Demand Manager

To further our mission of leading a revolution in the food system, we are looking for a Demand Manager for our Melbourne Operations to conduct all of the day to day buying functions for the region.

ABOUT THE JOB

This is a hands-on, operational role at the heart of our supply chain: you will work every day alongside our buyers, warehouse and operations teams, and with physical, perishable product.

You will be responsible for forecasting, planning and managing the demand, purchasing, and inventory of all of our products. Your core priorities are:

• accurate buying, driven by demand forecasting;
• minimising wastage; and
• keeping product consistently available

The balance between the last two is at the heart of the role.

You will be across all of our sourcing, from our direct relationships with growers to the markets we buy from. The Melbourne market is one of our fastest growing and therefore you will be integral to our success and further growth in the region.

Numerate and practical, with the ability to analyse data and, more importantly, act on it quickly, you will be able to influence outcomes effectively. Analysis here exists to drive better buying decisions on the ground; this is not a data science or pure analytics role. You will be the hub between our buying and operations teams, approving sourcing and purchasing decisions and questioning over- and under-buys to keep product available at all times. You will own wastage outcomes, so the calls on what to buy and how much are ultimately yours, backed up by data.

Our ideal candidate will be extremely organised and have strong numerical and analytical skills. You will possess a growth mindset and be able to demonstrate remarkable work ethics, the skills to plan effectively, and a passion for achieving results. You will be energised by hands-on work with fresh product and by the pace of a busy warehouse environment, and be confident and composed under pressure. The ability to enjoy the challenges of a fast growing business and working effectively with others will be a key asset to be able to succeed in the role.

Working pattern & Team

This role is based in our Melbourne office in Collingwood and works Tuesday to Saturday, starting at 7:30am and finishing at around 4:00pm. Early starts and weekend work are essential, as the role needs to run in step with the market and warehouse. The working environment includes regular time in our cool rooms for stock management, which run at between 2°C and 5°C. You will report to our Head of Operations and work closely with our buying and warehouse teams.

Key responsibilities include:

• Accurate buying by forecasting consumer demand using our spreadsheet-based forecasting tools to drive accurate daily purchase orders
• Mitigating wastage through accurate buying, running weekly wastage meetings and overseeing sourcing decisions
• Balancing availability against wastage through accurate forecasting
• Own the demand and forecast planning across all categories and products, including setting and maintaining par levels
• Using all available data, manage systems and intelligence to achieve KPI targets for availability, product waste and customer fulfilment
• Management of key SKU and supplier data to ensure production of accurate purchase orders
• Manage and execute all purchase orders daily in accordance with company ethos, buying guidelines, demand plan, inventory levels, and KPI targets
• Support our buying teams across direct-from-grower and market sourcing, balancing responsive day-to-day buying with orders planned further ahead against scheduled farm deliveries
• Act as the hub between buying and operations: approve sourcing and purchasing decisions, question over- and under-buys, and share forecasts and data openly so that planning insight is used in every purchase
• Manage inventory in and out of the warehouse, working closely with operations staff to monitor stock on hand, shelf life and wastage
• Building strong trading and supplier relationships, managing the performance of your supply base through effective reviews and SLA management
• Actively drive the evolution of the forecasting system and methodologies
• Daily communication with local growers
• Opening and closing product availability
• Answering the sales team and customer service questions about availability and product
• Communication with night buying and operations team (daily handover)
• Updating and running reports and up-keep of automation processes

ABOUT YOU

• Highly numerate, with a degree or equivalent experience in a quantitative or data-oriented field (e.g. Mathematics, Statistics, Supply Chain or similar). An advanced quantitative or data science background is not required
• Strong analytical skills, with proven ability to interpret numerical data, and apply forecasting methodologies in a practical, commercial setting
• Proven experience in a hands-on operational environment (ideally fresh produce, food, procurement, inventory or warehouse-based work) and genuine enthusiasm for working with physical product and operations teams
• Comfortable spending time in cool rooms (2-5°C) as part of day-to-day stock management
• Proactive, strong communicator in all forms and at all levels, direct and straightforward with colleagues and suppliers in a fast-moving, hands-on environment
• Confident, composed and resilient, comfortable making your case, following up persistently and holding your ground
• Excellent Computer skills, as well as excellent proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Microsoft Excel) and/ or Google Suite
• Ability to work under pressure, maintaining accuracy and keeping to deadlines
• Ability to influence effectively and build constructive working relationships across the business to support a 24/7 business operation
• Willingness to work in the office Tuesday to Saturday with a 7:30am start

Benefits of working with us

In return you will work in one of the most exciting and innovative companies in our sector, within an open environment and with the potential to deliver significant positive impact to our society. At Natoora we pride ourselves in offering our staff a dynamic and supportive working environment, with a number of benefits including a competitive salary, the opportunity to progress your career and discounted produce.

Send us your resume and cover letter, and tell us why you want to join the team.