At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead demand and supply planning for Northern Europe, ensuring product availability and optimising inventory.
- Company: Join Colgate-Palmolive, a global leader in consumer products with a caring culture.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team committed to inclusion and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on pet nutrition while shaping the future of supply chain management.
- Qualifications: Experience in demand planning and strong leadership skills required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!
Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.
Location: Woking, UK (Hybrid Working)
Reporting to: Customer Service & Logistics Senior Director
About the Role
We are looking for a visionary and inclusive leader to serve as our Demand and Supply Planning Manager for Northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). This is a pivotal, strategic role where you will drive the architecture of our supply chain, ensuring seamless synchronization between demand and supply to maximize product availability, optimize inventory capital, and fuel our ambitious business growth.
What You'll Bring to the Team (Key Responsibilities):
- Strategic Leadership & Synchronization
- Demand Forecasting & Integrity: Champion demand forecasting improvement and portfolio simplification efforts across the Northern Europe Hub. Drive seamless supply/demand synchronization to maximize commercial outcomes through the monthly commercial process.
- Expert Guidance: Provide hands-on training and mentorship to Demand Planners on statistical forecasting, demand sensing, and the deployment of cutting-edge digital planning tools.
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with teams like Customer Development, Consumer Experience, and Finance to integrate market intelligence and ensure the highest data integrity.
- Building Supply Chain Resilience
- Risk Management: Proactively identify and mitigate supply chain risks to guarantee supply continuity and exceptional customer service.
- Operational Excellence: Develop robust processes for managing potential supply issues in partnership with Supply Network Planning and Network Operations. Cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, focusing on root cause analysis to build a reliable and resilient supply chain.
- Customer Focus: Oversee the efficient and fair execution of customer allocation processes and manage daily availability processes to enable market-leading customer service.
- Integrated Business Governance (Colgate Business Planning)
- Volume & Financial Alignment: Jointly lead the critical Customer Service & Logistics portion of the monthly Colgate Business Planning Discipline Process.
- Consensus Builder: Work with senior leaders across Consumer Experience, Customer Development, and Finance to develop a unified, robust volume and financial plan, championing physical volume requirements.
- Actionable Reporting: Distill complex supply chain data into clear, actionable reports that facilitate alignment between volume and financial metrics with key business leaders.
- Inventory & Portfolio Optimization
- Inventory Ownership: Take accountability for the inventory plan, influence stock holding decisions with Division stakeholders, and identify opportunities for optimization, including safety stock settings.
- Sustainable Efficiency: Drive financial efficiency and asset utilization by proactively leading efforts to minimize Slow Moving and Obsolete (SLOB) stock.
- Simplification Strategist: Lead the multi-functional SKU simplification process to enhance portfolio profitability across the six markets.
- Inspiring Team Leadership
- Empowerment: Lead, mentor, and empower a high-performing, dispersed team of Demand Planners (Denmark and UK), focusing on their performance management and development.
- Talent Development: Cultivate commercially astute supply chain professionals, building a critical talent pool for the wider business.
- Change Agent: Guide the team in the successful introduction and adoption of new systems, digital tools, AI, and analytics, evolving our existing supply chain processes.
Opportunities for Immediate Strategic Impact:
- Executive Visibility: Successfully influence Country Managers and cross-functional leadership to ensure the voice of volume and operational reality is integral to the monthly business plan.
- Global Collaboration: Partner within the European Hub Demand Planning network to drive standardization and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
- Complex Problem Solving: Navigate the inherent tension between simplification efforts and the imperative to deliver profitable growth across six culturally and commercially diverse Northern European markets.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law. Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities.
Demand and Supply Chain Manager in Surrey employer: Colgate
Colgate-Palmolive is an exceptional employer that prioritises a caring and inclusive work culture, fostering innovation and collaboration among its employees. Located in Woking, UK, this hybrid role offers the opportunity to lead strategic initiatives in demand and supply chain management while benefiting from professional growth and development in a globally recognised company. With a commitment to employee empowerment and a focus on sustainability, Colgate-Palmolive provides a rewarding environment for those looking to make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Demand and Supply Chain Manager in Surrey
✨Join Supply Chain Meetups
Get yourself out there by attending supply chain meetups and industry events. It's a great way to meet fellow professionals, learn about trends, and maybe even hear about job openings before they’re posted online.
✨Show Off Your Skills on LinkedIn
Don’t just sit back and wait for opportunities! Post insights or articles on LinkedIn about supply chain challenges or solutions you’re passionate about. This not only showcases your expertise but can catch the eye of recruiters looking for someone like you.
✨Engage with Supply Chain Communities
Dive into online communities related to supply chain operations like forums or groups on Reddit and LinkedIn. Engaging in discussions can help you network, get advice, and you might even stumble upon some hidden job opportunities.
✨Apply through Our Website
When you spot a position at Colgate, make sure to apply through our website directly. It's often the quickest way to get your application in front of the right people and show that you’re genuinely interested in the role of Demand and Supply Chain Manager.
We think you need these skills to ace Demand and Supply Chain Manager in Surrey
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Supply Chain Savvy:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in supply chain operations. Whether it’s managing logistics or coordinating with suppliers, we want to see examples of how you've navigated the complexities of the supply chain. Concrete achievements, like reducing costs or improving delivery times, will definitely catch our eye!
Quantify Your Impact:When listing your previous roles on your CV, go for numbers! Mention percentages or actual figures where possible—like how much you've improved efficiency or reduced waste. It's all about showing us the tangible impact you've made in your past positions in supply chain operations.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:In your cover letter, don’t just regurgitate your CV. Instead, connect your experiences specifically to the role at Colgate. Share why you're passionate about supply chain operations and how this full-time role aligns with your career goals—I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear that!
Research and Reflect:Before you apply, take some time to research Colgate and its supply chain operations. Reflect on how your skills and experiences can fit into their operations. Being able to discuss their challenges and how you can contribute to solving them in your application will really make you stand out!
How to prepare for a job interview at Colgate
✨Know Your Basics in Supply Chain Management
Make sure you've got a solid grasp of key supply chain concepts like demand forecasting, inventory management, and logistics. We could be quizzed on these during technical rounds, so brush up on any software tools commonly used in the industry like SAP or Oracle. This knowledge will help us show we can hit the ground running!
✨Show Off Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to discuss real-world scenarios where you've used data analysis to solve supply chain challenges. If you've got experience with tools like Excel or Tableau, get ready to talk about how you've used these to optimise processes or improve efficiencies. Employers love seeing that we can turn data into actionable insights!
✨Highlight Your Teamwork and Project Management Skills
In a full-time role, collaboration is key. Think of examples where you've worked on cross-functional teams or managed projects. Sharing how you navigated challenges while working with diverse groups will show that we can thrive in a dynamic environment like at Colgate.
✨Research Specific Challenges Faced by Colgate
Look into any unique supply chain challenges Colgate might be facing, whether it's sustainability, supplier relationships, or global disruptions. Being prepared to discuss these topics shows that we're not only informed but also genuinely interested in how we can contribute to their success. That’s a big plus in any interview!
