Job Description:
Mars Snacking is a global leader in snacking, backed by over a century of innovation and iconic brand-building. Powered by more than 50,000 Associates and over 80 production facilities globally, our beloved snacks – spanning confectionary, salty, cereal, noodles and frozen foods categories – are enjoyed in more than 180 countries around the world.
We are currently seeking a Demand Planner to be based in our Melbourne office to join our high performing Demand Planning team. This is a highly collaborative role, with heavy reliance on planning systems and analytics (BI). Working closely with Sales, Supply Planning, Customer Service, Logistics, and Strategic Demand teams this is a truly cross functional role.
What You’ll Do:
Own the Forecast
- Using insights from customer plans, market data, inventory & shipment data, generate an optimized forecast comprising baseline and promo volumes.
- Share actionable insights when reviewing the forecast, document and report reasons for forecast changes, and highlight associated risks and opportunities
- Ensure seasonality and key initiatives are accurately reflected
- Collaborating with Supply Planners to ensure that the demand forecast translates correctly into production requirements, so that products are delivered in full & on time to meet customer needs.
Turn Data into Insight
- Bring clarity to forecast vs budget and long-term plans
- Act as the go-to expert, confidently telling the story behind the numbers
Partner & Influence
- Collaborate across Sales, Marketing, Supply and customers
- Build trust, challenge constructively and drive better outcomes
- Be the voice of the factory for relevant technologies in Activity and Customer forums.
- Monitor the short term (0-6 week) demand signal, confirming any material order plan movements with customer teams, & escalating to Supply Planning to assess the impact / supportability.
Drive Improvement
- Simplify processes and focus on what really matters
- Use systems and data to work smarter and plan by exception
- Step in where needed and contribute beyond your role
What You’ll Bring
- Experience in Demand Planning, Supply Chain, Sales or Marketing operations (FMCG preferred)
- Strong analytical capability with advanced Excel skills
- Ability to translate data into insight and action
- Confidence to influence and challenge stakeholders
- Strong communication skills — you can tell the story behind the numbers
- A proactive mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
Why Mars?
At Mars, you’ll work on some of the world’s most loved brands while being part of a business that truly lives its Five Principles.
- Real ownership and impact from day one
- Collaborative, high-performing team environment
- Flexible hybrid working
- A culture that values curiosity, courage and continuous improvement
Internal applicants: Please note that this role has been graded as a T2 opportunity, be sure to discuss your application with your line manager
prior to applying including obtaining their endorsement.
Skills Required
- Experience in demand planning, supply chain, sales operations, or marketing operations; FMCG experience preferred
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
- Strong analytical capability
- Ability to translate data into insight and action
- Confidence influencing and constructively challenging stakeholders
- Strong communication skills, including explaining the story behind numbers
- Proactive mindset focused on continuous improvement
Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
Mars Insights
What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
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