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 Chesterfield
Situated 9 miles (15 km) south of Sheffield, the Derbyshire town of Chesterfield has more influence from this city than it does with Derby, its county capital, 21 miles (35 km) to the south. To the east of the town the M1 passes on its Nottingham to Sheffield stretch, and the west of Derby is taken up with 3 miles (5 km) of agricultural land before the start of the Peak District National Park. Chesterfield is connected to Derby, Leicester, Rotherham and Sheffield by rail. Its current population of around 100,000 makes it the most populous town in Derbyshire, second in size only to the city of Derby.
Historically a market town, Chesterfield became associated with coal mining after the discovery of a large seam in the 19th century, when the town’s population grew rapidly. The coal was discovered during the excavation of a tunnel for George Stephenson’s Derby to Leeds railway line. During construction, Stephenson moved to Chesterfield, and it was in the town that he was to end his days, aged 67. A statue of Stephenson stands outside Chesterfield railway station. The engineering legacy continued until recently, however. Chesterfield-based Markham & Co. made the machines that excavated the Channel Tunnel, among other tunnels.
Much of the heavy industry has now left Chesterfield, and in many ways the town has returned to its Market roots, although there is understandably a much larger service and local government sector now. Occasionally, Forecaster positions are filled in Chesterfield, but more so in the surrounding area, particularly Sheffield.
Popular locations
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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