At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead demand and supply planning for nutrition products across EMEA, ensuring product availability.
- Company: Abbott, a global healthcare leader focused on breakthrough science.
- Benefits: Career development opportunities, diverse workplace, and recognition as a top employer.
- Other info: Join a collaborative team dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape business decisions and drive transformation in a dynamic, impactful role.
- Qualifications: Experience in demand/supply planning and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global healthcare leader, creating breakthrough science to improve people’s health.
We’re always looking towards the future, anticipating changes in medical science and technology.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an ambitious and influential Area Demand & Supply Manager to lead end-to-end planning excellence by balancing customer demand, inventory optimization, and supply availability across the EMEA region within Abbott Nutrition International.
Reporting into the Director, Supply chain and Logistics, this represents an exciting step in broadening strategic leadership capabilities within the supply chain function responsible for ensuring the availability of critical nutrition products across diverse markets while driving Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes, continuous improvement initiatives, and building high‑performing teams.
You’ll play a pivotal role in shaping business decisions through data‑driven insights, leading regional planning teams, and partnering with senior stakeholders across Commercial, Finance, Supply Chain, and Global Operations.
This is a great opportunity for an experienced Demand & Supply Manager professional who enjoys solving complex challenges, leading transformation, and influencing outcomes on a regional scale.
What You’ll Do
As the EMEA planning lead, you'll be responsible for ensuring robust demand and supply plans that support business growth while delivering outstanding service to customers and patients.
We're looking for a strategic supply chain leader who combines strong planning expertise with exceptional analytical capability and experience at both country and region level.
Responsibilities include
- Strategic Demand & Supply Leadership
- Lead the end-to-end demand planning process across EMEA for infant, paediatric, and adult nutrition portfolios.
- Develop accurate and actionable forecasts using market intelligence, epidemiological trends, demographic data, commercial activity, and customer insights.
- Drive improvements in forecast accuracy and forecast bias to support business performance.
- Partner with Supply Chain and Logistics teams to ensure uninterrupted product availability across the region.
- Lead supply allocation decisions during periods of constraint, balancing business priorities, contractual commitments, and patient needs.
- Manage inventory health, minimizing excess stock, expiry risks, and obsolescence while driving continuous improvements.
- Own the Regional IBP & S&OP Process
- Lead the EMEA Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes.
- Ensure strong alignment across demand, supply, financial commitments, and long-term business plans.
- Identify supply risks, capacity constraints, and future opportunities, developing mitigation strategies and scenario plans.
- Deliver meaningful insights and recommendations to senior leadership teams to support informed decision‑making.
- Inspire and Develop High-Performing Teams
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of Demand and Supply Planning professionals across the EMEA region.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Build organizational capability in forecasting, analytics, planning systems, and business storytelling.
- Lead change management initiatives, supporting the successful adoption of new tools, technologies, and planning processes.
- Drive Analytics & Business Performance
- Leverage data and advanced analytics to improve planning decisions and business outcomes.
- Monitor and drive key performance indicators including f
- forecast Accuracy & Bias
- Inventory Days on Hand
- Expiry & Obsolescence
- Offtake Performance
- Conduct root cause analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions.
- Develop actionable insights through dashboards and analytical tools that influence strategic decisions.
- Champion Transformation & Digitalization
- Drive planning excellence and process standardization across multiple countries and markets.
- Support the adoption of advanced planning technologies including SAP IBP and analytics platforms.
- Contribute to regional and global supply chain transformation initiatives.
Experience & Qualifications
- Degree qualified or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
- Significant experience in Demand Planning, Supply Planning, IBP, S&OP, or Supply Chain leadership roles.
- Proven success managing and developing teams within a complex matrix organization.
- Experience operating across multiple countries, regions, or international markets.
- Expertise in SAP IBP, APO, or equivalent planning platforms.
- Experience within a regulated industry such as Nutrition, Healthcare, Medical Devices, Life Sciences, or Pharmaceuticals is advantageous.
