Forecaster jobs
It’s one thing to keep on top of all the activities a business has carried out – there’s a paper trail to create very precise reports - but it’s quite another to gauge events in the future. However, knowing as much as possible about the future financial direction of a company is just as important, and if it’s done well, it can allow spending and investment decisions to be made with confidence. It can even allow a company to steal a march on the competition.
The forecaster in a supply chain operation will be in charge of gathering as much data as possible to create accurate predictions of the direction of the company’s activities. This will be through a combination of internal factors, such as sales targets, staffing and investments and external factors such as government policy, infrastructural projects and general economic outlook.
The data will then be used to create forecasts which can be employed by the planning team to guide the company’s future direction. Of course, no plan survives first contact with the enemy, and forecasts may need to be constantly refined as more and more information becomes available. However the forecaster’s reputation will be determined by the accuracy and precision of his or her work.
The skills required
Analysis will be at the heart of the forecaster’s daily work. Knowing which data are relevant and applying them to the calculations in line with the event being forecasted will be key to his or her success. Some forecasters will have a team of data analysts, each with their own sectors, to help with the task, while others will be required to source the data themselves. Ongoing monitoring will be an important part of the job, too. All forecasting is really the abstraction of past and present data to seek out trends and patterns, so when these change, so will the forecasts. It is important that mechanisms are set in place to alert the forecaster to key events which will affect the predictions.
Most of the work will be done at the desk using various IT solutions from web browsers, databases and spreadsheets to gather data to forecasting software or spreadsheets to perform the projection calculations. Good IT skills will therefore be required.
Finally, as the predictions are worthless if they are not presented properly, interpersonal and communication skills will be the final element of the forecaster’s makeup.
Forecaster Jobs in Bangor
The County Down town of Bangor is a north-facing seaside town lying 10 miles (16 km) east of the centre of Northern Ireland’s capital Belfast. Newtownards is a few miles to the south, but Bangor is surrounded on all sides by lush agricultural land, making it a desirable place to live, favoured by affluent people and commuters to the city. It’s also a resort for holidaymakers and day-trippers, with parks and golf clubs aplenty. The front, which opens up onto the eastern part of Belfast Lough, has three distinct characters. To the west it is made up of low cliffs and rock formations; in amongst the rocks is a popular marina; and to the east there’s a cove with a sandy beach.
Bangor is connected to Belfast by the last remaining part of the Victorian Belfast and County Down Railway, and has two stations, with regular services. There is also the main A2 road which connects the two in a 20-minute drive. Towards the end of the journey you would pass Belfast City Airport, a commuter favourite, handy for Bangor’s business community.
At the south of Bangor is a business park with various light industry as well as leisure facilities such as ex-Formula One driver Eddie Irvine’s enterprise, an activity centre with karting, paintball, laser combat and football. With a population of around 60,000 with relatively affluent needs, logistics and supply chain positions such as Forecaster jobs do appear from time to time in Bangor, but widening your search to include Belfast would certainly pay dividends.
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Cast UK’s supply chain opportunities
Applicants 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 Forecaster for your business or find you a job as a Forecaster then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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