Head of Demand Planning

About the role

The Head of Demand Planning is responsible for leading the development, implementation and improvement of the business demand forecasting process and strategy including input into the Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning (S&OP) process. The role is a global, senior planning position within the PPE organization, collaborating at all business levels and across all business functions.

Responsibilities

• Demand Planning Leadership: Develop and lead the monthly Demand Planning process acting as the bridge between commercial teams, finance, and supply chain.
• Forecasting Strategy: Direct the generation and implementation of consensus demand planning at PPE including utilising demand planning as a key decision making strategy tool.
• Team Leadership: Mentor, manage, and scale the demand planning team while establishing, and driving performance metrics KPIs including forecast accuracy, bias and value add.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner with and drive knowledge improvement of demand planning with internal and external stakeholders to validate customer demand, demand forecasts and market changes.
• Continuous Improvement: Lead the ongoing assessment, recommendation and implementation of forecasting best practice, process adherence. tools and reporting software platforms together with best in class process and practices.

Requirements

The role will be based at our headquarters in Blackburn UK with travel to our US facility in Brenham, Texas and other locations, suppliers and customers when required.

Key Accountabilities

• Finished Goods (FG) product availability and service (on time in full OTIF / OTD)
• Demand planning process implementation and adherence
• Forecast accuracy governance and demand planning performance including KPI utilisation

Qualifications

• 5 -10 years of experience in demand planning, strategic demand planning and demand planning change management.
• Exceptional understanding of technology tools that enable demand planning and reporting.
• Ability to use technology tools that facilitate collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Business and commercial acumen and knowledge of finance, sales, marketing, manufacturing, planning and procurement functions.
• Strong numeracy and analytical skills with the ability to translate data into high-level analysis.
• Experience of Integrated business planning, best practice, & successful implementation.
• Experience with Microsoft suite and reporting tools such as Power Bi.
• Understanding of end-to-end planning and supply chain management.
• Experience in using and improving systems (SAP ERP).
• Proven people and line management experience.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects at once.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve KPIs like plan accuracy improvement, process adherence, stock turns, return on investment, and project completion.

Skills

• Effective communication skills with ability to pivot messages and data to different levels of the organisation.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships across the end-to-end supply chain (from commercial through distribution).
• Ability to take data and tell a compelling story that drive understanding and decisions.
• Ability to understand and present demand planning data at relevant ways to all key stakeholders.
• Focuses on both short-term results and long-term goals.
• Evaluate Demand and supply scenarios with diligence in with end-to-end supply chain impact in mind.
• Ability to understand, refine and train algorithms to aid analysis and scenario planning.
• Understanding of systems and business processes to facilitate and make sound and efficient decision making.
• Work with various cross-functional teams on projects such as new product launches, line extensions, product discontinuations and data cleansing.

Benefits

Salary: £60,000 - £70,000 per annum
Car Allowance: £5,000 per annum
Bonus: up to 15% annual salary
Annual leave: 25 days plus bank holidays
Hours of work: Monday to Friday, 08.30 - 17.00
Flexi time: core hours 09:30 to 14:30, with the ability to accrue an additional day leave per quarter

Pay

£60,000 - £70,000 per annum

Schedule

Monday to Friday, 08.30 - 17.00
Core hours 09:30 to 14:30, with the ability to accrue an additional day leave per quarter