Associate Director Planning

As an Associate Director of Planning, your role is crucial in leading the end-to-end planning function to optimize business performance. You will be responsible for strategic planning, demand forecasting, inventory management, cross-functional collaboration, analytics, team leadership, and process improvement. Your contribution will play a critical role in shaping the company's growth trajectory by ensuring the right product is available at the right place and time. Key Responsibilities: - Develop and lead the strategic planning process for short-term and long-term business objectives. - Own the demand planning process by analyzing historical sales, market trends, and business intelligence. - Drive optimal inventory levels across the supply chain to minimize stock-outs and overstock situations. - Work closely with cross-functional teams to align planning initiatives with overall business goals. - Generate regular reports, dashboards, and insights for leadership, highlighting key metrics and opportunities for improvement. - Manage, mentor, and grow a team of planners and analysts, fostering a high-performance culture. - Identify gaps in planning systems/processes and lead initiatives to drive efficiency and scalability. Qualifications & Requirements: - MBA or Master's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, or related field. - 8-12 years of experience in planning, forecasting, or supply chain management, preferably in retail, FMCG, e-commerce, or manufacturing. - Proven experience in strategic thinking, analytical problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making. - Strong knowledge of planning tools such as SAP IBP, Oracle, JDA, or similar, and proficiency in Excel/SQL for analytics. - Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills. - Demonstrated leadership and people management experience. About the Company: (Omit this section as no additional details of the company are present in the job description) Key Skills: - Strategic Planning - Demand & Supply Forecasting - Inventory Optimization - Data Analytics & Reporting - Team Leadership - ERP/Planning Tools Proficiency - Stakeholder Management,