Founded in 1975, with its head office in Blackburn, England, PPE operates manufacturing facilities in the UK and the US, plus sales offices and Channel Partner networks across the US, Europe and Asia.
PPE manufactures high-performance O-rings and sealing components using advanced elastomer materials and precision designs that extend equipment life.
Seals are critical to the function of industrial systems, and PPE’s solutions are trusted in the most demanding environments.
Today, PPE offers over 200 elastomer grades used globally across industries such as oil & gas, chemical processing, food and pharma manufacturing, marine and power generation, aerospace, and semiconductors.
The company’s success is built on the continual development of new elastomer materials combined with exceptional levels of customer service and technical support.
JOB TITLE: Head of Demand Planning
Salary: £60,000 - £70,000 per annum
Car Allowance £5,000 per annum
Bonus: up to 15% annual salary
Annual leave: 25 days plus bank holidays
Hours of work: Monday to Friday, 08.30 - 17.00
Flexi time: core hours 09:30 to 14:30, with the ability to accrue an additional day leave per quarter
Reporting To: Director, Global Business Planning
Location: Blackburn, Lancashire
The Head of Demand planning is responsible for leading the development, implementation and improvement of the business demand forecasting process and strategy including input into the Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning (S&OP) process.
The role is a global, senior planning position within the PPE organisation, collaborating at all business levels and across all business functions.
Core Responsibilities:
Demand Planning Leadership: Develop and lead the monthly Demand Planning process acting as the bridge between commercial teams, finance, and supply chain.
Forecasting Strategy:
Direct the generation and implementation of consensus demand planning at PPE including utilising demand planning as a key decision making strategy tool.
Lead the assessment, recommendation and implementation of Demand Planning Software and ensuring robust data management process including best practices to optimise supply chain performance and maximise customer service.
Team Leadership:
Mentor, manage, and scale the demand planning team while establishing, and driving performance metrics KPIs including forecast accuracy, bias and value add.
Cross-Functional Alignment:
Partner with and drive knowledge improvement of demand planning with internal and external stakeholders to validate customer demand, demand forecasts and market changes.
Continuous Improvement:
Lead the ongoing assessment, recommendation and implementation of forecasting best practice, process adherence. tools and reporting software platforms together with best in class process and practices.
Travel:
The role will be based at our headquarters in Blackburn UK with travel to our US facility in Brenham, Texas and other locations, suppliers and customers when required.
Scope of the Role:
The Head of Demand Planning is responsible with making decisions that impact demand planning, demand consensus management and communicating those plans to the relevant stakeholders, as well as identify and resolve plan variances, risks, and opportunities across our business.
The Head of Demand Planning manages and facilitates the Demand planning process, contributing to the success of the SIOP and S&OE processes, as well as contributing to special projects and other supply chain and business strategy initiatives. The role also contributes to annual and strategic planning and direction setting for the planning teams.
Key Accountabilities:
Finished Goods (FG) product availability and service (on time in full OTIF / OTD)
Demand planning process implementation and adherence
Forecast accuracy governance and demand planning performance including KPI utilisation
This role is also responsible for advancing the demand planning maturity across the local planning and business teams.
Identify, implement and develop simple and effective ways of working to support the achievement of revenue and growth targets, as well as the speed of decision making and market flexibility.
Effectively lead the demand planning team, developing capabilities, fostering engagement, and creating a collaborative work group
Drive and own improvements in demand planning systems, reporting, teams, and processes
Facilitate and drive the analysis of demand performance and provide input to improvement to optimise customer service OTIF, sales performance, inventory and business performance.
Deliver strong and effective leadership within and between functions, create valuable communication processes, develop positive relationships, and contribute effectively as a senior leader to the PPE management group.
Governance and KPI Management:
Using the IDEX planning systems with localised development for PPE, implementing, and monitoring key Demand planning KPIs
Determining methods to address and correct any demand planning group behaviours that adversely affect Demand planning and SIOP KPIs.
Skills, Experience & Knowledge
Essential:
5 -10 years of experience in demand planning, strategic demand planning and demand planning change management.
Exceptional understanding of technology tools that enable demand planning and reporting.
Ability to use technology tools that facilitate collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
Applying IDEX standard procedures and working with the corporate office to ensure compliance.
Business and commercial acumen and knowledge of finance, sales, marketing, manufacturing, planning and procurement functions
Strong numeracy and analytical skills with the ability to translate data into high-level analysis.
Experience of Integrated business planning, best practice, & successful implementation
Experience with Microsoft suite and reporting tools such as Power Bi
Understanding of end-to-end planning and supply chain management
Experience in using and improving systems (SAP ERP)
Proven people and line management experience
Knowledge of processes in sales, marketing operations, finance, and manufacturing.
Proven ability to manage multiple projects at once.
Demonstrated ability to achieve KPIs like plan accuracy improvement, process adherence, stock turns, return on investment, and project completion.
Desirable:
Effective communication skills with ability to pivot messages and data to different levels of the organisation.
Ability to build collaborative relationships across the end-to-end supply chain (from commercial through distribution)
Ability to take data and tell a compelling story that drive understanding and decisions.
The ability to translate business goals and metrics into business process outcomes and related business cases for specific projects.
The ability to understand and present demand planning data at relevant ways to all key stakeholders.
Focuses on both short-term results and long-term goals.
Complexity & Creativity:
Evaluate Demand and supply scenarios with diligence in with end-to-end supply chain impact in mind.
Ability to understand, refine and train algorithms to aid analysis and scenario planning.
Understanding of systems and business processes to facilitate and make sound and efficient decision making.
Judgement and Decisions
Work with various cross-functional teams on projects such as new product launches, line extensions, product discontinuations and data cleansing.
Competencies
Influencing:
Builds excellent relationships with key internal and external customers based on trust and confidence.
Teaching/educating/coaching/mentoring team members and stakeholders toward desired business outcomes.
Ability to work under pressure and to drive change and development.
Ability to work within high-performing teams and is highly collaborative.
Analytical Thinking:
Evaluate scenarios with mindfulness in with end-to-end supply chain impact in mind.
Ability to understand, refine and train algorithms to aid in analysis and scenario planning.
Understanding of systems and business processes to facilitate and make sound and efficient decision making.
PPE is a member of the IDEX corporation who is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to workforce diversity
