Global Demand Planner

**COMPANY BACKGROUND**:
Slingco is an award-winning supplier of installation tools for the energy infrastructure industries, including Utility, Oil & Gas and Renewables. With over 40 years of industry heritage, we serve customers in over 80 countries worldwide from our headquarters in the UK and distribution centres in United States and Australia.

We design and manufacture to the highest specifications and test to destruction. If our products do not meet and exceed the most stringent national and international standards, they’re not good enough for our customers.

At Slingco, our goal is to create innovative high-quality products that our customers can depend on, whilst providing a positive experience for our customers and our employees. Every aspect of our work, culture and commitment to innovation is driven by our core values.

**LOCATION**: Rawtenstall, Lancashire UK (Office based)
**REPORTS TO**:Supply Chain Manager
**SALARY**:£45,000-£50,000
**BENEFITS**:Enhanced Pension Contributions, Life Insurance (DIS), Gym Membership, Free Parking, Cycle to Work Scheme

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As part of the Supply Chain Team, you will lead the demand planning analysis process for all products categories, creating a link between sales, supply chain and manufacturing to ensure an efficient model of generating future demand is established, driven by historical sales data, sales forecasts, marketing strategies and inventory position.

**KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Review Historical Sales data, to identify sales patterns based on seasonality, market trends and other demand drivers.
- Work Closely with the Inventory Planner Analyst, Sales Team, and Marketing Team to gather existing customer inputs, potential new customers, and new market introductions.
- Develop an operational demand forecast model using the demand planning software as the primary forecasting tool.
- Validate the sales forecast model through regular comparisons to sales actuals, adjusting and correcting any gaps in the forecast if necessary.
- Implement strategies in conjunction with Inventory Planner Analyst to improve forecast accuracy.
- Create and maintain stock policies such as safety stocks, replenishment cycles and Optimum Order quantities.
- Manage and maintain inventory levels, to provide stock availability at high stock turn ratio.
- Manage and maintain item classification (in line with runners, repeaters and strangers methodology).
- Work closely with the Production Planner to provide a production forecast and / or release transfer orders with planned schedule deliveries according to the sales forecast and inventory policies.
- Coordinate the release of scheduled purchase orders for finished goods and child parts to global suppliers.
- Follow up with suppliers regarding the order book status to ensure goods are delivered on time.
- Maintain a hotlist status and review expediting or push back items with suppliers.
- Ensure customer action plans, sales spikes and new sales orders are immediately communicated to the broader team.
- Monitor / review and update system parameters in line with demand changes.
- Report department KPI’s such as back orders, stock turns and customer OTIF.
- Regularly review slow moving / obsolete stock and coordinate with sales and finance on stock reduction action plans.
- Focus on replenishment models that optimise freight options such as full containers and consolidation of goods.
- Review customer contracts to advise material planning strategies to minimise stock obsolescence risk.
- Prepare documentation / presentations for regular sales & operations reviews.

**PERSON SPECIFICATION**:

- Act in accordance with Slingco Values at all times.
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills to drive the team to achieve strategic objectives.
- Sense of urgency and proactive working to communicate issues in advance to stake holders and prioritisation of tasks accordingly.
- Promote a positive, delivery & results focused atmosphere throughout the team and company.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure.
- Ability to work effectively as a team and on own initiative, keeping yourself and the team highly motivated, resilient, and positive.
- Excellent communication skills to navigate in different communication environments and levels, being able to translate the information across the whole organisation (tech / non tech).
- Drive problem solving and continuous improvements initiatives, using creative thinking to find innovative solutions / opportunities.
- Good understanding about business strategies, commercials, financials, and negotiation skills.
- Produce written work of the highest standard as well as excellent skills in PowerPoint presentations.
- Take full responsibility for own actions / inactions, communicating issues and providing forward thinking before problems materialise.
- Proactive communicate with customers and team members using appropriate channels with openness and honesty, flagging potential issues