| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Supply Chain |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Demand Planning Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in demand planning or analytics |
Demand Planner job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Demand Planner
Department: Supply Chain
Reports to: Demand Planning Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Demand Planner builds the forecast of how much of each product a company will sell. They run statistical forecasts, add inputs from sales and marketing, adjust for promotions and seasonality, and track how accurate the forecast turns out to be. The role sits in supply chain planning under a demand planning manager. A good one produces forecasts the supply team can rely on, keeps improving accuracy, explains the assumptions behind the numbers, and flags demand risks early so the business is not caught by shortages or excess stock.
Key responsibilities
- Build and update statistical demand forecasts for products and markets each cycle.
- Add and reconcile inputs from sales, marketing and customers into the forecast.
- Adjust forecasts for promotions, launches, seasonality and known events.
- Track forecast accuracy and bias, and investigate large errors.
- Prepare demand data and analysis for the demand review meeting.
- Maintain forecast data, hierarchies and parameters in the planning system.
- Flag demand risks and changes early to the planning team.
- Analyse demand history and patterns to improve forecast models.
- Support new product forecasting with assumptions and comparable product analogues.
- Coordinate with supply planning so the forecast is usable for planning.
Requirements
- Degree in statistics, engineering, commerce or a related field
- Knowledge of forecasting and planning
- Strong analytical and Excel skills
- 2 to 5 years in demand planning or analytics
KRAs and KPIs for a Demand Planner
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Forecast accuracy | Forecast accuracy meets the target for assigned products |
| Forecast bias | Forecast bias kept within the acceptable range |
| On time forecast | Forecast updated and submitted on schedule each cycle |
| Input quality | Sales and marketing inputs gathered and reconciled each cycle |
| Risk flagging | Demand risks and changes flagged early to the team |
| Data accuracy | Forecast data and parameters kept accurate in the system |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Demand planning software, ERP such as SAP, Advanced Excel, Statistical forecasting tools, Business intelligence dashboards.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Demand Planning Manager, S&OP Manager
Interview questions for a Demand Planner
- How would you forecast a product with seasonal and promotional demand?
- How do you measure and improve forecast accuracy?
- How do you handle sales inputs that always seem too optimistic?
- How do you forecast a brand-new product with no history?
- What do you do when a forecast is consistently biased?
- How do you prepare data for a demand review meeting?
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What does a demand planner do?
A demand planner builds the forecast of how much of each product a company will sell. They run statistical forecasts, add inputs from sales and marketing, adjust for promotions and seasonality, and track how accurate the forecast turns out. They produce forecasts the supply team can rely on and flag demand risks early.
What skills does a demand planner need?
A demand planner needs statistical forecasting, forecast accuracy analysis and strong data and Excel skills, plus knowledge of planning systems. Attention to detail matters, since small forecast errors ripple through the supply chain. Communication helps too, because good forecasts blend statistics with inputs from sales and marketing that must be gathered and challenged.
What is the difference between a demand planner and a demand planning manager?
A demand planner builds and updates the forecasts for assigned products under guidance. A demand planning manager leads the demand planning process, owns overall forecast accuracy, runs the demand review, and manages the planners. The planner produces the numbers; the manager owns the process and the results and develops the team.