Demand Planner

**Demand Planner - Salary c£23,862 - Based: Willenhall / Working remotely**

**Mon-Fri 8am-4:30 pm (negotiable)**

We have an **exciting opportunity** for a **Demand Planner**. **We are looking for someone motivated and driven to join our team of Demand Planners who will maximise availability whilst minimising wastage to ensure we are on track to deliver our demand planning strategy.

A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd is one of the largest privately owned companies in the UK. Our forward-thinking family-owned business began life in 1917 as a counter-service grocery store and has grown from these humble beginnings into a company that now owns 260 SPAR convenience stores and employs more than 7,000 people, with a turnover of £1.3 billion. As one of the largest convenience retailers in the UK, we are always looking for innovative ways to create a point of difference. Food and drink have always been our lifeblood, and today our business has multiple divisions specialising in retail, food service and wholesale distribution.

We have always strived to build partnerships with suppliers and trade partners while never underestimating the role that it plays within the communities it serves.

**Key Tasks/Responsibilities**:

- Maximise group availability on all products in certain commodity groups with Varied seasonally driven sales communicating opportunities and risks
- Huddles: To challenge, share, understand and action to ensure we are on track to deliver a positive outcome
- Optimise and deliver targeted Pre/Post chop KPI’s the department is targeted against. Working with Power BI data sources.
- Identify stock anomalies to avoid wastage issues in line with budgets
- Building relationships with suppliers to provide forecasts for stock requirements, future promotions, and seasonal activity.
- Challenge and measure supplier inbound performance
- Work collaboratively with other departments to make sure end to end availability is achieved
- Building strong trading and supplier relationships to maximise and deliver our KPI Targets
- Maintain the Demand Planning programs and product file
- Work to stock holding targets at commodity group level responsible for managing and analysing stock to ensure best inventory levels
- Maintaining data-based reports and communicating effectively

**Key Knowledge/skills**
- High level of numeracy and literacy is essential
- 2 x GCSE (A-C) including English and Maths would be preferred
- Demonstrable replenishment experience is essential
- Ability to use logical and creative thinking to solve problems and make decisions
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build strong working relationships
- Strong organisational and planning skills with an attention to detail
- Competence in Microsoft Word and Excel is essential and all other Microsoft programmes preferred
- Customer focussed and understands the importance of this to the business
- Challenges appropriately and finds areas for improvement
- Demonstrates integrity, a strong work ethic and upholds the company values and principles
- Extremely self-motivated and driven

**What's in it for you?**
- Develop your Management/Sales skills and capability in a highly supportive and multi-diverse culture
- Outstanding Training & Development
- Gain hands-on experience in a high volume, fast paced company
- Excellent benefits package including:

- Early access to your pay through ‘EarlyPay’
- 24/7 access to your payslips and Rotas via HR/Payroll portal
- 10% Staff Discount in our SPAR stores
- Access to our colleague benefits scheme which offers a wide range of high street retail, holiday & leisure discounts
- Company Life Insurance worth 1 x Annual Salary and 6 x Annual Salary with Company Pension Scheme
- Company Pension Scheme
- NEST pension scheme
- Extra Holidays - Purchase Scheme
- Cycle to work - Bicycle purchase scheme
- Long Service Awards (e.g. 25 years service is £500 in vouchers and extra 4 weeks paid leave)

Location: Willenhall (West Midlands) / Remote Working