Demand Management as a Career

Demand Management Systems fully support the development of a Demand Manager function within organisations. Our experience with a variety of industrial and commercial implementations of Demand Solutions™ Forecasting has demonstrated the value added advantage for the organisation where a Demand Manager is involved to manage and especially coordinate the forecasting team to maintain the process.

The Demand Management role benefits from a broad skill set to achieve organisational & personal success:

Good numeracy skills to recognise and interpret both history and forecasts.
Intermediate to advanced PC & spread sheeting literacy to operate demand software.
Effective communication skills to present & discuss forecasting information with product and business managers and for senior management review.
Academic background may include studies in Marketing, Strategic Planning, Business Management, Statistics, or Supply Chain management to provide the appropriate theoretical knowledge.
Performance in the role is enhanced with experience from within the organisation is a valuable asset for any Demand Manager — knowledge of the product range and ‘product position’ in the market together with appreciation for the formal and informal operational structure of the organisation facilitate credibility and quality communication.

What does a Demand Manager actually do?

Manages a regular (usually monthly) forecasting process at both the detail and aggregated level
Ensures data integrity and quality by reviewing data, identifying unusual occurrences, seeking explanations and assisting in developing corrections to prevent reoccurrences
Initially reviews and analyses forecast results in relation to business direction
...Identifies product or market trends
...Provides Business Managers with observations of forecast directions
...Reports on Division or Product Family comparisons with Budget
...Assists Sales & Marketing team with development of consolidated business plans
Establishes and maintains forecast performance measurement and evaluation
Co-ordinates with Business Managers to ensure the forecasting process is finalised to meet the information timetable for Pre S&OP
Assists in developing strategies, policies, objectives in areas of S & OP (Sales & Operations Planning) MPS (Master Production Scheduling) such as Customer Service, Inventory and Lead times

What types of industries are seeking experienced Demand Managers?

Commercial and Industrial enterprises, Wholesalers and Distributors – every organisation wishing to operate a structured Sales and Operations Planning process

How much can I expect to earn?

Starting salaries range from $45,000 depending on the industry, increasing to $90,000 plus for experienced Demand Managers.

Where can experience in Demand Management lead to?

Demand Managers can also look at career paths in Strategic planning, Systems Implementation, Product Planning also Supply Chain Management with several years experience in Demand Management.

How do I get more information?