Demand Planning Analyst in Greenford

We are looking for a Demand Planning Analyst to join our Supply Chain team, reporting to the Category Demand Planner and playing a key role in Sales & Operating Planning. This role is responsible for consolidating the long-term demand plan and translating data into clear, actionable insights that support both weekly demand planning and monthly long-range forecasts.

Using tools such as APO and Blue Yonder, the Demand Planning Analyst will analyse demand data to build optimised plans that maximise product availability and freshness. Working closely with cross-functional teams, the role will assess forecast versus budget performance, identify risks and opportunities, and provide visibility of product demand volumes to ensure plans align with lead times and operational constraints.

The Demand Planning Analyst will partner with the Category Demand Planner to present demand plans during consensus meetings and contribute to wider supply chain reviews. This includes aligning forecasting, demand, and supply processes, measuring forecast accuracy against budget, and assessing the downstream impact on the supply chain.

As a key interface between the business and the end-to-end planning function, this role offers a pivotal entry point into the Supply Chain organisation. It helps ensure strong cross-functional alignment on critical supply chain KPIs, including forecast accuracy, freshness, and service level, while supporting informed decision-making across the business.

Main Responsibilities

• Aggregate plans, shape demand forecasts, and support the Sales & Operations Planning cycle.
• Work closely with Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to ensure demand plans are robust, aligned, and operationally achievable.
• Collect and consolidate historical and forecast data from Sales and Marketing, including volume, revenue, and pricing, with distributor input considered where relevant.
• Aggregate data into a consistent planning framework, covering product and SKU-level views by week for the short term, and brand-level views by month for the mid-term horizon.
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing stakeholders to provide support, capture updates, and continuously adjust the demand plan.
• Share forecasting methodologies and tools to drive consistency and understanding.
• Ensure a comprehensive demand plan across the full S&OP horizon, considering trends, commercial initiatives, distributor insights, and advanced analytics.
• Translate demand into an executable delivery plan at SKU, weekly, quantity, and price level, while recognising constraints that cannot be managed.
• Operationalise the plan across a rolling horizon of up to 18 months using the relevant planning tools, including the group demand planning system to establish baseline forecasts.
• Act as a Brand Owner within the S&OP process, working with local and central stakeholders.
• Include topics such as product destruction or write-off considerations in S&OP discussions or dedicated routines.
• Deliver clear KPIs and reporting, prepare and support local S&OP meetings, and ensure agreed decisions are reflected in the demand plan.
• Contribute to the annual budget process by collecting, evaluating, and operationalising major changes or discontinuities.
• Support Sales and Marketing teams with forecasting for new product launches, including analysing trends and seasonality of comparable products, reviewing previous launch curves, and developing pipeline forecasts to support successful market introductions.

About You

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the Sales & Operations Planning process and experience working within cross-functional teams to solve complex business challenges. They bring an inquisitive and constructive mindset, with the confidence to challenge assumptions and communicate clearly and honestly when needed. They are objective, fair, and able to quickly build trust and credibility with stakeholders at all levels.

This role requires a proven ability to communicate and present information in a clear, concise, and engaging way. The successful candidate is not satisfied with the status quo and is motivated to continuously improve processes, reduce delays, and drive better outcomes. They are comfortable working under pressure, able to prioritise effectively to meet deadlines, and remain adaptable in a fast-paced environment.

A willingness to learn, share best practices, and collaborate openly with others is essential, along with experience in forecasting and demand planning.

Our Benefits & Perks

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About Ferrero

Ferrero began its journey in the small town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, in 1946. Today, it is one of the world’s largest sweet-packaged food companies, with many iconic brands sold in countries all over the world. Find out more about Ferrero at ferrero.com.

DE&I at Ferrero

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them with the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative, and highly rewarding.