Senior Planning Analyst
Muc-Off was established in 1994 and since then we have experienced strong global growth in the bicycle and motorcycle markets. Today, we are global leaders in our field and have a disruptive and distinctive approach to life. Partnered with some of the world’s best teams and athletes across a range of cycling disciplines, Muc-Off has become the reference point in the care and maintenance category with exciting and ambitious plans for the future.
About the role:
The Planning Analyst is responsible for delivering accurate demand forecasts, inventory plans and supply recommendations to ensure product availability while optimising inventory investment. The role acts as a key link between Sales, Marketing, Operations, Procurement and Finance, providing data-driven insights to support business growth and customer service objectives.
Key Responsibilities:
Demand Planning
- Own and maintain SKU-level demand forecasts across assigned categories, channels and/or markets.
- Develop baseline forecasts using historical sales, seasonality, customer trends, promotional activity, market intelligence and commercial inputs.
- Lead regular forecast reviews with Sales and Marketing, challenging assumptions where appropriate and driving consensus on the most likely demand outlook.
- Analyse forecast bias and accuracy at SKU, category, channel and customer level and lead corrective actions.
- Assess the impact of promotions, campaigns, customer events and seasonality on future demand.
- Develop scenario forecasts to support commercial decisions, business risks and opportunities.
- Identify emerging demand trends and communicate implications to relevant stakeholders.
- Drive improvements in forecasting methodology, processes and system utilisation.
Inventory Planning
- Take ownership of inventory health across assigned areas, balancing availability, service levels and working capital requirements.
- Recommend and optimise safety stocks, reorder points, target inventory levels and inventory policies.
- Proactively identify potential shortages, overstocks, slow-moving inventory and obsolescence risks and coordinate mitigation plans.
- Lead inventory reviews with relevant stakeholders and recommend actions to improve stock turns and reduce excess inventory.
- Analyse inventory requirements for seasonal peaks, promotions, customer activity and changing demand patterns.
- Support Finance and Operations with working capital and inventory budget planning.
- Challenge inventory assumptions and recommend appropriate service-level versus stock-investment trade-offs.
Supply Planning
- Develop and maintain supply plans aligned with forecast demand, inventory targets, production or supplier capacity and lead times.
- Translate demand requirements into forward-looking supply and purchasing requirements.
- Partner closely with Procurement and suppliers to identify capacity, lead-time and supply continuity risks.
- Monitor inventory coverage and supplier performance and escalate risks before they impact customer service.
- Develop recovery and mitigation plans where demand exceeds available supply.
- Support decisions relating to allocation and stock prioritisation during periods of constrained supply.
- Lead planning activities associated with new product launches, product transitions, discontinuations and phase-outs.
New Product Development & Product Lifecycle
- Partner with Marketing, Commercial and Operations teams on demand and inventory planning for new product launches.
- Develop launch forecasts and scenarios based on comparable products, customer listings, marketing plans and commercial assumptions.
- Track actual launch performance against forecast and rapidly adjust future demand and supply plans.
- Manage inventory implications of SKU transitions, reformulations, packaging changes and discontinued products.
- Minimise residual and obsolete inventory during product phase-outs.
Analysis & Reporting
- Produce and interpret weekly and monthly planning KPIs, focusing on the underlying drivers rather than reporting results alone.
- Analyse demand, inventory, service levels, forecast performance and supply performance to identify risks and opportunities.
- Convert complex planning data into clear commercial recommendations and actions.
- Develop scenario models to assess the inventory, revenue, service and working-capital impact of business decisions.
- Provide insight to senior stakeholders on emerging planning risks, opportunities and trends.
- Develop and improve planning dashboards, reporting tools and master data.
- Identify opportunities to automate or simplify planning processes and reporting.
S&OP/Integrated Business Planning
- Play a leading role in the monthly Sales & Operations Planning process.
- Prepare and present demand, inventory and supply analysis for S&OP meetings.
- Highlight significant forecast changes, supply constraints, inventory risks and business opportunities.
- Develop scenarios and recommendations to support management decision-making.
- Challenge assumptions from Commercial, Marketing and Operations teams using data and planning insight.
- Ensure agreed S&OP decisions are reflected within demand, supply and inventory plans.
- Track actions and decisions arising from S&OP and ensure appropriate follow-through.
Key KPIs
- Forecast Accuracy (%)
- Inventory Turns
- Stock Availability / Fill Rate
- Excess & Obsolete Inventory
- Inventory Value vs Budget
- Inventory Days/Weeks of Cover
- Supplier OTIF
- Slow-Moving Inventory
- New Product Launch Forecast Accuracy
- Working Capital Performance
What we’re looking for:
- A few years' experience within demand planning, supply planning, inventory planning or a related supply chain analytical role.
- Previous planning experience within an FMCG, consumer goods or similarly fast-paced, high-SKU environment.
- Strong understanding of demand planning, inventory optimisation, supply planning and S&OP principles.
- Demonstrable experience managing forecasts across products with high levels of seasonality, promotional activity and demand volatility.
- Experience supporting new product launches and product lifecycle management.
- Advanced Excel and data analysis skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capability
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
- Ability to work with large datasets and translate findings into actions
Qualifications:
- Experience within a multi-channel FMCG environment including retail, wholesale, distributors, e-commerce and/or international markets.
- Experience working with promotional and event-driven demand.
- Knowledge of statistical forecasting techniques and forecast modelling.
- Experience with Power BI or similar business intelligence tools.
- Experience working within a formal S&OP or Integrated Business Planning process.
- Experience of planning across both established products and high volumes of NPD.
What we can offer:
- Competitive Salary
- 33 days holiday, inclusive of UK bank holidays
- Early finish on a Fridays
- Excellent staff discount on Muc-Off products
- Employee Assistant Programme
- Medicash
- Cycle to Work
- Death in Service
- Long Service Rewards
- Chill out areas, showers and a secure area to store your bike
- Pension contributions
- An awesome opportunity to work with a local and widely recognised Brand
- A cool, casual and fully branded-up working environment where staff indulge their passions for cycling and fitness
- Brilliant social events
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Poole BH12 1DW
