Demand Planning Analyst jobs
There are countless factors that can influence demand on a product you are supplying to customers. They can be as predictable as the summer and winter demands for ice cream or as frantic as a sudden and unexpected shortage of a product due to adverse weather or transport issues. The job of the demand planning analyst will be to ensure that demand is fulfilled by a mixture of effective forecasting and an ability to crisis manage demand.
Good analysts will not simply take stats as read, of course – they will try to delve deeply into as many influencing factors as possible and come up with more precise results in order to improve efficiency of ordering and cut down on warehousing and distribution costs. The calculations will also need to be presented to senior management in a regular reporting schedule that can help them with the company’s finances.
Modern demand planning uses technology to automatically communicate demand from retailers and manufacturers, using their own databases to collaboratively predict and respond to demand. Part of the demand planning analyst’s job will be to liaise with customers to set up and optimise these automatic channels. Automation is only as good as the analysis that goes into the system, so this role will be an essential part of further increasing its value to the supplier.
The skills required
Analysis of any kind will require a mathematical mindset, and demand planning analysis is no exception. The figures you come up with will need to be bulletproof within the natural limitations of any predictive speciality. Not only that, but you might be required to argue your case, based on your figures, with senior management, who might have been doing things their way for many years. If you have the confidence to challenge their assumptions and are proved right in the long run, your personal stock will be greatly improved – not to mention your employer’s.
As some demand planning analysis, particularly for a large, complex company, might involve a team of analysts, a personable nature and team ethic will be essential qualities. Should you be in charge of a team of analysts, people management skills will be a must.
Demand Planning Analyst Jobs in Carlisle
Carlisle is the north-easternmost city in England, its outskirts lying just 4 miles (6 km) from the Scottish border. It’s roughly equal to Newcastle-upon-Tyne in terms of latitude, although it is much smaller, having a population of only 100,000. The city is served by the M6 which passes along its east side as it makes its way from Preston and Birmingham in the south, and changes into the A74(M) as it goes north towards Glasgow. The road east is the A59 which heads to Newcastle, and westwards, the A595 reaches the coastal towns of Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness. Carlisle is also on the main railway line from Manchester to Glasgow and Edinbugh. It is also the end point of the Settle to Carlisle railway line, which is considered one of the most scenic rail journeys in the UK.
The city can trace its roots back at least to Roman times, where, it is thought, it would have been a settlement connected with Hadrian’s Wall; the Wall would have sliced modern-day Carlisle in two. It must have been considered a strategic hotspot as it continued to be settled after the Romans, and a castle was built there in medieval times, as was the town’s cathedral. The city changed hands many times over the following centuries, most notably in 1745 when it was briefly held by Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Carlisle did play its part in the Industrial Revolution, but its relative isolation meant it was never one of the major players. It did grow a thriving railway engineering industry, however, and textiles were quite an important employer. Carr’s of Carlisle was founded around this time, and it would later become United Biscuits. Metal Box had a factory in the city, and it lives on under the Crown Holdings umbrella. There is still plenty of diversity in Carlisle’s industrial base, and as it’s so well connected it will always be a good place to look for Demand Planning Analyst jobs. The logistics industry would be quite different today without one of its Carlisle’s successful companies, Eddie Stobart, which was founded in the 1950s.
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Cast UK’s supply chain opportunities
People approach Cast UK for many reasons, whether seeking more job fulfilment or simply relocating for personal reasons, 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.
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.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Demand Planning Analyst for your business or find you a job as a Demand Planning Analyst then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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