Div. Head - Demand Planning

Job description

Apollo Tyres Ltd is an international tyre manufacturer and the leading tyre brand in India. The company has multiple manufacturing units in India and a unit each in The Netherlands and Hungary. The company markets its products under its two global brands – Apollo and Vredestein, and its products are available in over 100 countries through a vast network of branded, exclusive and multi-product outlets. Job Title: Div. Head - Demand Planning Location: Gurgaon Reports to (Position): Vibhav Verma Department/Function: Supply Chain Purpose of the Job: The Divisional Head – Demand Planning will lead the end-to-end demand planning function for Apollo Tyres' India business across both Replacement and OEM channels. The role is accountable for driving a robust, data-driven demand planning process that delivers a single, aligned demand signal ("One Number") across the organization. The incumbent will lead the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, ensuring strong cross-functional collaboration among Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Finance, R&D and Product Management teams. This role will play a critical leadership position in enhancing forecast accuracy, improving service levels, optimizing inventory, and enabling business growth. As Apollo Tyres continues its digital transformation journey, the role will also serve as a key business leader and super user for the o9 planning platform, driving adoption, capability building, and process excellence in demand planning and S&OP. Major Responsibilities: Demand Planning Leadership • Lead the end-to-end demand planning process for India across Replacement and OEM businesses. • Develop and maintain statistically driven and market-informed demand forecasts at appropriate levels of granularity. • Drive continuous improvement in forecast accuracy, bias reduction, and demand planning maturity. • Establish governance mechanisms and performance metrics for demand planning excellence. S&OP Leadership: • Own and facilitate the monthly S&OP cycle to ensure alignment across commercial and supply chain functions. • Drive consensus-based planning and enable decision-making through structured review forums. • Ensure alignment between demand, supply, inventory, and financial plans. • Deliver a single, agreed organizational demand plan ("One Number") that supports business objectives. Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management: • Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, R&D, Finance, Manufacturing, Procurement, Supply Planning, and Logistics teams. • Challenge assumptions and facilitate data-driven decision-making across functions. • Build strong collaboration mechanisms to proactively manage demand risks and opportunities. Business Performance Management: • Monitor and report key demand planning KPIs including: • Forecast Accuracy (Statistical & Consensus) • Forecast Bias (Statistical & Consensus) • Service Level (Replacement & OEM) • Inventory Days vs Target. • NPD Forecast Accuracy • S&OP Adherence Provide actionable insights to senior leadership regarding market trends, risks, and growth opportunities. Digital Transformation & Planning Systems: • Act as the business super user and process champion for the o9 planning platform. • Support the ongoing APS (Advanced Planning System) transformation journey and drive business adoption. • Partner with IT, transformation teams, and external partners to enhance planning capabilities. • Identify opportunities for automation, advanced analytics, AI/ML-driven forecasting, and scenario planning. • Lead user training, capability development, and continuous process improvement initiatives. Team Leadership: • Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing demand planning team. • Build future-ready planning capabilities and succession pipelines. • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Skills: • Significant experience managing demand planning for large-scale FMCG, automotive, industrial, manufacturing, or consumer-facing businesses. • Proven experience leading enterprise-wide S&OP/IBP processes. • Strong exposure to Replacement and OEM business environments is preferred. • Experience in tyre, automotive, industrial manufacturing, or related sectors will be advantageous. • Hands-on experience with APS platforms such as o9, Kinaxis, Blue Yonder, SAP IBP, Anaplan, or equivalent is highly desirable. • Strong understanding of Statistical Forecasting Concepts and S&OP and IBP Integration. • Prior experience in planning transformation programs and digital supply chain initiatives is a strong plus. • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage complex projects. • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. • Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills • Excellent collaboration and negotiation skills • Strong interpersonal and communication skills to build and sustain a vast range of working relationships across multiple functions, cultures, and ability to flex styles for effective influence Relevant Experience: 14+ years of experience in Demand Planning, Supply Chain Planning, Integrated Business Planning (IBP), or S&OP Strong understanding of demand planning processes, statistical modeling, and forecasting techniques. Education Qualification(s): Master’s Degree/MBA from a reputed institute. Bachelor's degree in business, Supply Chain, Technology.