Digital and IT Services Demand Planner

You will be working within the Digital & IT function of our client's Safety and Schedule Assurance Directorate with a direct line of reporting through to the CEO. They are a household name in the Utilities sector. You will create project plans using tools such as Microsoft Project and will work with stakeholders to identify planning dependencies, risks, and related issues. The primary focus of the role is the creation and maintenance of a portfolio-level plan that schedules project delivery timelines, identifies interdependencies, and requires the individual to be SQEP-qualified to perform this activity.

The Demand Planner will create the framework within which the future of Demand Planning will operate, possibly using ITIL or PRINCE2 approaches. Using appropriate governance, they will work across all Digital & IT Services teams, identifying and collecting inputs which they will use to generate the Demand Plan. Working with senior members of the Architecture, Delivery and Service teams, they will evaluate and adapt the plan, to promote the prioritised delivery of solutions to the business, whilst safeguarding the capacity of available resources across all teams. The position holder will not act as the singular decision maker - however your accurate and timely recommendations into your desired governance framework will drive the decision-making process across Digital & IT Services. You will be required to establish and maintain effective relationships with project delivery teams to ensure the right choices are made.

Your job will be to work as the Demand Planner for Digital & IT Services, working cross-team to collate, generate and evaluate the plan on a rolling 12, 6 and 3 month basis, making recommendations to safeguard effective delivery to suit business needs. Create and maintain the central Demand Plan. Adopt suitable governance protocols to enable the end to end delivery of the Demand Plan. Manage risks and dependencies as required within the Demand Plan. Collaborate with D&IT, business and EIT stakeholders amongst others to identify and track key milestones required within the Demand Plan. Create scheduling recommendations to balance resource capacity against business needs and to remain within agreed financial boundaries for each of D&IT's suppliers. Drive compliance with regulatory, security, and operational requirements through appropriate Demand Planning recommendations. Drive environment planning across the D&IT Portfolio. Perform an Intelligent Customer Oversight (ICO) function to decisions made. Align closely with key D&IT stakeholders to ensure coordinated activities take place according to agreed D&IT priorities. Ensure alignment with EIT & D&IT Service Providers, such as Avanade, Accenture, Atkins Realis etc. Own risk management for Demand Planning activities.

In order to apply, you need to demonstrate experience in Demand Planning within large, complex environments. Have experience of successful release coordination with an excellent track record of project-management abilities, such as the capacity to design and maintain precise release plans. Integrity, leadership and gravitas to guide and motivate cross-functional groups, particularly during high-pressure release phases where resource constraints, budgets and timely delivery may all come under pressure. Experience in understanding business drivers and D&IT's inbound dependency to the completion of construction, commissioning success and BAU operation of the plant. A good understanding of release tools, automation and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pathways helps the release process become more efficient. Ability to identify and manage potential risks, issues and developing mitigation techniques is crucial for stabilising releases along with clear dependency management. Ability to adapt to changing circumstances and priorities. A proven record of problem-solving is required to deal with any challenges and barriers throughout the procedure for a release. Extraordinary time management abilities are required to organise and carry out releases within a given time timeframe, taking into account dependencies and possible risks. Demonstrated leadership in a similar role across an industry with regulatory and security demands. Deep understanding of planning, ideally within technical and business deliveries. Familiarity with regulatory compliance, cybersecurity, and operational risk management. Proven ability to liaise with external vendors and partners in a leadership capacity. Strong understanding of High Performance Computing IT and regulatory landscape. Excellent written communication and numerical analysis skills. Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities with attention to detail. Ability to prioritise and deliver under pressure. Trusted decision-maker with sound business judgment. Collaborative, service-oriented, and able to build strong relationships across teams. Strong communicator capable of influencing both technical and non-technical stakeholders with an ability to effectively convey release plans, priorities, changes, and concerns to diverse customers. Demonstrates credibility and impact across an organisation.

This contract job is being offered on a 3 month rolling contract and the wider programme is expected to last two years. Hybrid working is required in the Bristol and Bridgwater areas so this would suit someone based in the Somerset/Avon/Gloucestershire area. Candidates must be based here in the UK with right to work in place.

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