Hunter Campbell’s Mastering Supply Chain Series profiles roles within the Supply Chain job family including jobs in demand, salaries, and employment prospects.
In this article, the role of Demand Planner is in the spotlight.
Purpose of the Role
Demand Planners are pivotal to a company’s supply chain, leveraging analytical, marketing, and sales data to forecast future product demand accurately. Their effective performance can significantly influence both the bottom line and the overall success of supply chain management and customer delivery. The key skill of a Demand Planner is to provide their organisation with an accurate demand forecast.
Recruitment Forecast 2025
Demand planning has come under the spotlight, with a growing need to dive deeper into SKU-level detail to assess their contribution to margins and how they fit within the S&OP cycle. Where demand planning once operated primarily at the category level, professionals are now expected to have a granular understanding of individual SKUs and their impact on overall business performance.
In 2025, demand planners with strong business analytical skills, the ability to manage complex data will be in high demand. As businesses place greater emphasis on commercial outcomes, planners who can analyse SKU profitability and provide actionable insights will be highly sought after. The role is evolving toward greater commercial responsibility, with planners acting as advisors by identifying unprofitable SKUs and presenting data-driven recommendations to decision-makers.
One thing that remains unchanged is the key differentiator between a good demand planner and a brilliant one: the ability to communicate effectively across the business. Strong communication skills will continue to be essential for aligning teams, influencing stakeholders, and ensuring that insights are translated into impactful business decisions.
Career Prospects
Demand Planners operate at the crossroads of sales teams, business leaders, and other key stakeholders in areas such as New Product Development (NPD), Finance, and Manufacturing.
This high-visibility role requires building strong relationships across essential functions within the company. Individuals who excel as collaborators and influencers among key stakeholders and business leaders will likely be considered for management positions in Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), Integrated Business Planning (IBP), and broader supply chain management roles.
Key Skills Required
- A Demand Planner must possess the ability to work with large datasets and develop diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics models. A foundational understanding of statistics and probability, alongside a clear grasp of the analytics ecosystem, is essential.
- Understanding the commercial and operational dynamics of the business is crucial for success. Beyond data analysis, comprehending the “why” behind commercial forecast drivers and their business impact is a vital skill.
- As unbiased arbiters, Demand Planners must possess the ability to influence decisions and effectively communicate business impacts to stakeholders across various organisational functions beyond just Supply Chain.
Salary guide
- Intermediate: $90,000 – $110,000
- Advanced: $110,000 – $130,000
- Leadership: $140,000 – $170,000
If you would like to find out more about the role of Demand Planner, please contact Senior Consultant Kat Biggelaar. Kat specialises in Supply Chain, Planning and Contracting. For more news and views, visit our website by clicking here, see what opportunities we have available here or follow us on LinkedIn.
