About The Role
We have a great opportunity to join the Waitrose Supply Chain team as a Planning Manager in the beers, ciders, wines, spirits and soft drinks department.
A key part of this role will be to set the stock replenishment plan and objectives to achieve the critical balance between availability, wastage and stockholding for the Category Proposition Group, and continually refine the plan in light of changes to the trade plan, customer behaviour, promotional activity, and external influences such as competitors, weather, and significant external events which influence customers.
Use high commercial awareness and understanding of trade and customer strategies, together with breadth of end to end supply chain knowledge, to influence Heads of CPG, suppliers, retail, distribution and customer teams in ensuring delivery of the plan, and to ensure the plan delivers broader CPG strategic goals and shared KPIs.
The qualified candidate will lead the Merchandising team in their own area to deliver all elements of the stock replenishment plan, ensuring that they individually and collectively play a full part in the growth of the CPG, and that the critical balance between availability, wastage and stock holding is ensured.
At a glance
Salary range - £49,600 - £74,900
Contract type -Secondment (Internal) / Fixed-term contract (External) with an end date of 18/11/2026
Work Pattern - 35 hours a week, Monday to Friday core hours
Location: Home location of Bracknell with occasional travel to our Pimlico office. You may be required to complete site visits throughout the year
Some of your key responsibilities include but are not limited to:
* Effective performance management of your team.
* Working collaboratively with managers across Trading, Supply Chain, Online, Space & Range, Forecasting and Retail to support continuous operational improvement in the end to end supply chain, delivering operational skills and consistent availability.
* Contributing to the Partner Succession Plan, developing talent to ensure a steady flow of skilled Partners to meet the growing and ever changing demands of Merchandising.
* Growing engagement with suppliers to make operational and commercial improvements in the end to end supply chain, including changes to the operating model.
* Identifying and consistently supporting risks to correct outcome; monitoring progress and taking prompt corrective action as appropriate with the relevant stakeholders.
* Working collaboratively with and influencing the Head of Category Proposition Group to attain common KPIs.
* Collaborating with the Head of Category Proposition Group to set and review targets and define activity plans at a category level to meet financial budgets and joint Trading Team KPIs.
* Inspiring, motivating and developing a proficient team to deliver agreed plans and goals and to embody behaviours in line with the Partnership’s values and principles.
* Identifying Continuous Improvement opportunities and supporting the implementation of process improvements.
* Setting Planner & Service Coordinator - appropriate KPI metrics to deliver individual and Category Proposition targets.
* Performance review of key Category Proposition Group promotions, deals and events to optimise KPIs.
* Appropriate reporting and analysis on KPIs.
Qualifications and Experience skills you’ll need:
* Experience of working in a merchandising/planning role.
* Evidence of managing a high performing team.
* Evidence of affecting outcomes to fulfill strategic plans.
* Evidence of managing internal and external stakeholders, suppliers and customer relationships.
* Experience using merchandising and logistical planning tools.
* Experience in collating, analysing and interpreting data.
Desirable Skills
* Experience in using Snowflake and Tableau.
* Experience in beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks category.
About The Partnership
We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.
We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.
As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect.
We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective.
As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.
Important points to note:
It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting. If required, you’ll find out more about vetting throughout the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays.
We also recommend that you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early if we see a high number of applicants.
We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.
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