Senior Planning Analyst

Senior Planning Analyst

Muc-Off was established in 1994 and since then we have experienced strong global growth in the bicycle and motorcycle markets. Today, we are global leaders in our field and have a distinctive approach to life. Partnered with some of the world’s best teams and athletes across a range of cycling disciplines, Muc-Off has become the reference point in the care and maintenance category with exciting and ambitious plans for the future.

About the role:

The Planning Analyst is responsible for delivering accurate demand forecasts, inventory plans and supply recommendations to ensure product availability while optimising inventory investment. The role acts as a key link between Sales, Marketing, Operations, Procurement and Finance, providing data-driven insights to support business growth and customer service objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

Demand Planning

• Own and maintain SKU-level demand forecasts across assigned categories, channels and/or markets.
• Develop baseline forecasts using historical sales, seasonality, customer trends, promotional activity, market intelligence and commercial inputs.
• Lead regular forecast reviews with Sales and Marketing, challenging assumptions where appropriate and driving consensus on the most likely demand outlook.
• Analyse forecast bias and accuracy at SKU, category, channel and customer level and lead corrective actions.
• Assess the impact of promotions, campaigns, customer events and seasonality on future demand.
• Develop scenario forecasts to support commercial decisions, business risks and opportunities.
• Identify emerging demand trends and communicate implications to relevant stakeholders.
• Drive improvements in forecasting methodology, processes and system utilisation.

Inventory Planning

• Take ownership of inventory health across assigned areas, balancing availability, service levels and working capital requirements.
• Recommend and optimise safety stocks, reorder points, target inventory levels and inventory policies.
• Proactively identify potential shortages, overstocks, slow-moving inventory and obsolescence risks and coordinate mitigation plans.
• Lead inventory reviews with relevant stakeholders and recommend actions to improve stock turns and reduce excess inventory.
• Analyse inventory requirements for seasonal peaks, promotions, customer activity and changing demand patterns.
• Support Finance and Operations with working capital and inventory budget planning.
• Challenge inventory assumptions and recommend appropriate service-level versus stock-investment trade-offs.

Supply Planning

• Develop and maintain supply plans aligned with forecast demand, inventory targets, production or supplier capacity and lead times.
• Translate demand requirements into forward-looking supply and purchasing requirements.
• Partner closely with Procurement and suppliers to identify capacity, lead-time and supply continuity risks.
• Monitor inventory coverage and supplier performance and escalate risks before they impact customer service.
• Develop recovery and mitigation plans where demand exceeds available supply.
• Support decisions relating to allocation and stock prioritisation during periods of constrained supply.
• Lead planning activities associated with new product launches, product transitions, discontinuations and phase-outs.

New Product Development & Product Lifecycle

• Partner with Marketing, Commercial and Operations teams on demand and inventory planning for new product launches.
• Develop launch forecasts and scenarios based on comparable products, customer listings, marketing plans and commercial assumptions.
• Track actual launch performance against forecast and rapidly adjust future demand and supply plans.
• Manage inventory implications of SKU transitions, reformulations, packaging changes and discontinued products.
• Minimise residual and obsolete inventory during product phase-outs.

Analysis & Reporting

• Produce and interpret weekly and monthly planning KPIs, focusing on the underlying drivers rather than reporting results alone.
• Analyse demand, inventory, service levels, forecast performance and supply performance to identify risks and opportunities.
• Convert complex planning data into clear commercial recommendations and actions.
• Develop scenario models to assess the inventory, revenue, service and working-capital impact of business decisions.
• Provide insight to senior stakeholders on emerging planning risks, opportunities and trends.
• Develop and improve planning dashboards, reporting tools and master data.
• Identify opportunities to automate or simplify planning processes and reporting.

S&OP/Integrated Business Planning

• Play a leading role in the monthly Sales & Operations Planning process.
• Prepare and present demand, inventory and supply analysis for S&OP meetings.
• Highlight significant forecast changes, supply constraints, inventory risks and business opportunities.
• Develop scenarios and recommendations to support management decision-making.
• Challenge assumptions from Commercial, Marketing and Operations teams using data and planning insight.
• Ensure agreed S&OP decisions are reflected within demand, supply and inventory plans.
• Track actions and decisions arising from S&OP and ensure appropriate follow-through.

Key KPIs

• Forecast Accuracy (%)
• Inventory Turns
• Stock Availability / Fill Rate
• Excess & Obsolete Inventory
• Inventory Value vs Budget
• Inventory Days/Weeks of Cover
• Supplier OTIF
• Slow-Moving Inventory
• New Product Launch Forecast Accuracy
• Working Capital Performance

What we’re looking for:

• A few years' experience within demand planning, supply planning, inventory planning or a related supply chain analytical role.
• Previous planning experience within an FMCG, consumer goods or similarly fast-paced, high-SKU environment.
• Strong understanding of demand planning, inventory optimisation, supply planning and S&OP principles.
• Demonstrable experience managing forecasts across products with high levels of seasonality, promotional activity and demand volatility.
• Experience supporting new product launches and product lifecycle management.
• Advanced Excel and data analysis skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Ability to work with large datasets and translate findings into actions

Qualifications:

• Experience within a multi-channel FMCG environment including retail, wholesale, distributors, e-commerce and/or international markets.
• Experience working with promotional and event-driven demand.
• Knowledge of statistical forecasting techniques and forecast modelling.
• Experience with Power BI or similar business intelligence tools.
• Experience working within a formal S&OP or Integrated Business Planning process.
• Experience of planning across both established products and high volumes of NPD.

What we can offer:

• Competitive Salary
• 33 days holiday, inclusive of UK bank holidays
• Early finish on a Fridays
• Excellent staff discount on Muc-Off products
• Employee Assistant Programme
• Medicash
• Cycle to Work
• Death in Service
• Long Service Rewards
• Chill out areas, showers and a secure area to store your bike
• Pension contributions
• An awesome opportunity to work with a local and widely recognised Brand
• A cool, casual and fully branded-up working environment where staff indulge their passions for cycling and fitness
• Brilliant social events