At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead linen management and optimise customer service levels while driving financial performance.
- Company: Global leader in garment and linen rental services with a focus on sustainability.
- Benefits: Career growth opportunities, competitive salary, and exposure to senior leadership roles.
- Other info: Dynamic role with excellent potential for career advancement in operational leadership.
- Why this job: Perfect for ambitious individuals eager to make an impact in operations and leadership.
- Qualifications: Strong analytical skills, commercial awareness, and a proactive mindset are essential.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
Are you an ambitious professional looking to accelerate your career in operations? Do you want a role where your analytical thinking, commercial awareness and leadership potential can directly influence business performance - while opening the door to future leadership opportunities?
Our client is a global leader in professional garment and linen rental services, operating at the forefront of the circular economy. With 80% of group revenue driven by textile solutions and annual investments of several hundred million pounds, optimising cost, quality and customer value is a strategic priority across the Group and within the UK business.
This position is designed to provide the commercial exposure, operational insight and strategic responsibility needed to build a long-term leadership career.
The Opportunity
As Demand Planning Manager at the Portsmouth site, you will take ownership of linen management at site level - ensuring customer product availability while carefully controlling textile investment and delivering measurable financial performance. Working at the intersection of operations, commercial teams and customer services, you will become the site's centre of expertise for textile configuration, demand planning and utilisation strategy. This role provides deep operational exposure, giving you the opportunity to understand how a large-scale service operation performs end-to-end - from customer demand forecasting to cost optimisation, operational processes and continuous improvement. For ambitious individuals with leadership aspirations, this role offers an ideal stepping stone into Operations Management.
Key Responsibilities
- Own and manage linen demand forecasting to ensure optimal customer service levels and stock availability
- Identify risks, trends and opportunities within textile utilisation and agree proactive action plans
- Ensure customers are configured on the correct service models and replenishment levels
- Partner closely with site Operations teams to optimise textile lifecycle management, including compliant rewash and rag-out processes
- Manage and monitor the financial performance of the linen pool against site budgets
- Deliver weekly, monthly and quarterly performance reporting, providing clear commercial insight to site leadership
- Act as the site's centre of knowledge for textile configuration and customer setup within business systems
- Collaborate with Account Management and Customer Services to optimise customer outcomes
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to maximise textile utilisation and operational efficiency
- Support the site leadership team with data-driven operational decision making
About You
We're looking for individuals who combine analytical capability with leadership potential and who are motivated by building a long-term career in operational leadership. You will ideally bring:
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to turn data into actionable insight
- Commercial awareness and experience managing or influencing budgets
- Confidence working cross-functionally with operational and commercial teams
- A proactive, improvement-focused mindset
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
- Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
- Strong IT capability (MS Office and ERP systems)
- Degree educated or equivalent experience within a customer-focused service environment
- Exposure to continuous improvement or operational optimisation is advantageous
Most importantly, you will be ambitious, curious about operations and motivated to grow into a leadership role.
Demand Planning Manager in Southampton employer: Barker Ross Group
As a Demand Planning Manager at our Portsmouth site, you will join a forward-thinking company that prioritises employee growth and development within a dynamic work culture. With a strong focus on operational excellence and sustainability, we offer unique opportunities for career advancement in leadership roles, alongside competitive benefits and a collaborative environment that encourages innovation and continuous improvement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Demand Planning Manager in Southampton
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their operations and how your skills can contribute to their success. Tailor your responses to show how you can add value as a Demand Planning Manager.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your interview skills with a friend or mentor. Get comfortable discussing your experience and how it relates to the role. The more you practice, the more confident you'll feel when it’s time to shine!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always looking for ambitious individuals like you. Make sure your application stands out by highlighting your analytical skills and leadership potential.
We think you need these skills to ace Demand Planning Manager in Southampton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Demand Planning Manager role. Highlight your analytical thinking, commercial awareness, and any leadership experiences you've had. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to tell us why you're passionate about operations and how your background makes you a great fit for this role. Be sure to mention specific examples of your achievements that relate to demand planning and operational efficiency.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills:Since this role requires strong analytical capabilities, don’t shy away from sharing examples where you've turned data into actionable insights. Whether it's through previous jobs or projects, we want to see how you approach problem-solving and decision-making.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for the best chance of getting noticed. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people. Plus, it shows you're keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Barker Ross Group
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Demand Planning Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your analytical skills. Brush up on key metrics related to demand forecasting and textile utilisation. Be ready to discuss how you've used data in past roles to drive decisions and improve performance.
✨Understand the Business
Familiarise yourself with the company's operations, especially their approach to the circular economy and textile management. Show that you understand how your role fits into the bigger picture and how it can impact customer satisfaction and financial performance.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities. Prepare examples of how you've identified risks or opportunities in previous roles and the actions you took. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses.
✨Show Your Leadership Potential
Even if you're not in a formal leadership role yet, highlight experiences where you've influenced others or led projects. Discuss your vision for your career and how this position aligns with your aspirations to grow into operational leadership.
