Forecast Manager

Why Join Coca-Cola North America?

It’s an exciting time to work in The Coca-Cola Company’s flagship market. We’re accelerating our momentum as the fastest-growing large consumer goods company in North America by putting people at the heart of our business and everything we do – whether we’re innovating to give consumers the drinks and packaging sizes they want, or building our eCommerce capabilities. People are our focus when we’re collaborating with our diverse network of locally-connected bottling partners, and when we’re returning every drop of water we use to communities and nature. And people – with the different backgrounds, skills and perspectives they bring to our workplace – are helping transform our business, one big idea at a time. We empower our employees to challenge the status quo, make bold recommendations, experiment and adapt, so we can grow together and make a great business even better.

The Brand Forecasting Manager owns and drives the collaborative volume forecasting processes that brings various point of views (POVs) into one aligned output. S/he facilitates the weekly and monthly forecasting, tracking, and analyzing processes to enable the Brand and Finance partners, as well as other cross-functional collaborators to make best business decision possible with the information and data at hand. S/he also owns the Anaplan statistical/value-add model for his/her brands to improve predictability and stability for the downhill to feed into the Weekly Volume Forecasts, Monthly Rolling Estimate and Annual Business Plan..

Forecasting

• Tune statistical models generated in the forecasting platform as often as necessary (minimum weekly) to provide a clear starting point for cross-functional stakeholders to collaborate and align on.
• Project Total (Net of Stat +/- Puts & Calls) Unit Case volume for the short-, mid-, and long-term, using input from internal stakeholders, such as Brand, Sales, Franchise, Finance, Cat Comm, and RGM by leveraging stat modeling and value-add capabilities in the forecasting platform (e.g., Anaplan).
• Provide a clear POV on volume risks and opportunities based on an understanding of key inputs and objective assessment of the range of possible outcomes.
• Drive alignment through robust collaboration and analyses to provide the best demand signal for both financial forecast and supply chain planning for US Ops.
• Ensure databases and systems have accurate volumes for the various internal routines such as Weekly Volume Call, Monthly Rolling Estimate, and Annual Business Planning.
• Partner with National Retail Sales teams to drive continuity on forecasts between sales, finance, bottlers and supply chain

EDUCATION LEVEL REQUIRED

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of experience and education

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• 5+ years of relevant or related industry experience preferred.

EXPERIENCE PREFERRED

• Forecasting across multiple areas within a company (supply chain, finance, long term planning)
• Experience working in the CPG marketplace, understanding of market trends and behaviors

TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Strong analytical skills, communication and influencing skills required. ?
• Proficiency with Excel/PowerPoint/Databases and forecasting systems, SAP
• Demonstrated ability to deliver project with business stewardship across internal and external functional groups, teams and stakeholders.
• Results oriented with ability to multi-task; comfortable with a fast-paced, changing environment
• Business Understanding & KO knowledge: Ability to connect data centric performance analysis with business/financial results.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Drive the monthly Unit Case Forecast Alignment sessions with Brand, Finance, and RGM partners, with inputs from Franchise and Sales (NRS + AO) with the ultimate outcome of feeding the RE and supply chain planning processes.
• Provide clear insights and misses/beats to the BP, RE, and Aligned Forecast in order to continuously improve the process and forecast accuracy/attainment across the organization.
• Actively collaborate with Product Commercialization, Sales and Marketing to capture brand initiatives and campaigns driving incremental volume vs. statistical baseline.

Analysis

• Analyze shipment and consumption/sell-through data to identify forecast variances and root causes to drive forecast process and accuracy improvement.
• Provide insights, volume risks and opportunities, and scenarios in order to drive aligned forecast for the downhill periods.
• Actively manage exceptions in the forecasting platform to identify and resolve high-error SKU/BPPs.

Continuous Improvement (Plan-Do-Check-Adjust Cycle)

• Track, analyze, and improve forecast performance by leveraging multiple data sources (shipments, orders, primary vs. secondary vs. consumption/sell-through sales, etc.).
• Track forecast attainment, bias, MAPE and WAPE to identify high-error exceptions and drive improvement through various methodologies.
• Improve stat forecasting model capabilities in Anaplan, as well as Dashboard and other capabilities by continuous learning, testing, and experimenting.

Our Growth Culture:
One of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years is having a company culture that supports and rewards behaviors that lead to growth. Our “Growth Behaviors,” as we call them, are ways of being and working that help to make us successful. Think about how you can bring this to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.

Curious
Keep seeking, never settle. Staying curious about what is outside, and two steps ahead inspires us to challenge the status quo. Having the courage to look and leap is the way we grow. Because asking “what if?” pushes us to the next level as people and as a company.

Empowered
Make it happen. True empowerment is the result of taking responsibility. This means giving yourself permission to see it, say it and do it, and owning the outcomes. Because we move forward faster when we all take action.

Version 1.0, 2.0, 3.0
Push for progress, not perfection. There are very few overnight successes. Greatness is borne of many little victories (and failures). Share v 1.0, test it, and make it better. Then create the next version. Because the moment we think something is perfect, it will be obsolete.

Inclusive
Include, value and trust each other. We are smart alone but together we are genius. This means being inclusive, giving the benefit of the doubt and being responsible for each other. Because, for our company to thrive for the next 100+ years, smart isn’t enough. We need genius.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.