At a Glance
- Tasks: Support sales forecasting, performance reporting, and budgeting in a dynamic automotive environment.
- Company: Leading organisation in the automotive and mobility sector.
- Benefits: Gain valuable experience in a fast-paced, collaborative setting with potential for future opportunities.
- Other info: Join a team that values innovation and offers excellent career growth.
- Why this job: Make an impact by driving data-led decisions and improving business performance.
- Qualifications: Experience in business planning or sales operations with strong analytical skills.
We are seeking a proactive and analytical Business Planning Specialist to join a leading organisation within the automotive and mobility sector on an approximately 6 month temporary contract. This role will support key business planning activities across Commercial and Consumer product groups, with a primary focus on Commercial operations.
Working closely with Sales, Finance, Marketing and Supply Chain teams, you will play a vital role in sales forecasting, performance reporting, budgeting, and driving data-led decision-making to support business objectives. This opportunity is ideal for a professional who can quickly add value in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Coordinate weekly sales planning activities, forecasts and landing point reporting to support business performance and customer delivery objectives.
- Prepare and submit demand planning inputs, ensuring alignment across Sales, Pricing, Marketing, Supply Chain and Go-To-Market strategies.
- Analyse sales performance, identify gaps against targets and develop actionable recommendations to improve results.
- Produce management reports, business reviews and executive presentations, highlighting key trends, risks, opportunities and performance drivers.
- Support budgeting, forecasting and customer target-setting processes, including financial modelling and scenario planning activities.
- Work closely with Sales teams to provide planning support, operational tools, market insights and performance guidance.
- Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders including Finance, Marketing, Sales Leadership and Supply Chain to ensure consistent planning assumptions and effective decision-making.
- Contribute to process improvement, standardisation, automation and digitalisation initiatives to enhance forecasting accuracy and operational efficiency.
Education & Skills Required
- Previous experience in business planning, sales operations, forecasting, commercial analysis or a similar analytical business function.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends and deliver actionable business insights.
- Experience preparing management reports, performance reviews and presentations for senior stakeholders.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to build effective relationships across multiple business functions.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and proficiency in business reporting, forecasting and planning tools would be advantageous.
If you are an organised and commercially minded professional with a passion for planning, forecasting and business performance, we would love to hear from you. Apply today to be considered for this exciting 6 month temporary contract opportunity.
Commercial Sales Analyst employer: Plus One Recruitment
Join a premium global manufacturer in the automotive aftermarket as an Area Sales Manager, where you'll enjoy a dynamic work culture that values autonomy and personal growth. With comprehensive training, a supportive team environment, and attractive benefits including a company vehicle and daily lunch vouchers, this role offers a unique opportunity to thrive in the South East of England while building meaningful B2B relationships in the automotive industry.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Commercial Sales 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 Plus One Recruitment, 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 Commercial Sales 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 Plus One Recruitment.
Craft a Tailored Motivation Statement:In your cover letter, focus on why you’re excited about this temporary role at Plus One Recruitment. 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 Plus One Recruitment
✨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.