Our client is a well-established, privately owned importer and distributor operating in the commodities trade. With a strong reputation built over generations, the business is entering a new phase of growth under recently appointed executive leadership, with a focus on strengthening planning capability across a volatile commodity market. About the Role This newly created role will build and own demand planning from the ground up. Reporting to the Head of Sales and Trading, you'll work closely with the trading and sales teams to develop forecasting processes, support hedged physical product positions, and bring structure to a function that currently runs on spreadsheets and informal process. This is initially offered as a 12 month contract, with strong potential to extend or move into a permanent role as the business scales up its planning function. What You'll Be Doing You'll build and maintain demand forecasts across the product range, using historical sales data, market trends and input from sales and trading teams to improve forecast accuracy over time. Day to day, this includes: Developing and managing rolling demand forecasts at SKU and category level Running a regular S&OP style cadence, bringing sales, trading and operations together to align forecasts with supply positions and commercial priorities Monitoring forecast accuracy and variance, adjusting for market movements, seasonality and customer demand shifts Working closely with traders to understand how commodity pricing and hedged positions influence buying and stock decisions Building visibility of inventory positions and flagging risks around over or under stock Partnering with sales to capture promotional activity, new customer wins and demand signals that affect the forecast Presenting forecasts and planning recommendations to leadership in a clear, commercially grounded way Establishing planning processes and documentation where none currently exist, given this is a first-time formalised function for the business What We're Looking For Proven experience in demand planning or S&OP, ideally within an environment where prices or supply are subject to volatility or external market forces Advanced Excel skills are essential Ability to run or actively contribute to a structured S&OP process, translating it into practical forecasting outcomes rather than theory Comfort building process and structure from scratch, in a business where formal planning is new Exposure to commodity pricing, FX exposure or hedged positions is highly regarded, though not essential Strong stakeholder communication skills, with the ability to work closely with trading, sales and senior leadership Confidence operating in a small, close-knit team environment, with a hands-on, no ego approach Why Apply Join a collegiate, close-knit business of around 20 people at a genuine inflection point, with the opportunity to build a function from scratch and shape how it's done. Based in Melbourne's inner east. Please contact ldeegan@sharpandcarter.com.au
