Planner Career Profile

Planner

In todays marketplace the role of a supply chain planner varies depending on the nature of business the organisation undertakes and whether that involves working with a product or service. However, whatever the type of organisation in question, some aspects stay the same. Typically a Planner will be required to work with a wide range of stakeholders that can include operations, sales, marketing and finance and will work in an autonomous manner. As such a Planner is a very analytical role that requires a highly commercial individual who is able to identify ways to improve sales, reduce costs and identify and act upon potential issues that may impact on customer service ratings and profitability.

Key duties and skills of a Planner include

• Implement, lead and develop forecasting from an end to end perspective to include Demand Planning and Supply Planning
• Represent the Supply Chain function within S&OP meetings
• Demand planning for short, medium and long term plans
• Supply Planning to increase procurement and purchasing economies of scale
• Baseline forecasting on a product by product and country by country basis
• Develop, maintain and distribute inventory and stock reports to commercial function
• Help establish and use best methods (statistical models and software tools) in creating forecasts and targets
• Make adjustments to forecast and stock targets based on changes in demand and market trends
• Monitor SKU levels
• Ideally a background and/or exposure in master scheduling, forecasting, procurement and planning
• Strong analytical abilities
• Experience using ERP statistical software packages
• Knowledge of demand management/forecasting tools, forecasting processes in sales, marketing operations, finance, manufacturing and supply chain issues
• Good communication and team building skills
• Detail oriented and excellent accuracy skills
• Extensive spreadsheet analysis
• Ideally you will be educated to degree level, or equivalent and hold a formal supply chain qualification
• You will be a proactive self starter who is able to work to with minimal supervision.