Head of Demand Planning

• £70,000 - £75,000

• London

Join this leading B Corp brand and help make a meaningful impact in a purpose-driven organisation. As the Head of Demand Planning, you will lead their driven Demand Planning / Merchandising Team, tasked with optimising on-shelf availability while managing stockholding to maximise revenue and gross profit.

Your leadership will be instrumental in maintaining accurate forecasts with key customers, communicating these forecasts to the Supply Chain/Purchasing Team, and collaborating with retailers to agree on drop plans. With a keen eye for detail and exceptional communication skills, you'll ensure the seamless operation of forecasting meetings and processes, while providing day-to-day demand planning cover as needed.

Your role is pivotal in maintaining high standards and delivering exceptional service to global customers, and for this, you will require around 5+ years of hands-on experience in demand planning with excellent leadership skills. Experience of working with UK Grocery customers is essential, and you must thrive within energetic, fast-paced environments.

This is a great company that is experiencing impressive but sustainable YOY growth.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Manage and Lead a Team of Merchandisers / Demand Planners:

• Lead, coach, and empower the Demand Planning Team to deliver outstanding service to their grocery customers.
• Guide the team in achieving optimum on-shelf availability while considering stockholdings at various locations.
• Foster a culture of forward forecasting and best practice methodologies within the team.

Cadence:

• Lead daily internal team meetings to ensure alignment on demand planning and merchandising priorities.
• Lead monthly sales recap meetings to review in-store sales performance.
• Play a key role in monthly stockholding meetings.

On-Shelf Availability:

• Collaborate closely with the Head of Delivery to monitor project progress and critical paths.
• Oversee demand planning and merchandising elements for key seasonal events and continuity lines to ensure full availability.
• Troubleshoot any logistical issues and ensure timely resolution.

Performance Analysis:

• Review in-store sales performance to recommend range/distribution changes.
• Provide insights to the Product Development team for future range development.
• Drive improvements in forecast accuracy and on-shelf availability.

Customer Management:

• Manage key relationships with senior contacts in grocery retailers' demand planning teams.
• Exceed performance KPIs outlined by grocery customers and lead quarterly performance reviews.
• Drive ongoing improvements through regular retrospectives on performance.

Who You Are:

• 5+ years of experience in Demand Planning/Customer Supply Chain/Merchandising function.
• Experience with UK Grocery customers desired.
• Must had proven management experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, especially Excel and Outlook.

Key Attributes to Role:

• Strong team leadership ability.
• Creative problem solver with a "can do" attitude.
• Highly numerate and data literate.
• Organised, resourceful, and structured.
• Ability to build strong relationships internally and with key customers.
• Ability to work at pace and juggle multiple priorities.

Join their team:

This company is deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within their workforce. They believe that diversity not only enriches their company culture but also drives innovation and creativity. As a certified B Corp, they recognise the importance of promoting equity and fairness in all aspects of their operations, including hiring practices. They strive to create a workplace that celebrates individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. By prioritising diversity in their recruitment efforts, they ensure that their team reflects the diverse communities they serve and uphold the values of B Corp certification.