IMPORTANT:
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ROLE OVERVIEW:
For our client in the food & beverage industry, we are looking for a highly data-savvy Demand Planning & Forecasting Manager with a business-first mindset.
In this critical role, you will be the analytical engine driving the production and supply chain efficiency.
Your primary mission is to ensure the client's retail stores and delivery channels are always adequately stocked to meet customer demand, while simultaneously minimizing product wastage.
By deeply understanding buyer demographics, product seasonality, and festival-driven demand surges, you will help a deeply rooted heritage F&B brand scale its operations flawlessly and optimize procurement costs.
ROLE DETAILS:
- Role: Demand Planning & Forecasting Manager (Food & Beverage Industry)
- Experience Required: 3 to 5 years
- Client's Industry: Food & Beverage (F&B) | 30+ years in existence, 250+ crore in revenue
- Travel Requirements: Travel required across Bengaluru city and the client's retail outlet locations
- Employment Type: Full-time
- Work Arrangement: Work from Office (WFO)
ABOUT THE CLIENT'S COMPANY:
Our client is a leading F&B brand known for its premium products and strong market presence across retail outlets, delivery platforms, quick commerce, and e-commerce.
With over three decades of legacy and state-of-the-art manufacturing, they are in a phase of dynamic growth, modernizing their operations to serve millions of customers while maintaining their core value of excellence.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. DEMAND PLANNING & PRODUCTION FORECASTING
- Analyze historical sales data, buyer demographics, and market trends to build highly accurate pre-planning production models.
- Anticipate and forecast demand surges based on product seasonality and major cultural festivals to ensure 100% product availability without overproduction.
- Collaborate with production and retail teams to ensure all stores are adequately stocked at all times.
2. STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT & COST OPTIMIZATION
- Track pricing trends and harvest seasons of key raw materials (e.g., agricultural commodities, dry fruits, etc.) to advise the procurement team on the optimal times to buy.
- Identify opportunities for cost optimization without compromising on the premium quality of the ingredients.
- Work to strike the perfect balance between maintaining optimal inventory levels and minimizing food wastage.
3. DATA ANALYTICS, DASHBOARDS & AUTOMATION
- Act as the data custodian for operations, bringing a business-first approach to all planning activities.
- Develop, maintain, and present intuitive dashboards that track key metrics (inventory turnover, forecast accuracy, wastage percentage, etc.).
- Identify manual planning processes and leverage advanced AI and automated tools to streamline workflows wherever possible.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
a) Must-Haves:
- Full-time Bachelor's or Master's degree.
- 3 to 5 years of core experience in demand planning, forecasting, and supply chain analytics, ideally within the F&B, FMCG, or Q-commerce sectors.
- Proven ability to map out seasonality and festival-driven demand spikes for perishable or short-shelf-life goods.
b) Nice-to-Haves:
- Prior experience working with heritage or traditional retail food brands.
- Experience in raw material commodity tracking and harvest-cycle procurement planning.
- Familiarity with AI-native supply chain operating systems (e.g., TrueGradient.ai) that handle complex forecasting, scenario planning, and automated machine learning for inventory optimization.
c) Tools & Skills Required:
- Strong hands-on experience with modern AI-driven demand planning and forecasting tools (like TrueGradient.ai or similar software).
- Advanced proficiency in MS Excel (Power Query, complex financial models, macros).
- Strong hands-on experience with Data Visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, PowerBI) for dashboard creation.
- Familiarity with modern ERPs.
PERKS & BENEFITS:
- Employee Discount Across the Brand's Retail Outlets
REPORTING STRUCTURE:
This role will report directly to the key leadership team.
CANDIDATES/APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE:
Apex Growth Talent and/or its representatives never charge any fees or money at any stage of the recruitment process. We will never ask for OTPs, bank details, credit/debit card information, PAN, Aadhaar numbers, tax documents, or investment reports.
