Demand Planning Lead

About us

Here at National Grid, we connect homes and businesses to power, making sure supply and demand match each other. We make sure the lights are on in schools, operating theatres, and sporting arenas; were thousands of people working on behalf of millions of people. And whatever your role, wherever you work with us, youll help us hit stretching targets and achieve our far-reaching goal: to secure, clean energy that supports our world far into the future. Here, you will be at the heart of energy.

At National Grid, we work towards the highest standards in everything we do, including how we support, value, and develop our people. Our aim is to encourage and support employees to thrive and be the best they can be. We celebrate the difference people can bring into our organisation, and welcome and encourage applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, and offer flexible and tailored support, at home and in the office.

Our function covers a diverse range of categories from Indirect, IT & Digital, Network Operations (Maintenance & Repair), Gas equipment and Services to large scale Construction and Network Equipment, with a clear mission: to enable a clean, fair, and affordable energy future through commercial, responsible and innovative supply chain leadership.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

National Grid is an equal opportunity employer that values a broad diversity of talent, knowledge, experience and expertise. We foster a culture of inclusion that drives employee engagement to deliver superior performance to the communities we serve. National Grid is proud to be an affirmative action employer. We encourage minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to join the National Grid team.

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Demand Planning Lead to join our team on a Full Time, Permanent basis!

The Demand Planning Lead at National Grid will be responsible for overseeing and optimizing the demand forecasting processes to provide a consolidated view for category teams of equipment and material requirements.

National Grid is leading the charge towards a Net Zero future in the UK and NE of USA. We recognize that decarbonizing our electric and gas systems will require resolving many questions and seeking new partnerships, technologies and transformative investments. Over the next 5 years, we will be investing over 60bn across our UK and US businesses nearly double the investment over the past 5 years. This is an exciting time for our industry that is creating significant opportunities for National Grid; this is not just a moment in time; it’s a game-changing era that will shape National Grid’s success for decades to come.

Given this backdrop, our supply chains are facing an unprecedented set of challenges and are at the forefront of our plans, placing National Grid Procurement at the centre of our Net Zero goals. We have set out an ambitious transformation plan, focused on becoming a client of choice for our supply partners whilst ensuring outstanding outcomes for our Business Units (BUs). Our strategy revolves around significant changes in three core areas:

• Partnering: We are forging closer ties with our supply chain, aligning ourselves more closely with each NG Group Business Unit (BU).
• Scale: We are leveraging the immense scale of our group to unlock even greater potential. By harnessing our collective strength, we can achieve remarkable things.
• Operational Transformation: We are revolutionizing the way we work as a team. Embracing new approaches and technologies, we are streamlining processes and making the day-to-day job simpler and more efficient.

What You’ll Do

This role involves collaborating with cross-functional business units and teams based in the US and UK to forecast material needs and implement best practices to build a resilient global supply chain in line with Procurement strategic goals.

• Develop and maintain accurate demand forecasts by analyzing capital investment plans and applying advanced statistical methods. Continuously monitor and adjust forecasts based on new capital investment plans, historical data, supplier requirements, stakeholder engagement, market trends, and regulatory changes.
• Work closely with procurement, engineering, operations, and finance teams to develop demand plans and facilitate communication between departments to ensure a holistic understanding of demand drivers and constraints.
• Analyze large datasets to identify patterns, trends, and opportunities for improvement in demand planning. Utilize data visualization techniques to simplify and communicate insights to stakeholders effectively.
• Identify potential risks in demand forecasts and develop contingency plans to mitigate impacts on capital plans and supply chain. Collaborate with relevant teams to address demand fluctuations proactively.
• Partner with the Digital Enablement Organization to design and implement technology-driven improvements to streamline and/or semi-automate forecasting and reporting.
• Establish and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate and continuously improve the effectiveness of demand planning activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Data Science, or a related field or equivalent. A master’s degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in demand planning, forecasting, or a related role within the energy or a comparable industry demanding materials (e.g. mega construction).
• Proficiency in demand forecasting methodologies, including statistical modelling, time series analysis, and regression analysis.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in data analysis and BI visualization tools such as Power BI. Familiarity with demand programmes and programming languages like Python or R is a benefit.
• In-depth understanding of the energy sector, market dynamics, and factors influencing energy demand. Experience with utility or energy companies is preferred.
• Proven track record of managing complex cross-functional projects across different time zones (US/ET, UK/UTC) and within both onsite and remote environments.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to simplify complex information and present insights concisely to diverse audiences. Engage with stakeholders and extract data as required.
• Ability to lead and influence without authority, build trusted relationships with cross-functional teams and influence decisions without having formal authority over other organizations.
• Ability to work independently to meet business goals, with little to no supervision.

Your Reward

Rewarding work and a collaborative, team-oriented culture is just the beginning. Review our digital benefit guide at ngbenefitslivebrighter.com for full details and descriptions.

Additional Information

This role is offered on a Full-Time, Permanent basis.

We are also offering hybrid / flexible working where travel to the office will be as per business need.

This role can be located: Waltham, MA

Waltham: $132,000- $155,000 a year

This role closes on 9/2/24. However, we strongly encourage candidates to submit their application as early as possible, as applications will be actively reviewed and processed prior to the deadline.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

National Grid is an equal opportunity employer that values a broad diversity of talent, knowledge, experience and expertise. We foster a culture of inclusion that drives employee engagement to deliver superior performance to the communities we serve. National Grid is proud to be an affirmative action employer. We encourage minorities, women, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans to join the National Grid team.