Job Description

Senior Demand Planning Lead ***Global FMCG Category Leader***

Location: West London - Hybrid 3 days per week office based

Salary: £75,000 to £85,000 Per annum + Benefits (Car Allowance, Bonus, Pension, Healthcare, Holiday & More)

A global leader in FMCG is seeking an experienced Senior Demand Planning Lead to oversee and optimise the demand planning function for a complex, multi-channel product portfolio across the UK and Ireland. Renowned for innovation, category leadership, and global brand equity, this business operates at scale, with agile decision-making and a high-performance culture.

In this strategic role, you’ll drive forecast accuracy, lead the S&OP process, and deliver critical planning insights to ensure commercial and operational alignment. Managing a team of 8 (direct and indirect), you’ll play a central role in enhancing forecasting capability, systems, and ways of working to support continued market leadership and expansion.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end demand planning process across all UK/Ireland channels, ensuring forecasts are data-driven, commercially informed, and operationally executable.
• Act as the planning business partner to Commercial, Finance, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams, aligning forecast outputs with business strategy.
• Develop and continuously improve forecast models, tools, and analytics to enhance accuracy and drive efficiency.
• Own and track key KPIs related to forecast performance, bias, and error, identifying trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Build and nurture a high-performing planning team, providing coaching, development, and leadership.
• Play a key role in evolving and embedding an effective S&OP/IBP framework across the business.

Requirements:

• 5+ years of demand planning experience within a global FMCG business – food, beverage, personal care, or pharmaceuticals ideal.
• Proven leadership and line management experience, with a track record of developing talent and influencing senior stakeholders.

***Please note we cannot consider applicants without leadership experience***

• Advanced analytical skills with strong Excel proficiency; experience with SAP IBP or similar platforms is a strong advantage.
• Excellent cross-functional collaboration and communication abilities, with the gravitas to challenge and align across teams.
• Resilience and agility to succeed in a fast-moving, matrixed environment with evolving priorities.

What Happens Next?

• Now: Apply today with your CV, which will be reviewed by our MKJ Recruitment team.
• First Stage: Teams call with the talent team and hiring manager.
• Second Stage: Competency interview onsite at our client’s HQ.

People are at the heart of everything we do. We embrace and are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process that allows everyone to be their authentic self. ️

While we would love to reply to all applicants, due to high application volumes, if you do not hear back within 14 days, unfortunately, the role won’t be progressing. The position may be in the process of closing, so it could be a matter of timing. But no worries! There will be more opportunities. Follow us at Mackenzie Jones Recruitment to stay updated on new openings.