CPFR Manager jobs
Collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishing (CPFR) has proved to be one of the most important breakthroughs in the supply chain field, particularly in high-volume retail outlets such as supermarkets but also with large home wares stores. With the suppliers being privy to selected sales information in real-time or at some other regular interval, in its simplest form they can either continually replenish stocks (which can be inefficient) or use forecasting and analysis to calculate the optimum time to send a bulk delivery. It can slash admin costs and keep shelves stocked, but it can also be used to gauge the effect of promotions and such like.
The CPFR manager will be in charge of the operation, overseeing the team running the system and liaising with suppliers to negotiate deals and set up new lines. He or she will be in charge of the accounting system and will need to ensure suppliers are paid in the manner agreed, an area which can cause problems if badly administered.
Moreover, the task of the CPFR manager will be to get the best out of the system, decide when its use is inappropriate so that the traditional ordering system can be reverted to, reduce waste and ensure that predicted needs will be available when required.
The skills required
A clear and concise manner of communication will be an essential quality for this job. That might be face to face, over the phone or electronically, and will be with senior management, suppliers and the team he or she is overseeing.
A keen ability to monitor the system and be alert to issues before they arise will be key. The danger that buyers can go into autopilot is ever-present and can lead to overstocking of seasonal products or under-stocking of products that are about to be heavily promoted.
Sales and negotiation skills will be advantageous, too. Using CPFR can put specific challenges on the negotiation process as the costs involved to the supplier can easily be overlooked. Preparation is key when meeting existing or potential suppliers with a view to initiating or modifying a CPFR programme.
CPFR Manager Jobs in Redditch
Redditch is a moderately populated Worcestershire town situated about 12 miles (20 km) south of the centre of Birmingham. Worcester is the same distance to the west and Leamington Spa is over to the west, and the whole town is surrounded from west to north to east by a curve made up of the M5, M42 and M40. The town’s population is around 80,000.
The town is historically noted as being the manufacturing base for needles, and at one point 90 per cent of the world’s needled could trace its journey back to Redditch. The industry has largely gone away now, replaced by a multitude of small manufacturing businesses. However the needle-making heritage lives on in the shape of the National Needle Museum, which tussles with Keswick’s pencil museum for the top spot on most tourists’ must-visit-before-I-die lists.
Redditch became a new town after the Second World War, and much of the old buildings and infrastructure was demolished to make way for a more modern, planned town. The town has a few notable residents in the world of business. Motoring and cycling retailer and windscreen wiper blade fitter Halford’s has its headquarters in the town, as does the engineering company GKN (formerly Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds), which can trace its history back to the 1700s. There’s also a major shopping centre, Kingfisher, which is responsible for creating a lot of local jobs. With such a diversity in Redditch and great links to major cities, it’s little surprise that CPFR Manager jobs appear in our inbox from time to time.
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Cast UK’s supply chain opportunities
Cast UK’s founder members and consultants all come from the logistics, procurement and supply chain sectors, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for in their staff and careers respectively. Cast UK is growing in this part of the UK recruitment industry, mainly because these are the only sectors we deal with, which means that many employers come to us first to create a candidate shortlist because they know we’re tightly focused on delivering the best people to them.
People approach us for many reasons, whether seeking more job fulfilment or simply relocating with the family, so it’s good to know that we always have the complete range of positions available nationwide.
Please see what’s available in your region and if you’ve seen something you’re interested in, do get in touch – whether it’s today or tomorrow, we might have the ideal position for you.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a CPFR Manager for your business or find you a job as a CPFR Manager then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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