Planner jobs
Supply chains experience peaks and troughs over the course of a year, month, week or day. Sometimes they are completely predictable (e.g. when a factory is closed); other times they are expected (e.g. the prevailing weather and related demands during summer and winter; and on occasion they take everyone by surprise (e.g. a derailment closing a railway down). But to the good planner, all of these events will have been anticipated and their negative effects minimised, their positive ones capitalised on.
The planner will be at the heart of the supply chain, making sure that every element’s needs are met by constantly assuring, to his or her best ability, that their chain links are kept operational. In normal circumstances, the ongoing quest for efficiency will be the planner’s role; during highly unexpected events their role will switch to firefighting mode, putting in place contingency plans or, if it is off the scale, working with the other parties to arrive at a solution.
The planner will at all times need to know how well stocked warehouses are and how production and demand are looking. Stock takes will be daily or even more frequently in busy operations. There will be regular contact with suppliers, forecasters, producers and logistics teams to ensure that customer demands are met and that the system is running as efficiently as possible.
The skills required
Although prior planning experience will usually be a massive advantage for a planner, experience in one of a number of specialitys from supply chain, logistics or procurement can be advantageous, as they all have elements of planning in them.
A key part of the job will be dealing with people, both from within and external to the company, to build up a picture of the current state of affairs as regards stock levels, raw materials availability, expected peaks and troughs and transportation issues. Communications skills will therefore be a prime requirement.
Analysis of the present situation and reconciliation of this with plans will be important to the job, so someone with a mathematical, logical mindset will be sought. The work will involve a lot of work at the computer screen so familiarity with desktop office solutions will be required.
Planner Jobs in Northampton
Situated in the East Midlands on the banks of the River Nene, Northampton is a market town with a history dating back to the 6th century. By the end of the 11th century, the community had grown significantly and the Domesday Book records it as having a population of around 1,500 inhabitants.
During the 19th century, the city experienced further expansion thanks to the construction of the Grand Union Canal, which connected London and Birmingham with each other, as well as cities like Leicester, Slough and Northampton. Railways also arrived at the city around this time, further simplifying trade with the rest of the country.
Northampton was best known for producing shoes and other leather goods during the 1800s and a few companies that were established during this period still provide specialist, high-end items today - including Edward Green Shoes, Trickers, Church's and Crockett & Jones.
Over the years, most of the other footwear factories have been converted to offices or residential buildings and, although the shoe industry has declined, a number of other sectors have taken its place, including distribution, finance and manufacturing. So those seeking Planner roles in the area will have an array of employers to consider.
Just some of the well-known companies that have offices, factories or headquarters in Northampton include Coca Cola, Schweppes, Carlsberg, Texas Instruments, Avon Products, Blacks Leisure Group and Panasonic.
Meanwhile, Nationwide Building Society, Barclay Card, the University of Northampton and St Andrew's Healthcare are all major employers.
Popular locations
Cast UK’s supply chain opportunities
People approach Cast UK 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.
We are a growing force in logistics, procurement and supply chain recruitment, partly because supply chain, procurement and logistics are the only sectors we deal with. Our founder members and consultants all come from these sectors, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for in their staff and careers respectively.
As we only deal with these fields, 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. 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 best position for you.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Planner for your business or find you a job as a Planner then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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