Director of Demand Planning – Middle East (Beauty & Cosmetics)

About the role

A leading international organisation in the beauty, wellness and consumer goods sector is seeking a senior Director of Demand Planning for the Middle East. You will own the regional demand strategy, drive the end‑to‑end S&OP process and partner with senior commercial, marketing, finance and supply‑chain leaders.

Key responsibilities

• Own and lead the regional demand planning strategy across core, seasonal, gifting and new product development portfolios.
• Drive the full S&OP cycle, including pre‑S&OP meetings and executive alignment forums.
• Lead NPD sell‑in forecasting, launch planning, phase‑in/phase‑out and cannibalisation analysis.
• Partner with senior stakeholders across markets, sales, marketing, finance, product and supply chain to align demand with commercial objectives.
• Develop and continuously improve forecasting methodologies, tools and planning capabilities.
• Monitor forecast accuracy and bias, driving continuous improvement and governance.
• Provide leadership, coaching and direction to regional demand planning teams.
• Ensure demand plans are aligned with supply capabilities and inventory targets.

Required profile

• 10+ years of experience in demand planning, supply chain or operational planning, preferably in FMCG, beauty, wellness or similar fast‑moving consumer sectors.
• Proven leadership of S&OP processes at a regional or multi‑market level.
• Experience managing core ranges, seasonal cycles and new product launches concurrently.
• Comfortable interacting with senior commercial, marketing, finance and supply‑chain executives.

Required skills

• Experience with Business Intelligence (BI) tools.
• Advanced forecasting and statistical modelling capability.
• Advanced Excel and data‑analytics proficiency.
• Strong knowledge of S&OP best practices and cross‑functional governance.