Demand Planner (Interim)

Synectics; Scunthorpe; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Synectics is seeking a Demand Planner on a fixed-term maternity cover to support our Operations strategy and ERP transformation. You will develop integrated demand, supply and production plans to meet customer requirements while optimising inventory, capacity and performance.

In this role you will lead the monthly S&OP process across functions, translate demand into supply and production actions, and drive continuous improvement to improve on-time delivery and overall business success.

Qualifications

• Experience in demand planning, production planning or supply chain planning.
• Strong understanding of S&OP / Integrated Business Planning principles.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems, IFS would be advantageous.
• Manufacturing planning and scheduling experience.
• Advanced Excel capability.
• Experience within electronics, engineering or project-based manufacturing (desirable).
• Knowledge of inventory optimisation techniques (desirable).
• APICS CPIM or equivalent supply chain qualification (desirable).

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and manage the monthly S&OP cycle.
• Facilitate Demand Review, Supply Review, Pre-S&OP and Executive S&OP meetings.
• Consolidate demand, supply, inventory and financial assumptions into a single operating plan.
• Identify and present risks, opportunities and capacity constraints to senior leadership.
• Track S&OP actions and deliver agreed outcomes.
• Maintain planning dashboards and KPI reports and trackers.
• Develop and maintain rolling forecasts (3, 6, 12 and 24 months).
• Analyse historical demand, customer orders, project pipelines and market intelligence.
• Collaborate with Sales, Product Management and Project teams to improve forecast accuracy.
• Monitor forecast performance and implement corrective actions.
• Manage demand scenarios and support business contingency planning.
• Translate demand forecasts into material and supply requirements.
• Evaluate production capacity, labour availability and supplier capability.
• Balance inventory, lead time and service level requirements.
• Identify capacity gaps and recommend mitigation plans.
• Support inventory optimisation and working capital objectives.
• Develop and maintain finite production schedules.
• Release and prioritise manufacturing work orders.
• Balance production workload across available resources.
• Monitor schedule adherence and re-plan activities where required.
• Coordinate material availability with procurement and stores.
• Minimise disruption caused by shortages, engineering changes and customer priorities.
• Drive improvements in throughput, utilisation and on-time delivery performance.
• Maintain planning data integrity within the ERP system.
• Run and review MRP outputs.
• Manage planning parameters, lead times, safety stocks and reorder policies.
• Support implementation and continuous improvement of planning processes and systems.
• Drive efficiency, maximising the utilisation of the ERP system.
• Work closely with Procurement, Production, Engineering, Projects, Finance and Sales teams.
• Act as the central point for operational demand and supply planning.
• Support new product introduction, product transitions and end-of-life planning.
• Ensure planning decisions align with business strategy and customer commitments.

Skills

Planning & Organisation

Analytical Thinking

Commercial Awareness

Communication & Influencing

Problem Solving

Continuous Improvement

Stakeholder Influence

Fast-paced Environment

Education

APICS CPIM or equivalent

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

IFS

Excel

Job description

Job Description

This fixed-term maternity cover offers an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting our Operations strategy and ERP transformation programme. As Demand Planner, you will be responsible for developing integrated demand, supply and production plans that ensure customer requirements are met whilst optimising inventory, capacity and operational performance. Leading the monthly S&OP process, you will work across multiple functions to translate demand into effective supply and production plans, supporting on-time delivery, driving continuous improvement and contributing directly to business success.

Duties and Responsibilities

S&OP Leadership

• Coordinate and manage the monthly S&OP cycle.
• Facilitate Demand Review, Supply Review, Pre-S&OP and Executive S&OP meetings.
• Consolidate demand, supply, inventory and financial assumptions into a single operating plan.
• Identify and present risks, opportunities and capacity constraints to senior leadership.
• Track S&OP actions and deliver agreed outcomes.
• Maintain planning dashboards and KPI reports and trackers.

Demand Planning & Forecasting

• Develop and maintain rolling forecasts (3, 6, 12 and 24 months).
• Analyse historical demand, customer orders, project pipelines and market intelligence.
• Collaborate with Sales, Product Management and Project teams to improve forecast accuracy.
• Monitor forecast performance and implement corrective actions.
• Manage demand scenarios and support business contingency planning.

Supply & Capacity Planning

• Translate demand forecasts into material and supply requirements.
• Evaluate production capacity, labour availability and supplier capability.
• Balance inventory, lead time and service level requirements.
• Identify capacity gaps and recommend mitigation plans.
• Support inventory optimisation and working capital objectives.

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and maintain finite production schedules.
• Release and prioritise manufacturing work orders.
• Balance production workload across available resources.
• Monitor schedule adherence and re-plan activities where required.
• Coordinate material availability with procurement and stores.
• Minimise disruption caused by shortages, engineering changes and customer priorities.
• Drive improvements in throughput, utilisation and on-time delivery performance.

ERP / MRP Management

• Maintain planning data integrity within the ERP system.
• Run and review MRP outputs.
• Manage planning parameters, lead times, safety stocks and reorder policies.
• Support implementation and continuous improvement of planning processes and systems.
• Drive efficiency, maximising the utilisation of the ERP system.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Procurement, Production, Engineering, Projects, Finance and Sales teams.
• Act as the central point for operational demand and supply planning.
• Support new product introduction, product transitions and end-of-life planning.
• Ensure planning decisions align with business strategy and customer commitments.

Key Skills and Requirements

• Planning & Organisation: Ability to balance long-term strategic planning with short-term operational execution.
• Analytical Thinking: Uses data to identify trends, risks and opportunities and makes informed recommendations.
• Commercial Awareness: Understands the impact of planning decisions on revenue, margin, inventory and cash flow.
• Communication & Influencing: Builds alignment across functions and drives timely decision making.
• Problem Solving: Responds effectively to changing priorities, supply constraints and customer requirements.
• Continuous Improvement: Seeks opportunities to improve planning processes, systems and operational performance.
• Ability to influence stakeholders across multiple functions.
• Ability to work in a fast paced and ever-changing environment.

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience in demand planning, production planning or supply chain planning.
• Strong understanding of S&OP / Integrated Business Planning principles.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems, IFS would be advantageous.
• Manufacturing planning and scheduling experience.
• Advanced Excel capability.
• Experience within electronics, engineering or project-based manufacturing (desirable).
• Knowledge of inventory optimisation techniques (desirable).
• APICS, CPIM or equivalent supply chain qualification (desirable).