Joining us as a Demand Planner, you’ll be responsible for generating accurate and timely demand forecasts to support our retail business.

In this key operational role, you’ll be responsible for ensuring optimal product availability, whilst also helping to minimise waste and costs within the supply chain.

You’ll be using a combination of historical data and commercial insights, together with your understanding of retail trends to create effective forecasts.

In this varied role, you’ll be:

• Managing accurate demand forecasts for assigned product categories
• Collaborating with our commercial and marketing teams to build promotional plans and new product launches into forecasts
• Monitoring store-level performance – ensuring that forecasts are aligned with demand.
• Reviewing and amending forecasting models and methods – improving accuracy and efficiency.
• Providing reporting and analysis to senior management and key stakeholders.
• Ensuring forecasts for local suppliers’ products are as accurate as possible- helping to support their businesses

Key to this role will be fostering and embedding a supportive and collaborative environment. Through your collaborations across the business, you’ll be helping to ensure that demand plans are aligned with category and business strategies, as well as contributing to cross-functional projects that impact demand (such as new store openings).

To be successful in this role, you’ll need to stay up to date with industry best practices in demand planning.

We’re looking for someone who can bring experience in a demand planning, forecasting or similar analytical role- preferably within a retail or FMCG environment.

Through your previous experience, you’ll have the ability to analyse sales data, identify trends and utilise a range of forecasting techniques to create accurate demand plans.

A keen problem-solver with an ability to identify and address forecasting issues, you’ll also be comfortable and confident in presenting forecasts and insights to commercial and supply chain stakeholders.

You’ll demonstrate an understanding of retail operations and the factors that influence customer demand (including seasonality and promotional activity).

You’ll need to be highly skilled in using Microsoft Excel as well as forecasting and replenishment software.

Everyone is welcome here We’re happy to make reasonable adjustments so that all our candidates can show us how they’ll perform their role. There is a section in the application form where you can provide any additional information. Please use this section to include any reasonable adjustments you need, and we’ll do our best to support you through our recruitment process

What benefits are available to you at Central Co-op?

In addition to our competitive salaries, our colleagues also benefit from:

Reward and Benefits

• Fantastic colleague discount - Reward ££’s and discounts across our Retail and Funeral businesses.
• Retail discounts- our hub offers colleagues access to hundreds of exclusive retail discounts, savings on days out and holiday discounts.
• Colleague Dividend- We pay a share of our profits to eligible colleagues as a thank you for their contribution to our success.
• Colleague recognition- we celebrate our colleague’s achievements both personally and professionally
• Personalised learning and development- with easy access to a wide range of training programmes
• Paid time for volunteering- we encourage our colleagues to spend three days per year taking part in volunteering, fully paid for by us.
• Enhanced family friendly policies- to help you feel fully supported during any significant life events.

   

  Wellbeing

• Annual health check kit and virtual GP – Finger prick blood test kit, that is sent to Square Healthcare for your personal healthcare report, and access to a virtual GP 7 days a week 8am to 8pm for you and your family.
• Colleague assistance programme – to support you and your family when you need it the most.
• Healthcare Cashplan- your wellbeing is important, so you’ve got the opportunity to contribute into a voluntary plan that helps pay towards a range of healthcare expenses.
• Company sick pay – We offer company sick pay to colleagues so that you can focus on getting better and returning to work in full health.
• Life Assurance- after an initial qualifying period, you’ll get free life assurance cover, that pays your nominated beneficiary if you die while you’re working for us.
• We’ve got you – our colleague wellbeing campaign, making wellbeing benefits and resources accessible and relevant to the role that you do.
• Give as you earn- helping you support charities which mean something to you.

   

  Financial Wellbeing

• iTrent Financial Wellbeing (Wagestream)- offers something for all our colleagues, whether you want to track your finances, save some money, or access up to 50% of your earned pay flexibly in a way that suits you.
• The Money Co-op – Free access to support all aspects of your financial wellbeing, such as savings and loans at competitive rates.
• Salary Sacrifice schemes:
  • Electric Vehicle scheme – Option to purchase your EV through salary sacrifice
  • Share Incentive Plan (SIP) – option to buy shares within the Society, where they will attract interest and £10 worth of matching shares.
  • Cycle to Work scheme – Option to purchase your bicycle and accessories through salary sacrifice
  • Holiday buy- colleagues can buy up to a week extra of annual leave each year
• Company Pension- you can access a company pension scheme with us as well as access to Pension wellbeing information.
• Nous – smart assistant that can save you money and time on managing your household bills.

We’re Central Co-op, a Member-owned and Member-led co-operative Society.

And with us, you’re not just a colleague, you’re a Member. You’ll own a share of the business.