Demand Planning Expert MEA

About The Role

We are looking for a qualified candidate to join our company as the Demand Planning Expert MEA, based in Dubai. This role will be responsible for driving the monthly demand planning process and achieving a consensus demand plan for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. You will work closely with the Sales Leads and Cluster MD to improve forecast accuracy, minimize bias, and ensure smooth alignment with the regional supply chain.

In this role, you will be key in establishing and continuously improving the demand planning process and related reporting across the broader AMEA region. The position involves collaborating with various internal stakeholders to align demand forecasts, shape supply planning activities, and drive customer satisfaction through enhanced visibility of demand and inventory management.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Lead the demand planning process: Collaborate with Sales Leads and Cluster MDs to create a baseline 24-month rolling forecast and ensure alignment with sales and operations planning (S&OP) processes.
• Improve demand accuracy: Use data analytics to improve forecast accuracy and reduce bias while integrating market trends, customer projects, and sales activities into the forecast.
• Collaborate across functions: Work closely with Customer Service, Supply Chain, and Finance teams to provide demand visibility and support supply balancing activities.
• Reporting & continuous improvement: Establish and enhance regional demand planning reports and work on continuous improvement initiatives to streamline processes and optimize performance.
• Customer collaboration: Improve demand forecasts through collaborative planning with key customers to better meet their needs and improve overall service levels.
  
  

About You

• Possess a Graduate/Postgraduate degree in Supply Chain, Data Analytics, or a relevant field.
• Minimum 10 years of working experience in demand and supply planning, with at least 5 years in a relevant role.
• Fluent in English, both verbal and written, with proficiency in an additional local language being an advantage.
• Excellent leadership and project management skills with a demonstrated ability to lead projects, manage change, and challenge assumptions to optimize processes and results.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to analyze large datasets, generate insights, and present well-structured, data-driven recommendations.
• Able to collaborate effectively across functions and business units, demonstrating strong interpersonal, communication, negotiation, and influencing skills with the confidence to operate at senior levels.
• Proficient in using SAP, Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI to drive operational excellence.
• Able to think strategically, ensuring that demand planning processes are aligned with business objectives and contribute to continuous improvement. Proactive and flexible, with the ability to operate under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong ethics, integrity, and compliance mindset, with a customer-centric and delivery-focused approach.
• Capable of building relationships across a wide and diverse stakeholder base, both internally and externally, and leading by example with emotional intelligence, driving collaborative discussions and shared accountability.
  
  

At Barry Callebaut, we are committed to Diversity & Inclusion. United by our strong values, we thrive on the diversity of who we are, where we come from, what we’ve experienced and how we think. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive environment where people can truly be themselves, grow to their full potential and feel they belong. #oneBC - Diverse People, Sustainable Growth.