Demand Planner

Who we are

Big things are happening at Topps Tiles. As Britain’s largest specialist tile retailer, selling only the very best quality on-trend products, £1 of every £3 spent in the UK domestic tile market is spent with us. We’ve got over 300 stores and have recently hit record sales  And we’re as big on career opportunities as we are on outstanding service and great value. After all, it’s brilliant, friendly, knowledgeable people that make us special. Right now we’re on a journey of exciting growth, as we build on seven consecutive years of success – there’s never been a better time to join the Topps Tiles family.

Summary

We have an excellent opportunity available for a Demand Planner to make a difference at Topps Tiles. The Demand Planner position lies within the Stock Team. You’ll be working in a high performing team- alongside peers always trying to reach the next level, reporting into the Stock Replenishment supervisor you will be comfortable analysing sales history across multiple SKUs, subsequently using this information to create orders with suppliers to meet demand, striving to make sure we have the right product in the right place at the right time.

The Role

• Ensure that the business has the right stock in the right place, at the right time to meet customer demand
• Review sales forecasts to plan inventory in order to maintain target stock covers
• Create and update reports as required
• Identify opportunities to improve service and inventory KPIs.
• Follow forecast requirements and send POs to suppliers taking into consideration lead times in place.
• Communicate proactively with Accounts, Warehouse, Buyers, and other internal teams
• Build effective supplier partnerships & identify value added opportunities for improvement
• Manage supply planning for existing products/SKUs as well as new products
• Act as the main point of contact for factories and agents
• Maintain a working knowledge of end-to-end supply chain components including forecasting, inventory management, promotional planning,  seasonal planning, DC operations, store ordering and supplier planning and order fulfilment.
• Working with the Finance team and supplier base, investigate and resolve invoice queries
• Raise purchase orders with suppliers in line with agreed lead times and inventory parameters, communicating with relevant parties to ensure delivery on time
• Analyse and review average sales per product by category, identify sell outs & growth opportunities
• Work closely with shipping agents and transport to ensure smooth movement of goods

The Person

You’ll preferably have previous Demand Planning experience and a strong customer service-focus when dealing with both internal and external parties. This role will suit someone with outstanding organisation and time management skills with the flexibility to handle a broad range of responsibilities as well as managing projects. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential, as you will build strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders. Proficiency in Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel are also a must have.

Essential requirements

• A solid understanding of sales forecasting and supply chain processes and systems within a retail business
• Demonstrate a track record of managing high volume inventory in line with departmental KPIs as well as successfully producing sales forecast
• Be passionate about delivering results in a fast paced and challenging environment
• Continue to develop own talents and strengths and address any areas of self-development
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills with an ability to make quick decisions
• Strong analytical skills when working with data in order to create accurate conclusions and predictions
• Experience in a variety of computer tools including; Dynamics , Microsoft packages and Outlook
• Excellent communication skills, able to communicate in a structured and well-presented way to all levels
• A can-do approach and real willingness to learn and develop
• Ability to work well as part of team and independently using own initiative
• Self-starter who brings passion, enthusiasm & focus to their work
• Creative, imaginative, solutions orientated, and strives to deliver high quality standards
• Good at forming relationships with key stakeholders
• Highly organised with an eye for detail, able to anticipate and manage problems, prioritising and escalating where necessary
• Personable and engaging. 

What we’ll do for you In a culture where hard work is recognised and great results are rewarded, you can look forward to a company bonus that will give you a share of our success as well as a bonus based on your personal performance (up to 20% of your base salary). Then there’s a generous staff discount, a Share Save scheme, pension and life assurance, a holiday allowance that increases with length of service and a wide range of other benefits. Plus flexible working, free on-site parking, generous discounts on products and services and more. A lot more.