Demand Planner (Maternity Cover - 6 Months)

At Loaf we make insanely comfy sofas, beds and homewares that help people lead more comfortable lives. Founded in 2008, Loaf has steadily grown each year to become one of the leading premium furniture and homeware brands in the UK. We now have 11 Shacks (stores to everyone else!), with more on the way. It's an exciting time to join an ambitious business.

Reporting into the Head of Product Planning, this role will play a key part in the day to day running of the demand planning function, focusing on forecasting and trading categories as well as providing insight and analysis on product.

The Job

• Responsible for core categories within the business.

• Provide category analysis on a weekly, monthly and ad hoc basis and present in meetings.

• Trade categories continually to optimise sales and stocks, ensuring optimum availability while avoiding overstocks.

• Update and maintain all department linecards, forecasting and planning orders and signing off with Head of Product Planning.

• Work alongside the Product Development team during the launch planning process, providing analysis to aid range planning, forecasting sales and planning orders.

• Proposing phaseouts and signing off markdowns, attending key MD meetings, carrying out system and online checks, communicating MDs to all functions, reporting and managing stocks during sale by proposing further markdowns.

• Manage Junior Demand Planner, providing training and aiding progression.

• Carry out brochure checks and web launch checks.

• Responsibility for ad hoc inter-departmental requests/queries or supplying of information as necessary.

• Run supplier analysis to report on sales and mix to the wider product team. Track PO delays to provide analysis weekly and cumulatively by supplier.

• Maintain category range plans, ensuring data is up to date and accurate, updating monthly and year end and setting up new launches.

We're looking for

• Highly analytical and extremely organised.

• Advanced Excel knowledge and a keen interest in systems.

• Great time management with the ability to prioritise, multi-task and work to deadlines.

• Excellent communication skills for interaction with internal functions.

• Able to quickly identify and solve issues as they arise as well as being proactive in improving current processes and systems wherever possible.

• Awareness of our customer and the market to aid in forecasting and analysing sales.

• Management skills to help guide, motivate and develop Junior Demand Planner.

Looking for someone currently at Merchandiser or Demand Planner level.

Some of our benefits:

• 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 day each year for 3 years, plus 8 days for bank holidays

• Enhanced family leave policy

• Staff and friends and family discount scheme

• Healthcare cash plan

• EAP programme

• Shopping discounts

• Cycle to work scheme

• Half a day for Christmas shopping

• Life Assurance - 4 times annual salary

What's it like working at Loaf?

We are a forward-thinking, friendly bunch committed to building a fabulous company with brilliant people. The customer is at the heart of everything we do and we're always striving for better, more efficient ways to deliver to the highest standard.

As a business, we're working really hard to be inclusive. No matter what identity or background, we want everyone to feel welcome in a place where we can all be ourselves.

We'd love you to join us on our journey.