Planning Manager

John Lewis Partnership; Bracknell; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A major UK retailer is seeking a Merchandising Planning Manager for their Fresh Foods Department in Bracknell. The role involves leading a team to drive stock replenishment strategies, collaborating with various departments for operational improvements, and delivering strategic projects. Candidates should have a strong background in merchandising and teamwork, with experience using relevant logistical planning tools. The position supports flexible working arrangements to promote work-life balance.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated leadership in a high performing merchandising team.
• Proven experience in strategic change management and project delivery.
• Ability to manage internal and external stakeholders effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team dedicated to stock replenishment.
• Collaborate with various teams for continuous improvement.
• Set and review targets to meet financial budgets.

Skills

Experience of working in a merchandising/planning role

Evidence of managing high performing team

Evidence of affecting outcomes to fulfill strategic plans

Evidence of delivering strategic change/projects

Evidence of managing stakeholders

Experience using merchandising tools

Experience in collating, analysing and interpreting data

Tools

Snowflake

Tableau

Job description

About the role

We have a great opportunity to join the Waitrose Supply Chain team as a Merchandising Planning Manager in the Fresh Foods Department. This role will be in our Value Added Foods team, incorporating areas such as our Food Service, Cafe and In Store Bakery propositions.

A key part of this role will be to plan and deliver strategic change and lead a dedicated team of Partners in an exciting area of growth for Waitrose, setting the stock replenishment plan and objectives to achieve the critical balance between availability, wastage and stockholding for the Category Proposition Group (CPG). You will continually refine the plan in light of changes to the trade plan, customer behaviour, promotional activity, and external influences such as competitors, weather, and significant external events which influence customers.

You’ll use high commercial awareness and understanding of trade and customer strategies, together with breadth of end to end supply chain knowledge, to influence Heads of CPG, suppliers, retail, distribution and customer teams in ensuring delivery of the plan, and to ensure the plan delivers broader CPG strategic goals and shared KPIs.

The qualified candidate will lead the Merchandising team in their own area to deliver all elements of the stock replenishment plan, ensuring that they individually and collectively play a full part in the growth of Waitrose and deliver for our Food Loving Customers.

Key responsibilities

• Effective performance management of your team
• Working collaboratively with managers across Trading, Supply Chain, Online, Space & Range, Forecasting and Retail to support continuous operational improvement in the end to end supply chain, delivering operational skills and consistent availability.
• Plan, lead and deliver strategic change through stakeholder collaboration and influencing, embodying a continuous improvement growth mindset.
• Contributing to the Partner Succession Plan, developing talent to ensure a steady flow of skilled Partners to meet the growing and ever changing demands of Merchandising
• Growing engagement with suppliers to make operational and commercial improvements in the end to end supply chain, including changes to the operating model
• Identifying and consistently supporting risks to correct outcome; monitoring progress and taking prompt corrective action as appropriate with the relevant stakeholders
• Working collaboratively with and influencing the Head of Category Proposition Group to attain common KPIs.
• Collaborating with the Head of Category Proposition Group to set and review targets and define activity plans at a category level to meet financial budgets and joint Trading Team KPIs.
• Inspiring, motivating and developing a high performing team to deliver agreed plans and goals and to embody behaviours in line with the Partnership’s values and principles
• Identifying Continuous Improvement opportunities and supporting the implementation of process improvements.
• Setting Planner & Service Coordinator - appropriate KPI metrics to deliver individual and Category Proposition targets.
• Performance review of key Category Proposition Group promotions, deals and events to optimise KPIs.
• Appropriate reporting and analysis on KPIs.

Essential skills/experience you’ll need

• Experience of working in a merchandising/planning role.
• Evidence of managing high performing team
• Evidence of affecting outcomes to fulfill strategic plans
• Evidence of delivering strategic change/projects
• Evidence of managing internal and external stakeholders, suppliers and customer relationships.
• Experience using merchandising and logistical planning tools.
• Experience in collating, analysing and interpreting data.

Desirable skills/experience you may have

• Experience in using Snowflake and Tableau.

Important points to note: It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.