Strategic and Category Forecast Manager

Suntory is a fast moving, agile and entrepreneurial business that is home to some of the nations most loved brands. The Suntory Group is one of the largest soft drinks companies and among the world’s leading consumer products companies. We offer a uniquely diverse portfolio of beverages enjoyed by millions across the globe.

You will play a critical role in our business for overseeing the long-term demand forecasts across our brands, and ensuring our strategic vision and plans are delivering against our ambitions for volume growth. You will work with multiple stakeholders of all levels to validate assumptions that feed the plan, holding the tension of ambition vs. reality, and ensuring that growth expectations are based off robust market trends and customer behaviour that will unlock category growth or expansion.

What You'll Do

• Category Forecasting: Collaborate with marketing, RGM, CS&P to develop, evolve & manage long-term demand forecasts vs business objectives. Be the objective stakeholder who interrogates ambition & plans against assumptions of growth to create a robust plan that is reflective of the most likely outcome. Drive our maturity by working with BPO & other SBFE markets on Statistical Forecasting to unlock efficiencies, drive a long-term demand view and guide our strategic planning. Support the demand forecasting team on building the 2–3-year forecast, understanding & being confident on all assumptions.
• Strategic Planning: Coordinate x-functional teams to ensure alignment of category forecasts against all 4Ps (Product, Price, Place, and Promotion) and ensure high-level assumptions from range extension to cost price increases are included. Utilise multiple data sets and systems to facilitate strong forecasting methodologies, including but not limited to Statistical Forecasting & Segmentation Analysis. Integrate the above into our Mid-Term Planning (MTP) and Annual Operational Planning (AOP) cycles that are fundamental to planning & realising our business goals.
• Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to category forecasting accuracy and performance and put in place corrective actions where needed to optimise performance in line with expectation.
• Continuous Improvement: Work across markets & with the support of the Demand BPO to help identify opportunities for process improvements and implement best-in-class practices and innovative solutions to enhance forecasting accuracy and efficiency.

What You need to be successful

• Solid experience in a Senior Demand Planning or similar role.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to engage multi-functional senior stakeholders across our business.
• Ability to confidently & constructively challenge data assumptions & seek to gain alignment for business-based decisions.
• Advanced Excel (Power Query advantageous) for reporting and analysis.
• Strong analytical skills able to make connections in data, events and trends.
• Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to navigate complexity and ambiguity through effective problem-solving and a process-orientated approach.

Key Competencies and skills (Suntory Leadership Spirit)

• You have that Yatte Minahare (Go for it!) Spirit and an entrepreneurial flair!
• Growth Mindset – if we’re not moving forwards, we’re moving backwards!
• You have an opinion, and you want to share it … in the right way of course!
• A People centric ethos – we look to develop and create empowered leaders, not managers!
• You have a passion for learning and developing - we live in an increasingly volatile world so want to ensure our team has learning agility and grow personally and professionally within this!

Our DEI Commitment

At Suntory, we recognise that diverse knowledge, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to our collective success. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work every day, regardless of race, colour, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.

Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to highlight what Suntory offers as an employer while allowing candidates to share their unique skills and experiences. We understand that career trajectories vary, and if you believe your experience/background can benefit our team, we encourage you to apply. We endeavour to make our interview process as inclusive as possible and offer reasonable accommodations as needed. Together, we can cultivate a workplace where everyone can thrive and propel our mission of Growing for Good.