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).
