Seasonal Events Planner - Franchise FTC

Marks & Spencer Plc; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in Greater London is seeking a Forecast Manager to build forecasts and manage supply for seasonal events. You will work with cross-functional teams to ensure stock levels and effective planning. Ideal candidates should have strong analytical skills, a flair for communication, and experience with business processes. The role comes with a range of benefits including employee discounts and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

20% colleague discount across all M&S products

Competitive holiday entitlement

Discretionary bonus schemes

Defined Contribution Pension Scheme

Access to a wide range of training programmes

Wellbeing support including 24/7 Virtual GP

Charity volunteer day

Qualifications

• Strong analytical and communication skills are essential.
• Experience with business systems such as Q and CSSM is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Plan and coordinate end-to-end forecasting for all Seasonal Events.
• Manage discussions on volume estimates with stakeholders.
• Ensure clear communication regarding stock volumes.

Skills

Strong verbal and written communication skills

Strong analytical skills

Excellent presentation and internal/external stakeholder management skills

Proficient Excel skills

Proficient knowledge of business systems and business processes

Job description

You will be responsible for building our Partner Buys and store level forecasts for all Seasonal Events such as Christmas, Mother’s Day, Easter, Valentines, and Halloween hand in hand with our Commercial Managers. Your accountability will be for the effective forecasting and supply management throughout these Events ensuring we maintain stock levels in line with our Buys and accurate store placement. Throughout the Event you will be required to run supporting data and updating all reports to provide insight to multiple stakeholders both internal and external to support driving opportunity and highlighting risk.

Please note, this is a 12 Month FTC.

To stay close to customers, our support teams are in the office three days a week as we believe that skills are developed through collaboration, and that spending time together makes us more creative and connected.

What’s in it for you

Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.

Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special…

• After completing your probationary period, you’ll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
• Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
• Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
• A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
• A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
• Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
• Industry-leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
• Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
• A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.

Key Accountabilities

Your key accountabilities will include

• Plan for, co-ordinate and land end to end forecasting and volume planning for all Seasonal Events
• Build forward volume plans and lead discussions with our Partners and Commercial & SRD teams to sign-off volume estimates for key peak seasons.
• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders across Franchise and Supply Chain to secure stock volume and commit to product landing in our stores in line with requirements.
• Ensure clear communication across team and wider functions of SPT Franchise requirements for chilled and Event planning.
• Actively seek opportunities to improve store sales, availability, and waste to drive positive LFL business performance including process improvements in ways of working, reporting etc.
• Exploit business reporting solutions to provide detailed performance summaries and post event analysis and PIRs.

Who you are

Your skills and experience will include

• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent presentation and internal/external stakeholder management skills
• Proficient Excel and FAQT skills
• Proficient knowledge of business systems and business process such as Q and CSSM

Everyone’s welcome

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers. Join us and make change happen.

We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best. We support each other and work together to win together.

If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.