Job Description

Position: Demand Planning Analyst

Location

: Jabal Ali Freezone, Dubai, UAE

Contract Type:

Full-Time, In-House

Reports to

: Director of Global Sales & Commercial Growth



Are you a data-driven problem-solver who thrives on turning numbers into actionable strategies? Do you excel at balancing

forecast accuracy

,

market insights

, and

sales performance tracking

? If yes,

GTI

wants you on our team!

What You Will Do:

Demand Forecasting & Planning:

Lead the monthly demand planning process and own the creation of

rolling forecasts

(3/6/12-month) by market and SKU. Analyze historical

shipment data

, market dynamics, and seasonality to build accurate demand plans. Integrate commercial inputs, promotional plans, and distributor feedback into forecast models. Drive GTI's

Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP)

cycle: prepare demand review inputs, align with cross-functional teams, and ensure forecast accountability. Monitor forecast accuracy and propose improvements to reduce forecast error and improve planning responsiveness. Assess and synthesize external market inputs (e.g., trade feedback, census data, field insights) into demand signals.

Inventory & Sales Performance Visibility:

Provide Supply Chain with validated demand plans to avoid stock-outs, aging inventory, or overproduction. Track and report

stock coverage

, safety stock, and product velocity by market/customer/SKU. Identify gaps in demand vs. supply and propose mitigation plans with relevant stakeholders. Support launch planning for new products or packaging formats with demand simulations and allocation logic.

Sales Reporting & Data Analysis:

Consolidate and structure large datasets from shipment records, customers, and markets. Build and maintain Excel or Power BI dashboards that track

volume trends

, seasonality, customer segmentation, SKU performance, and forecast vs. actual variances. Conduct deep-dive analysis of

quantitative and qualitative data

to measure sales performance, customer frequency, and region-specific trends. Read and interpret third-party market data (e.g.,

retail audits

, census data, market studies) to assess

market preferences and commercial potential.

Provide monthly and quarterly sales performance reports for leadership decision-making.

Process Development & Cross-functional Collaboration:

Work closely with

Supply Chain, Finance, and Commercial teams

to align demand plans with supply capabilities and business targets. Help define the

forecast ownership process

, cadence, and documentation framework. Contribute to the development and optimization of GTI's

demand planning tools, templates, and reporting cadence.

Participate in commercial audits, distributor reviews, and market visits to validate assumptions and evolve planning maturity.

Required Skills To Be Successful:

Advanced skills in

Microsoft Excel

(Power Query, Pivot Tables, Lookup functions) and experience with

Power BI

or similar dashboard tools. Excellent analytical capabilities and ability to

interpret large, complex datasets.

Strong understanding of demand planning cycles, forecast accuracy KPIs, and S&OP principles. Able to generate insights from external data such as retail audits or national statistics. Proactive, collaborative, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, transformation-driven environment. Strong communication skills to translate data into actionable recommendations across departments.

What Equips You For The Role:

3+ years of experience in

demand planning

, sales analytics, or commercial forecasting within

FMCG, tobacco, or regulated industries.

Hands-on experience with

S&OP processes

, forecasting tools, and ERP/sales data environments. Proven ability to consolidate scattered data and convert it into commercial insight. Bachelor's degree in

Business, Supply Chain, Economics, Engineering

, or related field. * Fluent in English; additional languages (Arabic and Russian) are a plus.