Job Description:
Job Purpose
The Demand Planner is responsible for mid-term and long-term forecasting for Chocolates and Gums category, driving a robust demand plan with alignment from Commercial, Marketing, and Supply.
The role acts as the orchestrator of market insights, translating trends, seasonality, and input-driven building blocks into a realistic, streamlined demand plan across all channels—including Traditional Trade, Modern Trade, DCOM and CSD. The Demand Planner ensures proactive management of the rolling forecast, assessing the impact of changing market dynamics, channel-specific growth strategies, and cross-functional inputs to optimize inventory, service levels, and business growth.
What are we looking for?
MBA from a Tier-1 college, preferably with specialization in Supply Chain, Operations, Logistics or a related discipline.
Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience in Demand Planning, Forecasting, or Supply Chain Planning within FMCG, Foods or related industry. Proven experience managing multi-channel environments and cross-functional alignment.
What will be your key responsibilities?
A. Consensus Forecasting & Demand Plan Development
Translate market trends, seasonality, and business drivers into a realistic demand plan by SKU, brand, and channel.
Maintain a continuous rolling demand forecast to secure forward-looking visibility.
Drive cross-functional consensus by aligning inputs from Sales, Marketing, Commercial, and Supply.
Provide and present the core demand consensus view for the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) cycle to Leadership.
B. Omni-Channel Dynamics Integration
Account for divergent channel dynamics and route-to-market behaviours across Traditional Trade, Modern Trade, DCOM, and CSD.
Adapt forecasting logic to capture distinct purchasing patterns, promotional lifts, and inventory stocking norms per channel.
C. Product Lifecycle & Innovation Management (NPD)
Manage product phase-ins and phase-outs from a demand perspective to minimize obsolescence.
Integrate New Product Developments (NPDs), relaunches, and seasonal variants into the rolling demand plan.
D. Cross Functional Collaboration
Supply / Manufacturing: Share agreed plans to ensure production feasibility and capacity alignment.
Sales / Commercial: Align on channel volumes/value, promotional calendars, and local market intelligence.
Marketing / Innovation: Track brand strategies, launch pipelines, and portfolio transitions.
Finance: Align forecast metrics and FY build up with financial targets and volume budgets.
Logistics / Customer Service: Provide forward visibility for warehouse and network planning.
What can you expect from Mars?
Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles. Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today. A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University. An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
Skills Required
- MBA from a Tier-1 college, preferably specializing in Supply Chain, Operations, Logistics, or a related discipline
- At least 3 years of relevant experience in Demand Planning, Forecasting, or Supply Chain Planning
- Experience within FMCG, Foods, or a related industry
- Experience managing multi-channel environments
- Experience driving cross-functional alignment
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.
