The Changing Role of Supply Chain Planners in CPG Companies: Embracing New Skills and Technologies

The role of supply chain planners is transforming significantly, especially within consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. Shaped by digital innovations, evolving market dynamics, and a drive for greater agility, planners are moving beyond traditional, siloed roles to play a central role in strategic decision-making. This shift reflects a broader transformation within the supply chain industry where real-time data, integrated planning, and automation are critical.

Factors contributing to this shift include the need for enhanced end-to-end visibility, centralized planning, and advanced analytics, all of which improve the speed and quality of decision-making. Roughly two-thirds of CPG companies are already transitioning to more integrated planning models, helping planners manage more complex, cross-functional responsibilities. This is critical in today’s environment, where planners need to assess both immediate and long-term impacts of their decisions with agility and accuracy.

To understand this transformation, let’s examine the three main shifts reshaping supply chain planning roles:

1. Planners owning decisions end-to-end within specified time horizons
2. Roles divided by expertise in business and technology
3. The evolving skill set required to make this transition successful

These shifts provide a roadmap for CPG companies aiming to harness the full potential of modern, integrated planning models.

Shift 1: Owning Decision-Making Across Time Horizons

In traditional models, supply chain planners worked in specific functions (demand planning, supply planning, production scheduling) with limited visibility into the entire planning process. Today, a new approach emphasizes planners owning decisions and processes end-to-end within a designated time horizon - either strategic (1-3 years), tactical (2-12 months), or execution-focused (under six weeks). This shift aims to break down functional silos, enabling planners to make decisions quickly and effectively across the entire supply chain process.

This shift not only increases the speed of decision-making but also enhances planning accuracy. By focusing on a specific time horizon, planners can better anticipate upcoming challenges and opportunities, aligning with the organization’s broader strategic goals. An E2E (end-to-end) planner, for example, would oversee all activities for a product category within a region, managing both demand and supply aspects. This approach is designed to reduce inefficiencies and improve cross-functional collaboration, ultimately enhancing the organization’s ability to respond to changes in real-time.

Shift 2: A Split of Roles Between Business and Technology Experts

The second major shift is the division of planning roles by expertise, distinguishing between business-oriented planners and technology specialists. As digital tools like AI, machine learning, and automation become more integral to planning, CPG companies are seeing the value of combining business insight with technological expertise. Planners with strong market and product knowledge focus on demand, supply, and strategic planning, while technology experts support them with advanced analytics, automation, and data management.

Centers of Excellence (CoEs) are also emerging as a strategic support layer, providing in-depth analytics and technology management. These CoEs enable planners to leverage data science for predictive analysis and scenario planning, empowering planners to make proactive, informed decisions. This dual approach fosters collaboration between business and tech experts, creating a seamless connection between technology-driven insights and market-based decisions.

Shift 3: Developing New Skills for Transitioning to Modern Planning

The third shift focuses on the new skills required to succeed in these evolving roles. As planning functions become more integrated, planners must adapt by expanding both their technical and soft skills. To make full use of today’s technology-driven planning tools, planners need proficiency in data analytics and scenario modeling.

At the same time, they must strengthen collaboration and communication skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and tech specialists. Additionally, with the rise of GenAI and AI agents handling routine decisions, planners will need to shift their focus to exception-based planning, including validating AI outputs, resolving disruptions, and optimizing strategies.

Change management, ongoing training, and career development are essential to ensure planners are prepared for these expanded responsibilities. The transition to a modern planning structure relies on robust skill development, enabling planners to focus more on exceptions, strategic decision-making and less on transactional tasks.

Conclusion: Unlocking Value in Next-Generation Planning

By adopting these shifts - empowering end-to-end decision-making, integrating business and tech expertise, and upskilling planners - CPG companies can achieve greater agility, faster response times, and improved accuracy in planning. This next-generation planning approach not only optimizes resources but also strengthens the supply chain’s adaptability and resilience.

With streamlined planning processes, CPG companies can anticipate and address changes in demand and supply more effectively, ensuring they are well-positioned for success in a rapidly changing market.

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