Kraft Heinz

Demand Planning Specialist

Kraft Heinz  •  San José, CR (Onsite)  •  4 hours ago
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Job Description

The Demand Planning Specialistis responsible for developing and maintaining accurate, reliable demand forecaststhat support the business strategy. This role is a key partner to Commercial teams, ensuring the right growth building blocksare reflected in the forecast and enabling top-line results. The position also drives the Kraft Heinz ITP/IBP cyclein the CARICAM region, balancing demand, supply, and financial plans to protect service levels, optimize inventory, and reduce supply chain losses.

🔁 What you will lead: ITP & IBP

ITP (short-term execution):

  • Orchestrate weekly/daily short-term planning routines with strong discipline and full alignment to the IBP framework
  • Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Customer Logistics, and Finance to balance plans and mitigate shortage/excess risk
  • Safeguard product availability and improve inventory outcomes in response to market dynamics

IBP (mid/long-term planning & decisions):

  • Govern the “one-number forecast”aligned to financial plan and strategy
  • Facilitate cross-functional consensus, assumptions, trade-offs, and formal plan closure
  • Prepare executive-ready materials to enable IBP decisions
  • Measure performance and drive continuous improvement through KPIs and loss analysis

✅ Key accountabilities (what success looks like)

  • Demand Forecast Cycle ownership:Lead the demand forecasting cycle and define the monthly forecast for short term (13 weeks)and long term (24 months)using statistical analysis and growth building blocks
  • Demand Planning strategy execution:Implement demand planning strategies and standards, executing ITP and IBPaccording to KHC Management System Log.Osrequirements
  • Collaborative forecasting:Partner with Commercial teams and customers to build forecasts using sell-in, sell-out, days on hand, and agreed planning routines
  • Performance monitoring:Define and track KPIs with the Planning Manager; identify gaps and drive corrective actions
  • Risk management:Identify supply chain risks and build mitigation/contingency plans
  • Waste / loss management:Identify risks impacting Supply Chain Lossesand define actions to reduce losses driven by forecast vs. actual variance
  • KHC Management System implementation (Log.Os):Support pillars including Demand Planning, Waste Management, Continuous Improvement, and Standardization
  • Forecast sharing:Share the demand forecast at least monthly with all finished goods sources for the region (e.g., CR, US, Mexico, Griffith co-packer, UK)

📊 Main KPIs / metrics

  • Forecast Accuracy & BIAS (NSV)
  • Service Level (NSV)
  • Supply Chain Losses (SCL)
  • Inventory / DIO
  • Log.Os implementation
  • Team Engagement (IGPs)

🤝 Key relationships

Internal:Logistics teams, Supply Planning, Commercial teams (CAM and D&E), Marketing & Category, Finance (Sales Finance, Working Capital, Treasury), US Exports, Global Demand Planning, WEEM Logistics

External:Customers and external finished goods sources

🧩 Requirements & qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, or related field
  • Fluent English and Spanish
  • 7+ yearsof overall experience; 5+ yearsin demand/supply/sales planning or related roles
  • 2+ yearsleading teams
  • Strong knowledge of IBP / ITP / S&OPprocesses and demand statistical models
  • Advanced skills in Excel, Power BI, forecasting software ( o9 desirable), and ERP systems
  • Supply Chain certification (desirable)

🧠 Key competencies

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; high data literacy
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management across functions and customers
  • Strong organization and ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines
  • Strategic + tactical mindset; ability to escalate with data-driven recommendations
  • Leadership capabilities to motivate and guide the demand planning team
  • Solid understanding of short/long-term planning and inventory management

Location(s)

San Jose, Costa Rica Plant

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes

Kraft Heinz

About Kraft Heinz

The Kraft Heinz Company is one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world, with eight $1 billion+ brands and global sales of approximately $25 billion. We’re a globally trusted producer of high-quality, great-tasting, and nutritious foods for over 150 years. While Kraft Heinz is co-headquartered in Chicago and Pittsburgh, our brands are truly global, with products produced and marketed in over 40 countries. These beloved products include condiments and sauces, cheese and dairy, meals, meats, refreshment beverages, coffee, infant and nutrition products, and numerous other grocery products in a portfolio of more than 200 legacy and emerging brands.

We spark joy around mealtime with our iconic brands, including Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Heinz, Philadelphia, Lunchables, Velveeta, Maxwell House, Capri Sun, Ore-Ida, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Primal Kitchen, and Classico, among others.

No matter the brand, we’re united under one vision: To sustainably grow by delighting more consumers globally. Bringing this vision to life is our team of 37,000+ food lovers, creative thinkers, and high performers worldwide. Together, we help provide meals to those in need through our global partnership with Rise Against Hunger. We also stand committed to responsible, sustainable practices that extend to every facet of our business, our consumers, and our communities. Every day, we’re transforming the food industry with bold thinking and unprecedented results. If you share our passion – and are ready to create the future, build a legacy, and lead as a global citizen – there’s only one thing to do: join our table and let’s make life delicious!

Industry
Food & Beverage
Company Size
10,000+ employees
Headquarters
Chicago, IL
Year Founded
2015
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