Planning Assistant – Lichfield Distribution Centre

A customer's shopping journey doesn't end in store, and neither does our brand. Behind every great customer experience is a world-class supply chain and our new Lichfield Distribution Centre will play a vital role in ensuring products reach our customers when and where they need them.

This isn't a store. It's a fast-paced logistics operation where thousands of products will be received, processed and dispatched every day. 

We are now recruiting permanent, full-time Planning Assistants. This role supports the Lichfield Planning Team by providing accurate data, reports and administrative insight that enable effective colleague-hours planning, accurate pay and strong operational decision-making. Working with Planning, Operations, HR and wider site stakeholders, you will investigate risks and exceptions, maintain essential reporting and help keep day-to-day planning activity on track.

These are full-time positions working an eight-hour, Monday-to-Friday schedule.

What you’ll do

Your key accountabilities will include:

• Prepare, run and maintain planning reports, completing data checks and investigation to highlight risks, issues and potential mitigations for review by the Planning Team.
• Collate and administer planning data to build insight, improve forecast cycles and help the team maintain strong forecast accuracy.
• Provide analysis of colleague and hours planning, and support pay-close activity by reviewing payroll and Time and Attendance data, highlighting exceptions for correction before cut-off.
• Support the booking and administration of trailer arrivals and, under guidance, provide administrative support for stock consignments and despatch plans relating to obsolete stock removal.
• Maintain daily and weekly reporting for the Senior Leadership Team and Planning Leadership Team, covering plan accuracy, stock holding and site performance, and provide timely MyHR and Time and Attendance support to site stakeholders, escalating complex queries where required.

Who you are

Your skills and experience will include:

• An understanding of how planning activity supports a warehouse or logistics operation; previous experience in a distribution centre or new-site start-up environment would be an advantage.
• Good Microsoft Office skills, with confidence using Excel to manage, check, analyse and present data accurately and explain statistical information clearly to non-technical colleagues.
• A detailed, accurate and methodical approach, with the ability to manage requests from multiple stakeholders and deliver competing priorities to tight deadlines.
• Experience of analysing data, investigating issues and using factual information to identify causes and support practical solutions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a team and collaborate with colleagues across Planning, Operations, HR and the wider site.

Please note that we will operate a random Drug & Alcohol testing Policy at Lichfield. 

What’s in it for you? 

Working at M&S means being part of something bigger - helping to deliver quality, value and service to millions of customers every day. We’re inclusive, fast-moving and always evolving, with a strong sense of purpose and a focus on doing the right thing. 

Here are just a few of the benefits that make working here even more rewarding: 

• 20% colleague discount on all M&S products and many third-party brands for you and someone in your household, available once you’ve completed your probation 
• Competitive holiday allowance with the option to buy more 
• Strong pension and life assurance to help plan for the future 
• Tailored induction and training to support your development from day one 
• Exclusive perks and savings through our M&S Choices portal 
• Market-leading family policies, including parental, adoption and neonatal leave 

Everyone’s welcome 

We are ambitious about the future of retail. We’re reinventing, innovating and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We’re redefining 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.

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