Permanent/Fixed Term: Fixed Term Contract (12 months)
Key Objectives
As a member of the Supply Chain team, the Demand Planner is responsible for supporting effective demand planning across the business. The role focuses on sales and performance analysis, forecasting, inventory planning and maintaining appropriate stock availability supporting on sourcing and order management in line with customer requirements and agreed business targets.
The role will work cross-functionally with Sales, Logistics, R&D and Product Development and relevant customer contacts, together with the Director of the Tanning Mitts Division, in relation to tanning mitt demand planning, to ensure forecasts and stock plans remain current and aligned.
Key Responsibilities
Sales and performance analysis
- Use relevant data sources including ERP systems, Power BI/SAP reporting and spreadsheets to review sales, demand and stock performance.
- Maintain and use established reports and templates, carrying out ad-hoc analysis where required.
- Identify and communicate key variances, risks and changes in demand to relevant stakeholders.
Demand planning and forecasting
- Conduct regular forecast reviews, using commercial sales plans, customer forecasts, order information and current trading data.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date demand forecasts and take appropriate action where material changes or variances are identified.
- Work with customer supply contacts to understand changes in demand and maintain forecast accuracy.
- Obtain and share customer forecasts, order insight and changes in demand with V3 Manufacturing, to align inventory and production plans with customer demand and support production scheduling and labour planning.
- Monitor forecast accuracy and support practical improvements to forecasting processes and outputs.
- Provide clear demand and stock information to support wider supply chain and commercial decision making.
Inventory planning and stock management
- Maintain appropriate inventory levels against forecast demand, availability requirements and agreed stock KPIs.
- Monitor stock availability and highlight potential shortages, excess stock or slow-moving inventory, supporting appropriate corrective action.
- Support the management of stock tails and end-of-life inventory where applicable.
- Work with relevant supply chain and logistics colleagues to ensure stock plans and order requirements remain aligned with customer demand.
- Proactively monitor customer demand and utilise MRP to place new stocked orders on V3 in a timely manner to support both demand smoothing and optimal stock levels.
Supplier management and sourcing
- Work closely with your supplier base, monitoring their OTIF performance and conducting strategic reviews.
- Carry out sourcing activities, including cost negotiations, MOQ and lead time optimisation, as well as identify and pursue dual/new supplier options.
- Raise and expedite purchase orders, working closely with our freight forwarders on import & export requirements.
- Develop a strong relationship with our 3PL partners, ensuring a smooth stock inbound process and supporting with stock reconciliation work.
- Support with new product development activities; facilitating planning, sourcing and launch activities.
Ways of working
- Work collaboratively across the Supply Chain team and wider business, sharing information and workload where appropriate.
- Maintain a collaborative working relationship with the V3 team and attend site where reasonably required for demand planning purposes.
- Support continuous improvement and identify practical opportunities to simplify processes and improve efficiency.
- Carry out other reasonable demand planning activities consistent with the scope and level of the role.
Qualifications & Experience Requirements
- Previous experience in demand planning, forecasting, supply chain planning or a similar analytical role.
- Experience of working with ERP/reporting systems and using data to support forecasting and stock decisions.
- Confident working with numerical data and spreadsheet and advanced working knowledge of Excel.
- Experience of working with customer forecasts and/or retail supply chains would be advantageous.
- A relevant qualification may be helpful but is not essential where suitable practical experience can be demonstrated.
- Strong negotiation skills and experience with supplier management
Key Competency Requirements
- Good analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to identify relevant trends, variances and risks.
- Meticulous attention to detail and a consistent approach to maintaining accurate data and forecasts.
- Practical problem-solving skills and the ability to take appropriate action within the scope of the role.
- Clear and effective communication with colleagues, customers and external partners.
- Ability to organise and prioritise workload across a reduced but varied demand planning remit.
- Collaborative and adaptable approach, with a willingness to support the wider team as business priorities change.
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