Sales Forecaster jobs
Productivity of goods and the logistics of getting them from their raw materials sites to the shops, forecourts and wholesalers is all influenced by one thing: demand. There is no point producing millions of a product when there is only demand for hundreds of thousands. At the same time, though, producing hundreds of thousands when there’s a demand for millions will mean that the company is not as profitable as it could be and customers will look to your competition to fulfil their demand.
Keeping track of demand will be the task of the sales forecaster. The sales forecaster will have a series of statistics at his or her disposal on which to base the likely demand figures. At the root will be the ongoing sales charts, which will show trends over long periods of time, from which expected seasonal changes can be worked out. However there are other demand drivers at play, which must also be taken into account. If the sales and marketing team are organising a campaign, the sales forecaster will need to know – similarly if, say, a retailer is doing their own promotion on a product.
This is vital because the production, procurement and logistics teams will all need to know their expected levels of work and acquisition of raw materials. By having a more accurate picture they will be able to arrange supply, staffing, warehousing and transportation needs. Forecasters will generally work in the medium and short term timescales, the latter ideally being a fine-tuning of the former. No forecast can be 100% accurate, but by delivering workable predictions to production planners, the supply chain can be optimised.
The skills required
Expertise in forecasting and sales & marketing will generally be considered positive skills in the forecaster. Also, an understanding of demand cycles within the industry in question will definitely stand the applicant in good stead.
With large and varied amounts of data coming into play, the sales forecaster will need an aptitude in cutting through the irrelevant data and seeking out the little gems that make the predictions more precise. The communications skills cannot be underestimated, either. Data will not always be on charts and graphs; it will sometimes be verbal, in the form of information from sales teams on the ongoing campaigns or leads. Any conclusions drawn from the data will then need to be clearly communicated to planners and production managers.
Sales Forecaster Jobs in Torquay
Torquay is located on the East-facing coastal area of Devon, in the area called Torbay. Exeter is 17 miles (27 km) to the north and Plymouth is 27 miles (43 k) to the west. Torquay was a tiny fishing and farming village until the Napoleonic wars, when the Royal Navy would take anchor in the bay and the members of the upper ranks would often go to shore in the area. It soon gained a reputation as being a healthy place to stay and by the 19th century, just in time for the arrival of the railways it became a famous spa town and later, a tourist resort. Nowadays it has a static population of around 65,000 but in high season this can swell to 200,000, the size of a small city.
Tourist towns almost always have great logistical requirements, which is why Sales Forecaster jobs can sometimes become available in the town or the surrounding area. Torquay is not particularly industrialised, but there are several trading estates dotted around the outskirts. Plymouth and Exeter are better employers and are both nearby, which does make Torquay a popular commuter town, and people living there seeking non-tourism related work will often look north and west.
For its population, Torquay has produced a fair number of world-famous people. Top of the pile is thriller author Agatha Christie, for whom a mile of plaques, the “Agatha Christie Mile”, is dedicated. Peter Cook, one half of Pete and Dud, was born in the town, as was comedy actor Miranda Hart and model Lily Cole. Sketches of The Goodies and Monty Python’s Flying Circus were filmed there, and it was during one of the latter’s stays that the team happened upon a grumpy hotelier who became the inspiration for Basil Fawlty, TV’s most famous Torquay-based hotel owner.
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Cast UK’s supply chain opportunities
As Cast UK only deal with logistics, procurement and supply chain, 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.
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.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Sales Forecaster for your business or find you a job as a Sales Forecaster then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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