Demand Planning Lead Full Time

Company Description

Argon & Co is a global management consultancy specialising in operations strategy and transformation, with teams across 18 countries.

With over 20 years of presence in India, our Mumbai team works with leading companies in India and globally, delivering end-to-end consulting engagements across supply chain and operations — combining deep analytics with hands-on implementation.

Role Description

We are looking for an experienced Demand Planning Lead (5–10 years) to join our Mumbai-based team as part of our Supply Chain Planning practice.

In this role, you will act as the primary demand planning subject matter expert across client engagements, leading planning execution, driving process maturity, and building long-term planning capability.

This is a high-impact, client-facing role combining deep expertise in demand planning platforms with strong business acumen and stakeholder management. You will work across industries and planning environments, applying structured methodologies to drive measurable improvements in forecast accuracy and planning effectiveness.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of experience in demand planning, supply chain planning, or consulting/advisory roles
• Hands-on expertise with APS platforms such as Blue Yonder (JDA), Kinaxis RapidResponse, SAP IBP, o9 Solutions, or equivalent
• Strong understanding of statistical forecasting (time series, causal models, ML-based forecasting, model selection)
• Experience managing and facilitating S&OP and Consensus Demand Review processes
• Ability to analyse and interpret planning KPIs (MAPE, bias, Forecast Value Add)
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel and data analysis; BI/reporting tools a plus
• Experience working in client-facing or project-based environments
• Strong communication skills — ability to present insights clearly to both technical and business stakeholders

Preferred

• Familiarity with ERP–APS integration concepts (SAP, Oracle, etc.)
• Experience in post-go-live APS stabilization / optimisation
• APICS CPIM, IBF CPF, or similar certification
• Exposure to data quality management and planning master data governance

What you will do

Demand Planning Execution

• Lead statistical forecasting activities including model selection, algorithm tuning, and parameter management within APS platforms
• Manage demand forecast exceptions, applying structured exception management protocols and override governance
• Monitor and analyze forecast accuracy, bias, and forecast value add (FVA) metrics; identify root causes and drive corrective actions
• Support and facilitate Consensus Demand Review and S&OP processes, coordinating inputs across commercial, supply, and finance stakeholders
• Execute and govern the demand planning cycle in line with agreed weekly and monthly cadences

Client Engagement & Advisory

• Act as the primary demand planning point of contact for client teams, providing expert guidance on platform capabilities and planning best practices
• Advise clients on forecast segmentation strategies, statistical model selection, and override governance frameworks
• Translate client business objectives and commercial strategy into actionable demand planning configurations and process design
• Deliver regular performance reporting and KPI scorecards to client leadership

System Support & Continuous Improvement

• Provide Level 2 functional support for APS demand planning platforms, including root cause analysis and resolution of planning system issues
• Monitor data quality inputs to planning systems; identify integrity issues and coordinate resolution with client data owners
• Identify gaps, workarounds, and opportunities for business rule and configuration improvements
• Support enhancement request prioritization and liaise with software vendors on platform-related issues as appropriate
• Maintain documentation of planning processes, system configuration logic, and best practice guidelines

Knowledge Transfer & Capability Building

• Develop structured knowledge transfer assets — process guides, playbooks, and decision frameworks — to support client self-sufficiency
• Mentor and coach junior planning resources within team
• Contribute to the development of internal methodologies, tools, and thought leadership within the Supply Chain Planning practice