At a Glance
- Tasks: Analyse and forecast store resource plans to optimise customer service and operational efficiency.
- Company: Join M&S, a dynamic and inclusive retail leader transforming the industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 20% discount, competitive holidays, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: This is a fixed-term secondment opportunity for 12–18 months.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in retail by driving continuous improvement and innovation.
- Qualifications: Strong analytical skills, advanced Excel proficiency, and retail operations knowledge required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
- Description
- What you'll be doing
- Develop, maintain, and deliver accurate store resource plans, forecasts, and scheduling demand curves, ensuring plans reflect customer trends, business activity, and operational changes.
- Support the configuration and ongoing optimisation of the My Schedule system, ensuring resource models remain aligned to business processes, policies, and store requirements.
- Provide insight and recommendations on resource deployment to help stores balance customer service, colleague experience, sales performance, and operational efficiency.
- Produce and enhance planning-related reporting and management information (MI) to support effective decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
- Build strong relationships with store and central stakeholders, supporting the implementation of resourcing processes, change programmes, and transformation initiatives.
About you
- Strong understanding of retail operations, including store processes, working practices, and retail systems.
- Highly analytical with excellent numerical skills and the ability to interpret data to make informed recommendations.
- Advanced Excel skills and confidence working with planning, forecasting, and scheduling tools.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across multiple teams.
- Forward-thinking, proactive, and committed to personal development and continuous improvement.
Desirable experience
- Experience working with resource planning and workforce management systems such as Logile and Blue Yonder.
- MOST qualification in time and motion studies.
- Experience supporting operational change, business transformation, or workforce planning projects.
- Knowledge of forecasting methodologies and demand planning principles.
- Experience developing reporting, dashboards, and operational insights to support business decision-making.
- You'll work closely with
- Central Store Operations teams.
- Store Operations teams.
- Food and Clothing & Home trading and operating model teams.
- Store leadership and colleague communities.
- A broad range of stakeholders supporting business transformation and operational projects.
- What’s in it for you
Being a part of M&S is exactly that – playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day.
We’re an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever‑evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value and service to every customer, whenever, wherever and however they want to shop with us.
Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special…
- 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third‑party brands for you and a member of your household.
- Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days.
- Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
- A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
- A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
- Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
- Industry‑leading parental, adoption and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
- Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues, including our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist for you and your family.
- A charity volunteer day to support a cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.
- Everyone’s welcome
- We are ambitious about the future of retail.
We’re disrupting, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era.
We’re transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet.
Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted and admired by our colleagues, customers and suppliers.
Join us and make change happen.
- We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best.
We support each other and work together to win together.
- If you feel you'd benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application.
This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Please note: This is a fixed-term secondment opportunity for 12–18 months.
Demand & Forecast Analyst employer: Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer is an exceptional employer that prioritises inclusivity and employee growth, making it a fantastic place for those looking to thrive in the retail sector. With flexible working hours and a commitment to personal development, employees are encouraged to take ownership of their roles while contributing to a dynamic and supportive work culture. Join us in shaping a greener, more inspiring future in retail, where your contributions truly matter.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Demand & Forecast Analyst
✨Join Business Intelligence Meetups
We can’t stress enough how beneficial it is to attend local Business Intelligence meetups and events. These gatherings often bring together industry professionals and can lead to short-term, temporary roles—perfect if you’re looking to land something quickly. Plus, you’ll get to learn some insider tips and tricks from those already in the game!
✨Leverage Online Freelancing Platforms
Since you’re searching for a temporary gig, check out freelancing platforms like Upwork or Freelancer where businesses often post short-term BI projects. This can be a great way to build your portfolio and gain experience while also showcasing your skills to potential future employers.
✨Show Off Your BI Projects
Whether you’re working on a personal project or a past endeavour, put your work out there! Create a public portfolio that highlights your best Business Intelligence analyses or visualisations. It’ll give you a leg up when you’re approaching companies like Marks & Spencer, showing exactly what you can bring to the table.
✨Tap Into University or College Networks
If you're currently studying or recently graduated, make sure to use your university's career services. Many educational institutions have partnerships with companies looking for temporary talent in Business Intelligence, so keep an eye out for exclusive job postings or internship fairs that could lead to a quick placement.
We think you need these skills to ace Demand & Forecast Analyst
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Data Skills:In business intelligence, it's crucial to highlight your analytical skills and experience with data tools. Make sure your CV showcases any relevant software you’ve used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Add specific examples of how you've used data to drive insights or improvements in previous roles, even if they were in academic projects or internships.
Keep it Concise and Impactful:For a temporary role like this, hiring managers often have limited time to sift through applications. Get straight to the point in your CV and cover letter. Use bullet points for your achievements, showcasing the impact you've made, like percentage increases in efficiency or specific results from your analyses.
Flexibility is Key:Since this is a temporary position, make sure to emphasise your adaptability. Mention your quick learning abilities and experiences where you adapted to new tools or processes rapidly. This will show that you can jump in and start contributing effectively from day one at Marks & Spencer.
Craft a Tailored Motivation Statement:In your cover letter, focus on why you’re excited about this temporary role at Marks & Spencer. Talk about your interest in business intelligence and how this position aligns with your career goals. Remember, it’s not just about what you can offer, but why you’re passionate about becoming part of their team, even for a short time!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks & Spencer
✨Brush Up on Your Data Skills
For a business intelligence role, you'll want to showcase your analytical skills and familiarity with data visualisation tools like Tableau or Power BI. Be ready to tackle technical questions or case studies demonstrating your ability to interpret data and make insightful recommendations.
✨Plan Your Portfolio of Projects
Since this is a temporary position, we should highlight any past projects you've worked on in business intelligence. Prepare a portfolio that includes a couple of key pieces where you've effectively utilised data to drive decisions—this will show that you're not just a quick fix but someone who can deliver immediate value.
✨Demonstrate Your Adaptability
Temporary roles often require us to hit the ground running, so be ready to discuss how you quickly adapt to new tools, teams, and environments. Share specific examples from previous experiences where you thrived under pressure or had to learn a new system or process in a short time frame.
✨Have Your Metrics Ready
In business intelligence, quantifying your impact is key. Come prepared to share metrics from your past work: think percentages, growth figures, or efficiency improvements. This will really help us paint a picture of how your contributions directly benefited those previous roles.
