Demand and Fulfilment Planner

Our client is seeking a highly analytical and collaborative Demand and Fulfilment Planner to lead the development and execution of an integrated forecasting and supply planning process for their (All Year Round) product portfolio. This role will be responsible for developing and maintaining robust customer/sku forecasts, driving forecast accuracy, ensuring timely product availability, and delivering best-in-class service levels to their customers.

Client Details

This role is with a medium-sized organisation in the FMCG sector, known for its focus on quality products and efficient processes. The company has a strong presence in its industry and prides itself on maintaining high standards in procurement and supply chain management.

Description

* Work closely with the Commercial team to create and maintain robust customer/SKU-level sales forecasts for All Year Round (AYR) products in a dedicated demand planning system by;

o analysing customer base forecasts and trends

o keeping up to date with new product listings (new or soft changes)

o applying distribution changes (+/- to base levels)

o applying promotional uplifts (dependent on mechanics)

* Monitor weekly variations in sales to forecasts and apply pacing corrections to the new week's forecast in order to maintain the overall month's forecast, or amend if necessary

* Manage SKU classifications (A, B, C, D, N) and flag slow moving lines to the business (manage the kite tail)

* Ensure optimal stock levels and product availability by producing supply plans (reviewed/calculated on a weekly basis) from the demand plan

* Manage the full purchase order lifecycle - placing purchase orders, monitoring progress, tracking delivery schedules, in order to maximize OTIF supply

* Resolve any production discrepancies or delays - MOQ's, raw materials, production issues etc

* Capacity plan with suppliers and move orders where required to fit in with factory capacity

* Create supplier forecasts from our requirements plan to enable them to source componentry and secure production slots

* Manage stocks of key components that Baylis & Harding supply fillers

* Plan deliveries of palletised stock from UK suppliers into UK Warehouses

* Stock allocation - manage the allocation of stock to customer orders on a daily basis.

* Escalate within the business if stock is short so a call can be made on prioritisation.

* Effectively communicate to all relevant stakeholders the availability of new, excess, low or out of stock items.

* Communicate any delivery delays (production, transit or delivery) to the customer services team and advise on issues this creates. Work with the team to proactively find a solution.

* Review supplier service levels weekly against the agreed target levels. Discuss with suppliers if performance is below the acceptable level.

* Establish, track, and report on forecast accuracy KPIs (e.g., MAPE, Bias), driving continuous improvement initiatives

Profile

A successful Demand and Fulfilment Planner should have:

* Experience of working within a similar end-to-end supply chain, demand manager/planning, customer order fulfilment role

* A full understanding of demand and supply planning, and its associated processes, constraints and complexities

* Experience of working with manufacturing suppliers, with the ability to resolve supply/product availability issues

* Confident handling large amounts of data, able to interrogate, interpret, spot anomalies and make decisions and recommendations quickly

* The ability to prioritise quickly and react to supply issues will be critical to the success of the role

* Strong communicator both internally and externally

* Ability to communicate clearly with suppliers, chasing where required and gaining confirmation of actions

* Ability to build relationships internally and externally

* Methodical and logical thinker

* Resilience to work within a fast-paced environment

* Possess a Continuous Improvement mindset

* Advanced in IT skills, with particular emphasis on ERP systems, forecasting & planning models and Excel tools, notably lookups and pivot tables

Job Offer

• A competitive annual salary ranging DOE.
• A permanent role in a thriving company within the FMCG industry.
• Opportunities for professional development and growth.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment.

If you are ready to take the next step in your career as a Demand and Fulfilment Planner, we encourage you to apply and become a key part of this exciting opportunity.