Supply Planner jobs
As customer demands fluctuate throughout the seasons and in response to promotions by vendors and the manufacturer’s own marketing and PR departments, it is vital that the start of the supply chain is not overlooked. Failure to order enough raw materials and components will of course means that customer demands cannot be met and they will start to look elsewhere. But over-ordering can be a drain on cash flow and ramp up the costs of warehousing and processing of the goods, regardless of whether they are raw materials or finished products. And where a product requires several raw materials (as most do), any increases and drops in demand need to be choreographed with the various suppliers in unison.
All this is overseen by the supply planner, who will work alongside the manufacturer’s sales and marketing team, forecasters, buyers and production management to ensure there are no shocks to the system and that supply is kept at its optimum level in line with what can be expected.
They will need to be constantly aware of stock levels and incoming deliveries to ensure production carries on at the perfect level and that there is never any down time for want of raw materials. There will be a good deal or liaison with the suppliers themselves, and part of the job will be to try and drive down costs by seeking out new supplier or entering into negotiations with existing ones. There will also be extensive reporting and auditing duties.
The skills required
A thoroughly logical and analytical mindset will be a key attribute in the successful supply planner, and at management level this will need to be demonstrable by having some experience in buying, forecasting, analysis or production.
The supply planner will need to work relatively autonomously, without regular contact with senior management, and will probably have a strict budget to work with. He or she must be able to show maturity and responsibility with money to qualify for the job.
Successful applicants will also need to be excellent communicators. Listening to data from the sources listed above and converting it into actionable data and supply requests will be important skills.
Supply Planner Jobs in Harlow
During the post-war period as Britain was faced with rebuilding millions of shattered homes and re-housing their inhabitants, a radical solution was to build a series of new towns. Most cities of the UK have some form of new town within them or in their orbital range. Harlow in Essex was one such town. Situated 20 miles (33 km) north east of the centre of London, it was a grand project, with thousands of homes as well as industrial, shopping, entertainment and communications infrastructure being built around what was a village dating back at least to the Domesday Book.
Expansion was steady, taking place between the late 1950s and the 1970s, as jobs were created and the town became a reasonably attractive place to live. Although manufacturing was once a major industry in Harlow, it has since declined, and now the economy is largely service-based. The large factories have recently been demolished and smaller units for start-ups have been built with the hope of kickstarting a new tech sector. However the town is still home to some major employers, most notably GlaxoSmithKline and American defence firm Raytheon.
The town is well placed to serve London, situated as it is on the M11 that runs from the capital to Cambridge, and there are also good rail links to both cities. Stansted Airport is just 20 minutes up the motorway, too. With much regeneration going on in the town, it’s likely that the demand for Supply Planner jobs will grow over the coming years. Keep checking back or get in touch if you’d like us to search the area for such positions.
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Cast UK’s supply chain opportunities
Our founder members and consultants all have backgrounds in logistics, procurement and supply chain, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for in their staff and careers respectively. Thanks to this focus, many employers come to us first to create a candidate shortlist because they know we’ll deliver 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 a number of 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 these are the only sectors we deal with.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Supply Planner for your business or find you a job as a Supply Planner then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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