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 Derbyshire
Situated in the East Midlands, Derbyshire is a county that shares a border with Greater Manchester, as well as Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Leicestershire.
Much of the Peak District is located within Derbyshire and just some of the towns in the region include Derby and Chesterfield, meaning there are many opportunities for those seeking Forecaster positions.
For most of its history, Derbyshire's economy has been based on agriculture, while the mining of natural resources such as coal, iron, lead and limestone were of particular importance during the Industrial Revolution. Of these, only the limestone quarries are still in operation.
The chocolate company Thorntons was established near Alfreton in 1911 - its headquarters are still based there today.
After the second world war, the first diesel-electric mainline passenger train was unveiled at the Locomotive Works in Derby and the British Rail Research Division was opened in 1964 with an aim to improve the country's train network. This eventually became the DeltaRail Group, which currently provides software and other technology for signalling and control systems.
JBC-Power Systems manufactures engines in the south of the county, Buxton Water is bottled here and Bombardier Transportation builds the rolling stock for the London Underground network.
Other companies with manufacturing facilities or an otherwise large presence include Rolls-Royce, Toyota and Trebor Bassets.
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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