Description
What you'll Do
The Demand Manager is responsible for leading the end to end demand planning and replenishment strategy for Americold's Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) customers and distribution centres. This role oversees the design, configuration, and continuous improvement of forecasting and replenishment processes to ensure high forecast accuracy, optimal inventory levels, and reliable automated replenishment signals across the network.
Acting as a critical link between QSR customers, Americold distribution centres, suppliers, store operations, and I.T. solution teams, the Demand Manager ensures the delivery of robust, data driven planning processes that support service excellence and operational efficiency.
Demand Planning & Forecast Management
• Lead the architecture, management, and optimisation of short, medium, and long range demand forecasts for QSR customer profiles.
• Oversee data inputs into the demand model, including POS data, inventory movements, wastage, promotional calendars, and weather/event driven demand factors.
• Validate and maintain master data accuracy across all forecasting inputs.
• Manage both manual and integrated data feeds into the forecasting system.
• Review, validate, and adjust statistical models to maximise system generated forecast accuracy.
• Monitor and resolve forecast exceptions, including data gaps, emergency shutdowns, trading hour changes, and marketing or promotional impacts.
Replenishment Management
• Design and manage replenishment models for customer stores and Americold distribution centres.
• Validate and maintain replenishment master data, including rules, sourcing logic, SKU profiles, and lead times for all QSR SKUs.
• Oversee automated store replenishment models, ensuring correct configuration of days coverage settings, min/max constraints, order cycles, DC capacity, and SKU level parameters.
• Continuously refine replenishment models to prevent stock gaps and ensure optimal inventory coverage.
• Monitor and action replenishment exceptions to maintain service continuity.
• Ensure timely and accurate generation of recommended orders and support customer acceptance or adjustments.
• Collaborate with procurement teams to align replenishment plans with inbound supply, MOQs, and supplier constraints.
Customer & Procurement Engagement
• Act as the primary point of contact for QSR customers regarding demand planning and replenishment performance.
• Lead weekly and monthly service reviews, covering forecast accuracy, stockouts, overstock risks, supply constraints, and promotional readiness.
• Provide reporting, insights, and exception analysis to customers and internal stakeholders, driving continuous improvement in forecasting and replenishment models.
• Partner with procurement teams to communicate forward demand signals, order cycle requirements, and inbound fulfilment expectations.
Data Integrity & Reporting
• Oversee the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of integrated datasets feeding forecasting and replenishment systems.
• Monitor data integration flows and escalate exceptions or quality issues as required.
• Work closely with I.T. teams to ensure system stability, performance, and data integrity.
• Lead the development of KPIs, dashboards, and analytical tools to measure and improve demand and replenishment performance.
What Experience and Education You Need
• Strong expertise in forecasting and planning systems (e.g., Oracle SCP, Blue Yonder, or equivalent).
• Proven experience managing replenishment across high volume, multi store networks.
• Deep understanding of POS driven forecasting, safety stock logic, order cycles, and capacity based constraints.
• High proficiency working with large datasets and multiple integration sources.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in demand planning, supply planning, or VMI within FMCG, QSR, or retail environments.
• Relevant tertiary qualification required; preferred Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or related field.
• Excellent problem solving, communication, and customer service skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders, and processes under tight deadlines.
• Strong stakeholder management skills across customers, suppliers, and internal teams.
• High attention to detail with the ability to navigate ambiguity in evolving operating models.
• Strategic thinker capable of balancing customer experience, cost efficiency, and operational feasibility.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex demand signals into actionable insights.
• Proven ability to lead improvement initiatives and operationalise new planning capabilities.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.
• Must be able to sit for long periods of time, with frequent interruptions, with the ability to maneuver through the process of sitting, getting up and down from chairs, reaching, or bending.
• Must be able to demonstrate manual dexterity with hand and finger movements for typical office work.
• Must be able to verbally communicate, audibly understand and comprehend, and visually identify the important elements of completing assigned tasks.
• May require travel by automobile and airplane.
• May require a visit to facility operations in temperatures at or below freezing.
• May carry loads related to travel and occasionally lift, carry, position, or move objects weighing up to twenty (20) pounds.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and solve problems in a fast-paced environment where deadlines and scopes may change regularly while maintaining accuracy. Demonstrated ability to self-start with little or no direction preferred.
• Must be able to relate to others beyond giving and receiving instructions sufficient to partner with colleagues without exhibiting behavioral extremes.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The Company makes reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law.
What We Offer:
Our associates know the answer to the question What's in it for me? We offer best-in-class benefit programs and continuously work with our associates to ensure that our offerings meet the needs of their health and financial well-being. When you join Americold you join a values-oriented company with a clear mission. We help our customers feed the world.