Customer Supply Planning Manager
Brakes has an opportunity for a Customer Supply Planning Manager to join the Product Supply team. It will be your responsibility to support customer and business supply chain planning requirements, gather demand insight, and manage customer‑driven change within the network. You will also establish and develop collaborative relationships with Brakes’ key customers to facilitate best demand‑change intelligence gathering that supports best service for customers and lowest risk to Brakes.
You'll be instrumental in rolling out and embedding tactical plans in line with our ambitious growth strategy while bringing functional expertise to ensure that we deliver, keep an eye on costs, and create an inclusive team working environment.
Our role is Monday to Friday, 39 hours per week, and offers hybrid working – two days a week in the Ashford office, so you must be within a commutable distance. The site has good transport links and free car park for colleagues. Occasional travel will be required for internal and external meetings.
Key Accountabilities and Responsibilities
* Collaborate with customers to gather forecasting insight for key demand events (promotions, allocations, menu changes, category switches) and challenge, validate, analyse the impact and communicate simply and quickly across the Brakes supply chain and distribution network.
* Work with customers to gather insight relating to supply changes (bespoke product switches, bespoke supplier changes) and support with managing and communicating that change by working with customers, suppliers and across the Brakes supply chain and distribution network.
* Collaborate with customers to ensure wastage risk against bespoke products is identified and tracked within six months of its shelf‑life end or with sufficient time to take action to avoid waste.
* Work with customers to ensure that bespoke product discontinuations are cleared from the Brakes supply chain and distribution network within 14 weeks of delist or in line with the customer contract.
* Build appropriate relationships with internal sales teams to gather insight relating to sales‑driven change (e.g. customer brand switching or nominated to list line switches).
* Ensure that feedback is provided to customers or sales teams on the quality of their insights.
* Live the Brakes values, ensuring that change activities and communication with customers, suppliers and across the internal Brakes SC teams meet the criteria outlined in the values handbook.
* Ensure that all customer change activity is understood at least four weeks before the change occurs and is captured on the planning pipeline so that the appropriate resource can be allocated to it.
* Ensure that all known change activity is shared across the wider supply chain and that the capturing of product‑level forecasts is discussed and agreed with the demand team to ensure all information adds value.
About you
It is desirable that the successful candidate has proven experience in supply chain and is looking to take the next step in their career at a global organisation, or is commercially astute from within a large FMCG, retail, or foodservice organisation. You will be proficient in MS Office, particularly Excel, and have an analytical mindset and experience using an ERP system such as SAP. The ideal candidate will be Six Sigma Yellow or Green Belt certified or have a good understanding of Lean principles and continuous improvement methodologies. Experience working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders at various levels, combined with strong negotiation and influencing skills, are key to success in this position. This role is suitable for a positive, self‑starter looking to drive change and continuous improvement with a high level of resilience who can think logically outside the box to problem‑solve.
What you'll receive
* A competitive salary
* Generous holiday allowance, with the option to purchase five additional holiday days
* Pension scheme
* Discounts on a variety of food and award‑winning products through our staff shop
* Discounts on cinema tickets, shopping and cashback on purchases through Sodexo
* Recognition awards and incentives
* Career progression opportunities – being part of Sysco, the world's leading foodservice business, opens up a world of possibilities
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