Description Planning Manager - Sales & Capacity Operations Planning (12 Month Secondment/FTC) Ocado Group is an equal opportunities employer and as such makes every effort to ensure that all potential employees are treated fairly and equally, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, age, or disability or union membership status. Why Ocado? At Ocado Logistics, your well-being is our priority. We are committed to nurturing your holistic development and ensuring your journey with us is fulfilling. Our comprehensive benefits package includes a healthy work-life balance, extensive healthcare coverage, competitive salaries, and exclusive employee discounts. We understand the importance of financial security in providing stability and peace of mind. Join Ocado Logistics today and become a part of a culture that wholeheartedly values and supports your well-being throughout every stage of your career. About us: Ocado Logistics is the beating heart of our UK business, comprising a network of cutting-edge warehouses, spokes, and offices across the country. Our customer-centric approach is fueled by a passionate team dedicated to delivering an exceptional shopping experience. With a focus on our people, we drive business results and maximise the value of our employees. At Ocado Logistics, we prioritise meeting the needs and fostering the spirit of our workforce. About the role: As the primary leader, your core responsibility is to oversee and coordinate the delivery of sales and capacity van route plans on a daily basis. This entails managing a team of planners who are accountable for monitoring and forecasting live customer demand. You will collaborate with other planning teams to ensure adequate staffing and assets are in place to meet the demand effectively. In addition to delivering sales and capacity plans, you will play a vital role in ensuring that the team achieves key performance indicators (KPIs) and service levels. You will actively seek opportunities to optimise sales and capacity plans across the network, while minimising operational costs through strategic planning decisions. As part of network optimization, you will establish protocols to handle various disruptions such as events, adverse weather conditions, or strikes. Your expertise in mitigating these disruptions will contribute to the seamless execution of operations. You and your team will engage in effective communication and collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, including retailers, planning, supply chain, and other operational teams. Together, you will develop and align on comprehensive plans that meet the needs and expectations of these stakeholders. Moreover, you will actively contribute to logistics projects and spearhead project scoping, execution, and continuous improvement initiatives focused on enhancing outcomes through strategic planning. The successful candidate will be entrusted with exemplifying our core values and fostering a team environment that embodies these principles. Your interactions, decision-making, and leadership style should consistently align with our core values: We are proud of what we do We are in in it together We can be even better By upholding these values, you will ensure that the team operates in accordance with these guiding principles, fostering a positive and purpose-driven work environment You will be: As the Manager, your role encompasses overseeing team processes and resources on a daily basis to ensure the delivery of maximum client-to-customer value. You will proactively communicate any operational changes to relevant stakeholders within the business, fostering transparency and effective collaboration. An integral aspect of your responsibilities involves identifying opportunities to optimise resource allocation based on customer demand. By strategically aligning resources, you will contribute to enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Leading and motivating a team of Planners to deliver our sales and capacity plans will be a key component of your role. You will guide the team towards meeting service levels, goals, and KPIs while identifying areas for training and development to enhance their capabilities. You will be responsible for ensuring that daily work tasks are completed accurately and on-time, maintaining a high standard of quality and timeliness. Additionally, actively providing sales and capacity updates to relevant stakeholders will enable smooth coordination and decision-making. Taking ownership of ad hoc tasks and operational issues, you will swiftly address and resolve them to minimise disruptions and maintain seamless operations. A strong operational knowledge and continual development of understanding across different areas within the department will be expected from you. This knowledge will empower you to identify potential savings, opportunities for change, and improvements within the department. You will actively support the implementation of these initiatives, contributing to the department's growth and success. Promoting and encouraging the effective use of departmental systems and processes to all customers will be essential. Ensuring compliance with legal and internal guidelines is a vital aspect of maintaining integrity and ensuring smooth operations. By embodying these responsibilities, you will play a pivotal role in driving operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement within the department About you: Proven expertise in operational planning: Demonstrated experience in effectively planning and executing operations within a similar role, ensuring smooth and efficient workflows. Leadership in a dynamic operational environment: Successful management experience in a fast-paced operational setting, showcasing the ability to lead and motivate teams to achieve targets and drive continuous improvement. Strong leadership and team-building capabilities: Exceptional skills in leading teams, managing people, and fostering a collaborative work environment, as evidenced by previous roles and achievements. Highly organised and adaptable: Possesses excellent organisational skills, capable of handling day-to-day operational responsibilities while adeptly managing ad-hoc tasks and responding quickly to changing priorities. Proven track record in stakeholder management: Demonstrated success in effectively managing relationships with stakeholders, ensuring their needs are addressed and fostering positive engagement. Exceptional analytical skills with meticulous attention to detail: Outstanding aptitude for analysing data, identifying patterns, and scrutinising information with great precision to drive informed decision-making Expertise in process improvement: Extensive knowledge and proficiency in improving processes, including the ability to evaluate existing workflows, identify inefficiencies, and implement effective enhancements. Commitment to high levels of customer service: Demonstrated dedication to delivering exceptional customer service, prioritising customer satisfaction, and maintaining positive relationships. Excellent problem-solving abilities: Adept at approaching challenges with a logical and analytical mindset, consistently providing innovative solutions to complex problems Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: Exceptional ability to connect with others, effectively communicate ideas, and build strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels. Superior time management skills: Exemplary ability to prioritise tasks, manage competing deadlines, and optimise productivity, ensuring efficient use of time and resources What we offer you: Our award-winning recognition scheme celebrates your contributions. Your well-being is at the core of our Offerings: Flexible Work: Enjoy 30 days of 'work from anywhere' policy for a balanced life. Wellbeing Support: Access dedicated apps and an Employee Assistance Programme for holistic well-being. Generous Leave: Begin with 25 days, growing to 27 after 5 years, with an option to buy more. Pension Plan: Secure your future with our pension scheme, featuring up to 7% employer contribution matching. Private Medical Cover: Rest easy with comprehensive private medical insurance. Family-Friendly: We support your family with maternity, adoption, shared parental leave, and paternity leave. Financial Aid: Get interest-free train tickets and join our Cycle to Work Scheme. Shuttle Services: Convenient free shuttle buses connect you to work. Share Schemes: Join exciting share plans to participate in our success. Shopping Perks: Enjoy a 15% discount on Ocado.com and savings at popular retailers and restaurants. Financial Protection: We offer Income Protection and Life Assurance for financial security. We're dedicated to your well-being, professionally and personally. Unlock these exceptional benefits at Ocado Logistics. Explore our employee-funded options, including Dental Insurance, Travel Insurance, and more through Benefits. We’re in it together, we are proud of what we do, we can be even better.