- Strong leadership and team development skills.
- Advanced forecasting and analytical capability.
- Passion for leveraging data to drive business decisions.
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
- Commercial and financial acumen.
- Ability to navigate complexity across diverse markets and cultures.
- Change leadership mindset with a track record of driving transformation.
- Naturally curious, proactive, and motivated to continuously improve processes and performance.
- Working at Abbott
- Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
- A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
- A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.
Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.
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EMEA Area Demand & Supply Manager in Thatcham employer: Abbott Laboratories
Abbott Laboratories is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in the heart of South West UK. With a strong commitment to employee development, we provide comprehensive training and a competitive benefits package that supports both personal and professional growth. Join us to be part of a collaborative culture that values innovation and empowers you to make a meaningful impact in the healthcare sector.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land EMEA Area Demand & Supply Manager in Thatcham
✨Join Supply Chain Meetups
Get yourself out there by attending supply chain meetups and industry events. It's a great way to meet fellow professionals, learn about trends, and maybe even hear about job openings before they’re posted online.
✨Show Off Your Skills on LinkedIn
Don’t just sit back and wait for opportunities! Post insights or articles on LinkedIn about supply chain challenges or solutions you’re passionate about. This not only showcases your expertise but can catch the eye of recruiters looking for someone like you.
✨Engage with Supply Chain Communities
Dive into online communities related to supply chain operations like forums or groups on Reddit and LinkedIn. Engaging in discussions can help you network, get advice, and you might even stumble upon some hidden job opportunities.
✨Apply through Our Website
When you spot a position at Abbott Laboratories, make sure to apply through our website directly. It's often the quickest way to get your application in front of the right people and show that you’re genuinely interested in the role of EMEA Area Demand & Supply Manager.
We think you need these skills to ace EMEA Area Demand & Supply Manager in Thatcham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Supply Chain Savvy:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in supply chain operations. Whether it’s managing logistics or coordinating with suppliers, we want to see examples of how you've navigated the complexities of the supply chain. Concrete achievements, like reducing costs or improving delivery times, will definitely catch our eye!
Quantify Your Impact:When listing your previous roles on your CV, go for numbers! Mention percentages or actual figures where possible—like how much you've improved efficiency or reduced waste. It's all about showing us the tangible impact you've made in your past positions in supply chain operations.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:In your cover letter, don’t just regurgitate your CV. Instead, connect your experiences specifically to the role at Abbott Laboratories. Share why you're passionate about supply chain operations and how this full-time role aligns with your career goals—I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear that!
Research and Reflect:Before you apply, take some time to research Abbott Laboratories and its supply chain operations. Reflect on how your skills and experiences can fit into their operations. Being able to discuss their challenges and how you can contribute to solving them in your application will really make you stand out!
How to prepare for a job interview at Abbott Laboratories
✨Know Your Basics in Supply Chain Management
Make sure you've got a solid grasp of key supply chain concepts like demand forecasting, inventory management, and logistics. We could be quizzed on these during technical rounds, so brush up on any software tools commonly used in the industry like SAP or Oracle. This knowledge will help us show we can hit the ground running!
✨Show Off Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to discuss real-world scenarios where you've used data analysis to solve supply chain challenges. If you've got experience with tools like Excel or Tableau, get ready to talk about how you've used these to optimise processes or improve efficiencies. Employers love seeing that we can turn data into actionable insights!
✨Highlight Your Teamwork and Project Management Skills
In a full-time role, collaboration is key. Think of examples where you've worked on cross-functional teams or managed projects. Sharing how you navigated challenges while working with diverse groups will show that we can thrive in a dynamic environment like at Abbott Laboratories.
✨Research Specific Challenges Faced by Abbott Laboratories
Look into any unique supply chain challenges Abbott Laboratories might be facing, whether it's sustainability, supplier relationships, or global disruptions. Being prepared to discuss these topics shows that we're not only informed but also genuinely interested in how we can contribute to their success. That’s a big plus in any interview!
