Category Planning Specialist (1 year fixed-term contract)
Job Location: Luxembourg
Company description
Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella®, Tic Tac®, Ferrero Rocher®, Raffaello®, Kinder Bueno® and Kinder Surprise®. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 40,000 dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.
Diversity Statement
Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.
About the Role:
For our Ferrero HQs in Luxembourg, we are currently looking for a Category Planning Specialist who will report to the Finished Product Planning Manager and will collaborate, not only with other members of Category Planning team, but also with several central functions (such as Operations Area Planning, Category Controlling and Operations Development) and local functions (such as Plants, Business Unit).
The Category Planning Specialist ensures the consistency of overall planning, capacity assessment for mid-term horizon and product portfolio interacting with the Global Presidency and Area Marketing.
Main Responsibilities:
Thanks to your expertise in production planning, you will manage the mid-term production of the category through the S&OP process. You will define production allocations across different Group Plants, considering capacity and constraints while optimizing industrial factors such as formats and flavors. Additionally, you will assess and conduct capacity analyses within the PS6 horizon to evaluate the existing industrial assets.
You will ensure alignment between Operations and product portfolio management, working closely with Portfolio Managers and relevant teams. In coordination with the toys planning team, you will contribute to maintaining the service level. Within the new catalogue framework, you will analyze product innovations, assess their impact on the existing portfolio, and support product harmonization efforts.
You will also define and manage the arbitrage process in collaboration with the Global Presidency, addressing situations such as shortages or production adjustments
Who we are looking for:
Thanks to your academic background in Economics or Industrial/Management Engineering, you will bring an analytical approach to production planning. Ideally, you have up to 3 years of experience, allowing you to apply your knowledge in a dynamic environment.
You will use your skills in planning and project management, along with proficiency in MS Office, particularly Excel and MS Access (preferred). Familiarity with planning platforms will be useful, and fluency in English is required. Additional language skills would be an asset.
Your ability to manage complex situations with multiple variables, combined with attention to detail and problem-solving skills, will support decision-making. You are proactive, accountable, and capable of working effectively with various stakeholders, fostering strong professional relationships to contribute to team objectives.
How to be successful in the role and at Ferrero:
Consumers, quality and care are at the heart of everything we do. So, to be successful at Ferrero, you’ll need to be just as consumer and product centric as we are - dedicated to crafting brilliant results for consumers around the world.