Vacancy NameCustomer Collaboration Manager Employment TypePermanent CountryUnited Kingdom LocationLiverpool Business AreaOperations Workplace TypeHybrid About PrincesThe Princes Group has over 7, employees with offices and production sites in the UK, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, France and Mauritius. Princes manufactures different food and drink products responsibly sourced and enjoyed by consumers every day. None of this would be possible without striving to be an employer of choice, where our colleagues are proud to represent our business. Role Description
Job Purpose
The job holder is responsible for managing the full team responsible for demand planning, and order processing through to leading collaboration for all Retail / Channel customer base.
Support the Head of Customer Service and Collaboration to deliver Supply Chain strategic plans.
To provide the business with a rolling 24 month demand plan based on sales forecasts, historical trends, seasonality and promotional / event overlays. To enable delivery of customer service targets within agreed inventory targets.
Management of the Customer Service Team Managers directly and the Customer Development Mangers, Demand Planners, Customer Planning Managers and Order Fulfilment Assistants in-directly.
Dimensions
• Lead, develop and implement the annual strategic Supply Chain plan
• Support and execute all commercial agreements and ensure delivery parameters are adhered to
• Responsible for delivering forecast accuracy targets
• Volume c.m cases per year. Turn-over c.£1.2bn
• All foods and drinks SBAs
• Regular travel to customer head offices and other sites
• Princes representative on retailer forums
• 2 direct reports, 16 indirect reports.
Principal Responsibilities
• Manage the end-to-end process for all customer accounts from order processing through to longer term strategic projects.
• Ensure the full team of up to 18 reports complete all responsibilities to the required standard.
• Ensure team adhere to company policies. Closely monitor effectiveness of Customer Supply Manager roles with retailer counterparts.
• Work closely with Sales to ensure Supply Chain strategies are aligned to commercial strategies.
• Develop senior level contacts across al retail accounts. Ensure that customer supply strategies are understood. Evaluate potential impact on Princes and coordinate responses.
• Ensure joint Supply Chain plans are in place with retail customers.
• Coordinate all seasonal planning activity across all accounts for peak trading periods e.g. Christmas and summer planning. Where required, manage the use of customer systems and customer supply chain analysts in order to accurately forecast requirements.
• Manage on-shelf availability in each retailer by ensuring that master data and seasonal profiles are correctly set up in retailer systems and aligned with Princes data. Identify exceptions on a daily basis and agree and implement corrective action with the retailer.
• Take the lead as Princes representative on retailer cross supplier forums and any other cross industry Supply Chain development programmes.
• Ensure we are maintaining a weekly sales forecast for every SKU for a rolling 24 month period within the statistical forecasting package.
• To ensure all forecasting processes are adhered to with consistent WOW across the Demand Planners.
• To monitor and report sales performance against forecast and take corrective actions to deliver forecast accuracy targets.
• To ensure promotional forecasts are challenged & verified utilising historical analysis and current / future market intelligence.
• To ensure monthly internal reviews with Account Managers take place to agree the forward plan - focussing on forecast accuracy, promotions, changes in distribution, new listings & discontinuations.
• Ensuring the monthly customer collaborative forecasting meetings are delivering the expected results.
• To provide a weekly update of Sales Projection for the month, highlighting key variances to the Fixed forecast. (Monday and Friday)
• To provide a monthly update on prior month performance and key headlines for the next 3-month horizon.
• To support the Demand Review meetings and provide analysis and input into the meeting of the key changes.
• To support the Supply Review meetings and provide analysis and input into the meeting of the key changes.
• To report on weekly forecasting changes, highlighting to the key stakeholders any significant updates.
• To report on weekly / monthly accuracy KPI’s and variances to target.
• To support the CTA’s and ensure any relevant updates are actioned.
• Support the budgeting process and make sure all deadlines are met.
• Work to strengthen relationships with key internal contacts (Sales, Buying, Marketing, Capacity Planning and Manufacturing).
Role Requirements
Knowledge
Strong Customer Service principles
Supply Chain principles – covering warehousing and distribution, Demand Planning and Capacity Planning
Retailer Logistics / Supply Management
User of Supply Chain systems
Skills
Excellent communication – verbal and written
Strong leadership skills
Minimum 3 years’ experience of managing a team
Customer empathy and excellent relationship builder
Desire and ability to work in a fast paced environment
Strong SAP / Excel experience
Planning and data analysis
Benefits:
• Cash Car Allowance
• 25 Days Annual Leave plus Birthday off
• 14.5% Pension – 5% employee opt in / 9.5% employer
• Hybrid & Flexible Working - 4 Days in Office / 1 Day WFH
• Flexible Holiday Option - Buy 5 Additional Days
• Enhanced Family Friendly & Carers Policies
• Life Assurance Cover
• Private Medical Insurance
• Critical Illness Cover
• Learning & Development Opportunities
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