The Senior Manager, Demand Planning will be accountable for forecasting and demand planning for Americas BU for all products in range (coffee, consumables, machines). Reporting into the Senior director of Supply Chain - US, this role has no direct report, will work with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and is accountable to add value to the demand planning process, deliver great service and minimize cost throughout the supply chain.

A bit about us...

We’re Costa Coffee, masters of our craft since 1971 when the Costa brothers opened their first Roastery in London. A lot has changed since then. As well as being the UK’s Favourite coffee shop for the last 13 years*, we are also present in over 40 other countries across EMENA, APAC, and the Americas. We are on a mission like no other to inspire the world to love great coffee. From our evolving store propositions to our innovative FMCG offering, we’re ambitious, disrupting and owning the coffee technology space, allowing us to provide the best solutions for our B2B customers and partners. This is all supported by being part of The Coca-Cola Company. If you love coffee, you’ll love us. This is where tastebuds are brought to life. But it’s not all about the coffee. Joining the Costa family is about loving your chance to do a great job alongside brilliant people who make the hard work worth it. And we promise, we’ll make sure you’re always loving your craft.

• by Allegra Strategies

Function Related Activities/Key Responsibilities:

S&OP process support towards one set of numbers across the BU

• Create, review and submit a validated long term demand plan initially in Excel, then in Anaplan/SAP for all products in range to all required deadlines, hitting agreed forecast accuracy and bias (TBD)
• Implement Anaplan* (our DP system) statistical forecasting module and the planning cycle.
• Responsible for maintaining accurately and on time Anaplan master data (statistical forecast…)
• Validate forecast within Anaplan to enable the execution of the company ABP/latest revised forecast/LRP.
• Forecast new product launches as quickly and accurately as possible in order to mitigate risk.
• Work with Commercial operational teams to understand how new placements, new products and campaigns impact demand and adjust plans by reacting to ever changing data and insight.
• Work with Marketing and Commercialization teams on new initiatives and trials in order to give insight on volumes and risks associated
• Feedback during the S&OP process the validated demand plans highlighting any supply risks e.g. NPD/delist, supply constraints, residual and obsolete stock… and action any outcomes.

Establish effective working relationships with key stakeholders internally and externally

• Work with Supply Planning to provide visibility for products on longer lead times in order to secure sufficient production capacity and mitigate supply risk, and also to define stock inventory policy.
• Work collaboration with various key internal stakeholders including Supply Planning, Customer Service and Export Manager, Commercialization, Marketing, Commercial Operational Teams, Finance functions... on ad-hoc requests and routine reports
• Work with Supply Planning and Central Procurement to implement hedging strategies to ensure supply continuity and mitigate risks.

Reporting & supply chain optimisation initiatives

• Create, maintain and review reporting e.g. actual sales vs. forecast on a daily basis to support the decision making across key stakeholders
• Analyse performance of various KPIs (forecast accuracy and bias, root causes of inaccurate forecasting, Nbr of NPDs launch/delist…) and provide narrative for historic review and learnings.
• Perform forward looking analysis and work with the Supply Planning team to identify and take action on volatile demand and supply concerns. Flagging risks in the short and longer term which could impact product availability to our partners, residual and obsolete stock write off costs, storage challenges and subsequent potential impacts working capital.
• Support a continuous improvement approach e.g. work with the Global Supply Chain team in optimising the process and ways of working with Anaplan/SAP and S&OP process / support and new project operationally
• Costa Head of Supply Chain and Procurement APAC and Americas
• Costa Americas Supply Chain teams
• Costa Supply Planning, Customer Service and Export team
• Costa Central Supply Chain e.g. Global S&OP team, Projects, Procurement
• Our partners, OU and co manufacturers
• Costa Marketing, Commercial Operational Teams, Commercialisation and Finance

Qualification & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree with 5+ years of relevant experience

• Demand Planning in FMCG/ Retail environment

• Customer service environment

• Demand planning system (Anaplan/SAP or equivalent)

• Demand validation and planning expertise, understanding of how to build a strong demand plan. Review and improve from long term forecasting to short term adjustment, demand control, NPD, stock allocation processes, bias management

• Anaplan/SAP demand planning or equivalent system

• Working cross-functionally internally and externally, influencing peer group and above
• Relationship building while challenging where appropriate

• Advanced capability on Microsoft Excel and confident ability around using new ERP systems and tools

• Strong analytical skills with attention to detail

• Strong decision making, judgement, being proactive and able to overcome obstacles

• Communication skills (written and verbal)

What We Can Do for You

• Purpose Driven: Purpose driven approach that empowers our people to protect the environment and communities we serve while delivering safe & quality products.
• Global Connections: Allows you to develop, enhance and maintain global connections that allow us to move faster and learn from others.
• Community of Belonging: We’re an organization that believes in our ability to continually grow and build the right atmosphere where people feel safe and empowered, letting you bring your best self to work.

Skills:

Continual Improvement Process; Global Sourcing; Category Management; Competitor Analysis; Procurement Procedures; Budget Management; Contracts; Sourcing (Inactive); Microsoft Office; Group Problem Solving; Buyer Representation; Communication; Supplier Relationship Management; Low Cost Country Sourcing; Marketing Capabilities; Negotiation; Technical Category Procurement; Supplier Financial Analysis; Economic Cost Drivers