FBC Demand Planning Manager
Brussels, BE
Company Description
Created in 2020, the Fine Biscuits Company Group (FBC Group) is composed of three complementary companies:
- Kelsen Group
- Biscuits Delacre
- The Fine Lab
Together, one of the leaders in premium biscuit assortment market. We produce some of Europe’s most iconic biscuit brands including Delacre, Delichoc, Kjeldsens and Royal Dansk. Our products leverage two unique archetypes of European excellence: the butter cookie from Denmark and the chocolate-coated biscuit from Belgium.
Both Delacre and Kelsen have a long-lasting history, deeply rooted in their countries of origin, and proud holders of the Royal Warranty from respectively the Queen of Denmark and the “Court” of Belgium.
Our brands are supported by The Fine Lab, where we innovate to create new products with a passion for quality and the will to continue to delight consumers around the world.
Our Group is composed of more than 800 employees around the world who share our values of Loyalty and Trust, Respect & Responsibility, Integrity & Moderation, Passion for Quality, Research & Innovation.
With a presence in 7 different countries, and part of the Ferrero Ecosystem, we offer rewarding career opportunities.
About the Role
Continuously growing the Fine Biscuits Company Group, we are stepping up towards Best-in-Class Sales & Operations Planning developing our organisation, processes and tools. In this framework we create the new exciting role of FBC Demand Planning Manager within FBC Group's S&OP Team.
The purpose of the role is to lead FBC's demand management, to deploy best practice demand planning processes and to manage the demand planning activities across all different sales & marketing channels of the Group.
As FBC Demand Planning Manager you report to the FBC S&OP Manager. You manage a small team of Demand Planners in local sites across our business.
Your role is to ensure excellent service levels by delivering, consolidating and reviewing accurate demand forecasts through all FBC Group’s commercial planning streams, covering all brands and premium private labels. As part of the integrated S&OP process, you will drive the demand reviews and you will ensure - in collaboration with the FBC Supply planning team - short, mid & long term product availability. This includes monitoring actions plans relating to demand & supply alignment, promotional planning, new product introduction, obsolescence prevention, ...
You represent a pivotal entry point of the Supply Chain organization for business counterparts within the end-to-end planning process, ensuring cross-functional sensibility on product destructions. You collaborate with the larger S&OP team, with Sales, (Trade) Marketing, Customer Service and with distributors.
You will also manage the co-packing activities within FBC Group, acting with Customer Service and Logistics teams, co-packers and co-packing material suppliers to optimize the Supply Chain execution.
You are in close contact with the FBC S&OP Business analyst. With this support, you will drive continuous improvement in all activities and processes of the FBC Demand Planning scope.
This role has an international scope. It is located in the Brussels' headquarters of the group. Limited travel to other sites might be required.
Main Responsibilities
The role has 3 main pillars:
1. Demand planning :
- You are responsible to manage the Demand Planning process throughout the different commercial streams on all brands, ensuring delivery of the most accurate (re)forecasts on short, medium and long term horizons.
- You ensure the budget demand planning process (including trend & seasonality analysis and integration of market intelligence) reflecting market movements and integrating Finance assumptions.
- You support the resolution of demand & supply reconciliation issues with the S&OP-Board.
- You provide Demand Planning input / knowledge within strategic acquisitions.
- You collaborate effectively and efficiently with the Sales, Marketing and Finance teams, by chairing the Sales & Operations Planning meetings, aggregating data timely and by communicating outcomes of relevant forecast meetings back to these teams.
- You review and challenge demand related KPIs.
- You collaborate closely to the business references, coaching them on forecasting methodologies and prioritizing constrained demands by customers.
- You contribute to the development, implementation of FBC's Co-Packing strategy, managing the supply chain relationship with and performance monitoring of the Co-Packing partners.
2. People management & stakeholder management
- You motivate and develop your team of Demand & Co-Packing planners, driving their engagement and performance to reach key objectives.
- You install solid relationships and transparent communication with all key stakeholders within the FBC S&OP process: Supply chain teams, Sales team, ...
3. Continous improvement
- You actively contribute to the implementation of Demand planning and reporting tools, continuously seeking to improve and optimize Demand planning processes, whilst removing non-value adding tasks.
- You contribute to supply chain strategy development projects and implementation.
- You develop continuous improvement initiatives to increase forecast accuracy and reduce bias.
- You animate and participate to function related meetings as well as to cross-functional and cross-organizations projects.
Who we are looking for
- Solid experience (min. 5 years) in Demand Planning and Management within an international FMCG environment (preferably packed food goods): minimum of 5 years of experience
- APICS Certification is a strong advantage
- Digitally skilled, preferably with expertise in SAP S4 Hana, IBP and PowerBI
- Skilled in transparent communication
- Excellent people and stakeholder management
- Financial and commercial awareness, including profound understanding of profitability figures and cost center management
- Proven continuous improvement & standardisation and harmonisation mindset
- Fluent in English and French
- Pro-active, driving collaboration between departments and organisations
- Time and project management skills, including the ability to deal with seemingly conflicting objectives of different stakeholders
- Resilience