Demand Planning Analyst

Overview

• **About the Job:****Position: Demand Planning Analyst.****Location**: Jabal Ali Freezone, Dubai, UAE.
• **Contract Type:** Full-Time, In-House.
• **Reports to**: Director of Global Sales & Commercial Growth.
• Are you a data-driven problem-solver who thrives on turning numbers into actionable strategies?
• Do you excel at balancing **forecast accuracy**, **market insights**, and **sales performance tracking**?
• If yes, **GTI** wants you on our team!
• **What You Will Do:****Demand Forecasting & Planning:*** Lead the monthly demand planning process and own the creation of **rolling forecasts** (3/6/12-month) by market and SKU.
• Analyze historical **shipment data**, market dynamics, and seasonality to build accurate demand plans.
• Integrate commercial inputs, promotional plans, and distributor feedback into forecast models.
• Drive GTI’s **Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP)** cycle: prepare demand review inputs, align with cross-functional teams, and ensure forecast accountability.
• Monitor forecast accuracy and propose improvements to reduce forecast error and improve planning responsiveness.
• Assess and synthesize external market inputs (e.g., trade feedback, census data, field insights) into demand signals.
• **Inventory & Sales Performance Visibility:*** Provide Supply Chain with validated demand plans to avoid stock-outs, aging inventory, or overproduction.
• Track and report **stock coverage**, safety stock, and product velocity by market/customer/SKU.
• Identify gaps in demand vs. supply and propose mitigation plans with relevant stakeholders.
• Support launch planning for new products or packaging formats with demand simulations and allocation logic.
• **Sales Reporting & Data Analysis:*** Consolidate and structure large datasets from shipment records, customers, and markets.
• Build and maintain Excel or Power BI dashboards that track **volume trends**, seasonality, customer segmentation, SKU performance, and forecast vs. actual variances.
• Conduct deep-dive analysis of **quantitative and qualitative data** to measure sales performance, customer frequency, and region-specific trends.
• Read and interpret third-party market data (e.g., **retail audits**, census data, market studies) to assess **market preferences and commercial potential.**
• Provide monthly and quarterly sales performance reports for leadership decision-making.
• **Process Development & Cross-functional Collaboration:*** Work closely with **Supply Chain, Finance, and Commercial teams** to align demand plans with supply capabilities and business targets.
• Help define the **forecast ownership process**, cadence, and documentation framework.
• Contribute to the development and optimization of GTI’s **demand planning tools, templates, and reporting cadence.**
• Participate in commercial audits, distributor reviews, and market visits to validate assumptions and evolve planning maturity.
• **Required Skills To Be Successful:*** Advanced skills in **Microsoft Excel** (Power Query, Pivot Tables, Lookup functions) and experience with **Power BI** or similar dashboard tools.
• Excellent analytical capabilities and ability to **interpret large, complex datasets.**
• Strong understanding of demand planning cycles, forecast accuracy KPIs, and S&OP principles.
• Able to generate insights from external data such as retail audits or national statistics.
• Proactive, collaborative, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, transformation-driven environment.
• Strong communication skills to translate data into actionable recommendations across departments.
• **What Equips You For The Role:*** 3+ years of experience in **demand planning**, sales analytics, or commercial forecasting within **FMCG, tobacco, or regulated industries.**
• Hands-on experience with **S&OP processes**, forecasting tools, and ERP/sales data environments.
• Proven ability to consolidate scattered data and convert it into commercial insight.
• Bachelor’s degree in **Business, Supply Chain, Economics, Engineering**, or related field.
• Fluent in English; additional languages (Arabic and Russian) are a plus.