Demand Planner

About The RoleThe Demand Planner plays a pivotal role in driving Casinetto’s supply chain efficiency across our food trading and distribution operations in the UAE. In this role, you will be responsible for building accurate demand forecasts, maintaining optimal inventory levels, and ensuring product availability.By leveraging statistical tools, historical sales data, and commercial inputs, you will anticipate demand, minimize stock-outs and expiries, and reduce excess inventory. You will work closely with Sales, Procurement, Operations, and Suppliers to balance high service levels with working capital efficiency and storage constraints.Primary Responsibilities:Demand Forecasting & AnalysisDevelop and maintain accurate demand forecasts using statistical models, historical sales data, and commercial/market inputs.Monitor consumption trends and proactively adjust forecasts based on market dynamics, seasonality, promotions, and new product introductions (NPI).Track, analyze, and ensure forecast accuracy targets are met in alignment with business objectives across the UAE market.Inventory Planning & ManagementMaintain optimal inventory levels to meet customer demand while minimizing overstock, product expiries, and holding costs.Monitor daily stock levels to proactively identify out-of-stock (OOS), low stock, and overstock situations.Perform root-cause analysis on stock imbalances and assess their impact on sales, service levels, and profit margins.Track product shelf life and expiration dates, flagging risks early and implementing effective mitigation plans.Coordinate and expedite replenishment during supply shortages, and execute strategies to eliminate excess and obsolete stock.Supplier & Procurement CoordinationCollaborate with suppliers to align demand forecasts with lead times, minimum order quantities (MOQs), and service-level agreements (SLAs).Partner with Procurement and Buyers to resolve supply constraints, capacity issues, and explore alternative sourcing solutions.Share forecast and inventory insights with key suppliers to enhance product availability and supply chain reliability.Cross-Functional Collaboration & S&OPPartner closely with Sales, Key Account Management, Category/Brand Management, Operations, Warehouse, and Finance teams.Provide continuous visibility on inventory positions, risks, and opportunities to internal stakeholders.Support Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and demand review meetings with data-driven insights and scenario analysis.What You Need To ExcelExperience: 3–5+ years of demand planning, inventory management, or supply chain planning experience, ideally within the Food & Beverage, FMCG, or perishable goods sector.The Right Mindset: Data-driven and commercially minded. You bridge the gap between sales ambitions and operational reality with proactive problem-solving.Technical Know-How: Deep understanding of supply chain fundamentals (lead times, safety stock, MOQs, shelf-life/expiry constraints) and strong proficiency in ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle) and forecasting tools.Analytical Power: Advanced Excel capability and strong data analysis skills—you love digging into consumption patterns, historical data, and forecast accuracy metrics to drive decision-making.Collaborative Skills: Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills to align cross-functional teams (Sales, Procurement, Operations, Finance) and external suppliers.Tech & AI Savvy: Comfortable using AI tools in your day-to-day workflow. Casinetto runs on AI (we use Claude!), so prior hands-on experience with AI copilots for data analysis or planning is a massive plus.Education: A Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Industrial Engineering, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent hands-on experience).