Tea Planning Manager at LIPTON Teas and Infusions

We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Demand Planner to join our dynamic team at Lipton Teas and Infusions. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring accurate demand forecasting and planning to support the company's operations, minimize stockouts, and maintain optimal inventory levels across our global supply chain. You will work closely with sales, marketing, and supply chain teams to develop and manage demand & supply plans for raw material tea sourcing.

The role also requires generating actionable insights through MIS reports and Power BI dashboards, ensuring data-driven decision-making across departments.

Key Responsibilities:

Demand Forecasting:

• Develop, maintain, and refine demand forecasts for all product lines in collaboration with sales, marketing, and finance teams.
• Analyze historical sales data, market trends, and promotional activities to generate accurate short-term and long-term demand & supply forecasts.
• Continuously monitor demand patterns and adjust forecasts to reflect any changes in consumer behavior, market conditions, or external factors (e.g., seasonal variations, trends, economic shifts).

Data Integrity :

•  Maintain and update forecasting tools, master data, including CVC creation, disaggregation factors, and attributes. Regularly cleanse historical data to remove outliers and ensure accuracy.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management:

• Work closely with supply chain teams and in-country planners to align on product launches, promotional events, and sales forecasts.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to ensure demand planning aligns with upcoming marketing campaigns and new product introductions.
• Communicate forecast data and any significant changes to supply chain and production teams to ensure appropriate inventory levels and production schedules.

Inventory Optimization:

• Ensure that the demand plans align with production and procurement capabilities to optimize inventory levels across the supply chain.
• Develop strategies to minimize excess stock and reduce stockouts while maximizing product availability.

Data Analysis, MIS & Reporting:

• Perform root cause analysis on forecast errors and develop strategies for improvement.
• Use data analytics tools and systems (such as SAP, Excel, or specialized forecasting software) to track and analyze demand performance.
• Generate regular reports on forecast accuracy, stock levels, inventory turnover, and other key metrics for senior management review.

Continuous Improvement:

• Contribute to the ongoing development of demand planning processes and tools to increase forecasting accuracy, reduce lead times, and enhance supply chain efficiency.
• Stay informed about industry best practices and emerging trends in demand planning and supply chain management.

Qualifications and Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field.​
• Experience: At least 3 years of experience in demand planning or supply chain management, preferably within the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.​
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in SAP APO and Business Intelligence (BI) tools. Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel, Power BI and other MS Office applications.​
• Certifications: APICS CPIM or CSCP certification is desirable.​