Manager Demand Planning - Utrecht

With brands such as Arla Biologisch, Arla Skyr, Starbucks iced coffee, Apetina, Melkunie, Breaker and Lurpak, our products are an indispensable part of daily life. And we are constantly in motion. The merger with DMK Group brings two major players in the European dairy industry together and creates new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and further professionalization.

That requires people who think ahead, take responsibility, and get energy from change. For our office in Utrecht, we are looking for our new

In this challenging role, you will combine commercial insight with analytical sharpness and inspiring leadership. You will not only ensure reliable planning but also elevate your team and processes to a higher level.

How do we ensure that our products are available at the right time, in the right quantities? Without unnecessary stock, waste, or missed sales opportunities?

That is the challenge where you and your team make a difference every single day.

As Manager Demand Planning, you are responsible for a reliable demand forecast and its translation into an effective demand plan. You form the connecting link between our customers, the commercial (internal) organization, and the factories. You ensure good alignment with retailers, translate commercial expectations into realistic plans, and monitor the balance between product availability, stock, and efficiency.

You lead a team of four Demand Planners and two Promotion Planners. You create an environment in which people take ownership, develop themselves, and continuously improve together.

You work intensively with Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, Supply Chain, and international colleagues. In doing so, you look beyond the daily operation; you play an important role in our S&OE and S&OP processes and actively contribute to the further development of our planning organization.

You are part of the commercial organization, report directly to the Sales Director, and are part of the Sales Leadership Team.

What will you do?

• Leadership & development You coach and develop your team, stimulate ownership, and build a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Demand Planning You are responsible for the quality of our forecasts and demand plans, where you drive forecast accuracy, product availability, and the minimization of waste.
• Business partnering You are a strong interlocutor for Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain. You know how to translate commercial opportunities into realistic plans and dare to think critically along.
• Process improvement You identify opportunities to make our planning processes smarter, more efficient, and future-proof, and you take the initiative to implement improvements.
• S&OE and S&OP You make an important contribution to the alignment between commercial expectations, production capacity, and supply chain planning in the short, medium, and long term.
• Change & integration You actively contribute ideas regarding the further professionalization and harmonization of processes and working methods within the new organization.
• Innovation & introductions Together with colleagues, you ensure good planning of product introductions and promotions, so that our customers can rely on us.

You are an analytically strong professional with a commercial antenna and a natural interest in people. You understand that good demand planning goes beyond numbers and systems; it is about collaboration, sharp choices, and the ability to look ahead.

You feel at home in a dynamic FMCG environment, switch easily between strategy and operation, and get energy from improving processes and developing people. You don't need to have the answer to everything yourself, but you do know how to ask the right questions and get your team moving.

At Arla, you get the space to make a real impact. You work with well-known brands, engaged colleagues, and an international supply chain in which there is full investment in collaboration, innovation, and improvement.

• A leadership position with a lot of responsibility, autonomy, and visible impact on the business.
• A professional, international working environment with an open and informal culture.
• Room for your own initiative, personal development, and growth opportunities.
• An engaged team of professionals who want to achieve results together.
• An attractive employment benefits package suited to the responsibility of the position.

Arla is a global leader in the dairy industry, committed to enabling good food choices that make life better, providing people with nourishment, while taking care at every step to ensure Arla is a choice they can feel good about. If you are looking to shape the future with an ambitious global cooperative that truly cares about your growth, where everyone feels valued and empowered, and collaboration is the core of culture, Arla is a choice you can feel good about.

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