job at Unilever is a career made by you, with development opportunities, benefits and a working culture that embraces diversity and is pioneering flexibility. There’s no better time to join our team! 

Job Description Overview

Market Collaboration Planner (MCP) is a key role within the Execute function of the Customer Operations. MCP owns the volume forecast & accountable for delivering an aligned, unbiased & accurate forecast. As a master in demand planning and S&OP, this role translates insights and collaborates to ensure cross functional inputs in the creation of the forecast. In conjunction with Category, Customer, Marketing and Supply functions, they will ensure the delivery of business targets by improving forecast fundamentals and influencing through storytelling of the numbers.

Main Responsibilities

Demand Collaboration

• Drive collaboration across the business teams to ensure that forecast represents are good mix of value and volume growth. Own the demand drivers

• Be a key member of the S&OP forum; Drive Activity & Demand Review meetings through business insights

• Utilizing full benefits of technology and data to drive monthly S&OP forums.

• Using the base of analytics, to provide insights and drive Activity Review Meetings for a better-quality forecast across medium & long-term horizons

• Being a true market facing role, Market Collaboration planners will be responsible for all collaborations with commercial, finance, marketing and customer/category teams

• Ensure updated and agreed volume forecast are submitted and aligned with financial forecasting

• Actively identify the gaps in forecast and ensure that the business team maintain focus on delivery business targets

• Lead the relevant S&OE (0-3 months) and S&OP (4+ months) discussions at ARM/DRMs and weekly collabs to drive the improvement agenda

Growth

• Be at the core of robust innovation business cases and identification of most optimal Forecast

• Identify assumption for incremental volumes across the various channels and ensure alignment with market data & promo group trends

• Collaborate with Marketing, Category and finance. Estimate volumes of regular items, innovations and offerings by customers

• Adopt new technologies such Forecast Utility Engine (FEU)/Machine Learning

• Work with Planning (Supply) for handling exceptions (late change requests)

• Present plan & innovation updates in the relevant business meetings

• Display strong understanding of Supply solutions and optimisation opportunities

Decision Making

• Participate S&OP reviews and meetings for the relevant category and manage supply chain stakeholders

• Collaborate with Trade & supply to address product availability constraints and identify alternatives for effective gap management

• Highlight risks and opportunities, alignment with Top-down sales volume

• Review Late Changes with Customer managers and effectively engage with Execution for effective and quick decisions

• Engage with Plan & Execute to review the outcome of key forecast changes, major upcoming promotions, potential supply risks, late changes

• Engage with VRP and Customer Sales team weekly to review Projected Orders, PDQ requirements, innovations in near term and late changes

• First point of contact for exception management (Incremental Promotions, Changes in Innovations, Customer Ranging outcomes, Managing De-listings, Customer Off-location opportunities, etc.)

• Provide support to the Business Unit on Scenario Planning & Trade-Offs

• Support Scenario Based planning to identify and offer multiple solutions

Agility and Responsiveness

• Drive concurrent planning across Demand and Supply elements to embed agility and responsiveness in the way we operate

• Identify opportunities to automate and get continuous benefits for data analytics and intelligence

Key Deliverables (KPI)

• Forecast Accuracy & Bias

• Volume Value Disconnect

• Forecast Value Add for input-led forecast

• Innovation Forecast Bias

• FEU Adoption metrics (automated forecasting)

• Supply Metrics: Customer Service, Inventory & Business Waste

Key Skills

• Strong Excel Skills

• Planning Mastery, S&OP and Business Finance understanding

• Ability to make fact-based decisions.

• Strong communication skill and ability to influence key stakeholders

• Proven ability to work within a team

• Knowledge of relevant SC Processes

• Category & Customer Knowledge

Relevant Experience

• University Degree, Supply Chain (APICS etc) qualification is an advantage

• Essential Skills

• Strong experience in Supply Chain

• Digital Analytic Tools such as, PowerBi

• Experience in Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry

Preferred Skills

• Experience in Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry

• Kinaxis planning tool & Automated Forecast engines

What awaits you at Unilever?

The core of Unilever’s culture is captured as Human, Purposeful, Accountable. You will be joining a dynamic, flexible, and inspiring work environment that truly cares about your wellbeing, values what you do and celebrates your success.

This is your opportunity to be part of a purpose-led business and a global community where you can progress your career both locally and internationally. You will also benefit from amazing discounts on external company products, attractive employee referral reward program amongst other benefits.

This is a great opportunity to work within an iconic and global organization. We have gained our reputation as one of the world's most admired employers by providing an environment where individuals can achieve their goals, both professionally and personally.

Make no mistake we expect a lot from our people as they do of us. So, if you can rise to the challenge, don't waste any time - apply now!

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life! This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment journey. Should you require additional information or reasonable adjustments to allow you to present your best self during this process, please contact anz.talent@unilever.com.

Unilever is an organization committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities.

This means we encourage people with all backgrounds to apply, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pacific Peoples, and people with disabilities.

At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! We encourage you to advise us at the time of your application if you require any reasonable adjustment so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.