Senior Planner

We have an exciting opportunity for a **Senior Planner** to join our evolving team. We’re always on the lookout for top talent to join our growing business. In fact, we never stand still, we work hard, make quick decisions and deliver to our ambitious goals every day.

The purpose of this role is to work closely with the Area Manager, as well as the Centralised Planning function to develop a planning strategy for the area that encompasses a planning file, ensuring full coverage on all eventualities for our working model. You will be responsible for the line management of two planners to cover a division, so the strategy and execution of the plan must be methodical and provide a full coverage file for weekend coverage, holiday, seasonal uplifts, peaks (summer and winter). As a Senior Planner you will be responsible for ensuring the planning activity meets the cost and quality expectations set by the Area Manager and that the BAU planning activity is smooth across the division.

With fantastic growth and success over past years, it’s time to shape our future. With our recent exciting rebrand from Hermes to Evri we are all about our people, our planet and our communities.

Our refreshed values are important to us; Do the right Thing, Celebrate Cost Leadership, Be Dynamic and Deliver for Customers. Our Evri people are what set us apart.

We are looking for individuals to come and join the Evri family that share our passion and drive to delight our Customers.

Could that person be you?

**You will be accountable for**:

- Reporting directly into the Area Manager and be part of the area senior team, alongside the Area operations managers.
- The implementation of a successful planning coverage file and process within your Area.
- Working very closely with the Centralised Planning function to engage, support, and embed new initiative or practices for the network, whilst working closely with the Network planning manager to offer a joined-up approach.
- Building up courier and round coverage to minimise business risk and ensure that all requirements are continually met.
- Developing resource planning strategies to ensure an optimal number of self-employed couriers are available to meet parcel delivery demands.
- Leading strategies through the planners to ensure a full coverage file and strategy is provided and maintained effectively.
- Ensure the planning team are effectively collaborating with the resource and training colleagues to assess current and future courier availability.
- Manage the team to ensure the creation and management of a comprehensive holiday planning schedule for SE+ couriers to ensure coverage during peak seasons.
- Together with your planning team, you will analyse historical data and current trends to forecast parcel volume within the division and therefore regions.
- Collaborate with marketing and sales teams to anticipate and plan for volume fluctuation.
- Collaboration and strategising with the Central Planning team to align on network strategies and implement them through the division.
- Collaborate with Operational Development to ensure any insights are shared and developed through to implementation.
- Work closely with operations and logistics teams to optimise courier routes based on parcel volume and delivery locations.
- Implement strategies to minimise delivery times and enhance overall efficiency.
- Analyse and implement coverage files to ensure all regions can handle peak volumes and maintain service standards.
- Design contingency plans for unexpected increases in parcel volumes.
- Develop, analyse, and challenge on key performance indicators (KPIs) related to resource planning, including courier utilisation rates, ETAs, and holiday coverage.
- Identify areas for improvement and implement adjustments to enhance planning accuracy.
- Ensure the planners work closely with the recruitment team to align resource planning with the ongoing recruitment and onboarding of self-employed couriers.
- Provide input on the desired skill sets and capacity needed within the courier network.
- Ensure effective reporting tools are set up and maintained to provide standardised, clear, and timely information regarding changes in parcel volume and operational requirements.
- Develop and refine forecasting models to predict future parcel delivery demands.
- Utilise forecasting data to inform resource planning and ensure the division is adequately prepared for variations in volume.

**To be successful in this role you will require the following **

**Qualifications**:

- Current UK Driving licence
- Planning qualification desirable but not essential

**Knowledge & Experience**:

- Experience of managing a team remotely
- Influencing and coaching a team to deliver high results.
- Experience and knowledge of working to high value budgets.
- Experience of planning coverage and workforce management.
- Working with Unions and in a hybrid of an employed and self-employed model

**Technical & People Skills*