Central Planning Manager

Location

Hub based! Bristol, London or Glasgow (flexible to work wherever suits best). Depending on the needs of your business area, we expect hub based people to be in the office at least once a week and to attend OVO Connection events in person. You will be assigned to the closest hub office (Bristol, Glasgow or London) unless your role requires field based work. Each hub has accessible spaces to park your laptop and is designed to inspire people, help them connect and bring big ideas to life.

Team & Reporting

Team: Central Planning Team. Reports to: Central Planning Manager. We work within OVO Retail and the Resource Planning Team, enabling planning for customers for the Ovo business. We champion customer excellence and are empowered to make a difference through our Plan Zero objectives.

Experience & Working Pattern

Mid level. Full time. Sponsorship not offered.

Role Summary

You will be responsible for developing standardisation for COO estate, operational build and management of Supply & Demand plans across functional areas. Supported by Planning Analysts, you will ensure delivery of robust end to end planning solutions from 15 minutes to long range projections, enabling successful delivery of Ovo's business objectives. You will manage solutions that protect operational service levels, manage against budget envelopes and audit & monitor variance drivers.

Key Outcomes

• Strategic Forecasting & Financial Management
  • Model Optimization: assess, improve and maintain robust supply and demand models using best in class statistical methodologies.
  • Budgeting & Re forecasting: deliver annual budget outlooks and monthly re forecasts, tracking variances.
  • Financial Accountability: present monthly financial walk downs to senior leadership, articulating root causes of variances.
• Operational Alignment & Execution
  • End to End Planning: align tactical intraday and strategic forecasts, optimising shift patterns to match ToD demand and secure operational SLAs.
  • Partner Coordination: package and share accurate forecasting data with internal deployment teams and external OSP partners.
  • Risk Mitigation: identify operational risks, collaborate with stakeholders to build mitigation plans, maintain performance records.
• Stakeholder Business Partnering & Insight
  • Data Storytelling: translate complex data and operational metrics into clear performance insights.
  • Cross Functional Collaboration: partner with Business Readiness, project teams and Ovo Care departments.
  • Strategic Challenge: build trusted relationships with senior operational leaders and constructively challenge assumptions.
• Resource & Capacity Management
  • Capacity Ownership: drive resourcing solutions, own recruitment plans and suppliers.
  • Change Impact Modeling: conduct impact assessments and scenario modelling for business changes.
  • Team Development: manage and mentor Planning Analysts, fostering continuous learning.
  • Operational Excellence: standardise F&P processes, leverage MI to diagnose root causes, champion continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

• Proven expertise in resource and capacity planning, spanning long range outlooks to intraday staffing.
• Advanced data analytics skills and strong grasp of commercial strategy and financial performance.
• Outstanding analytical and problem solving abilities, with a track record of building solutions that balance risk and reward.
• High energy leadership, leading and mentoring multi site, matrixed teams.
• Strong communication skills, distilling data into executive recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Background in technology, business transformation or analysis within fast paced, complex businesses (including M&A).
• Structured approach to prioritisation, time management and delivery under pressure.

Even better if you have

• Experience in the Energy sector.
• Formal BA training or certification.
• Lean process design training.
• Agile delivery certification (Scrum Master or Product Owner).

Compensation & Benefits

We'll pay between £42,500 and £53,000, depending on your skills and experience. On target bonus of 15% is available through the OVO bonus plan focused on collective performance.

Flex Pay: 9% Flex Pay on top of salary (4% auto enrolled into pension, 5% used for flexible benefits).

Benefits include 34 days holiday (including bank holidays), a healthcare cash plan or private medical insurance, critical illness cover, life assurance, health assessments, gym membership, travel insurance, workplace ISA, will writing services, dental insurance, extra holiday buying, discount dining, home & tech loans, support for charities, car leasing deals, cycle to work scheme and public transport season ticket loans.

Belonging & Inclusive Culture

We support diverse people from all abilities, identities, ethnicities, ages and orientations. We have eight Belonging Networks to build an inclusive workplace; join any that resonate with you.

Apply

Even if you don't tick all boxes, apply - we'll still love to hear from you. If you have additional requirements, let us know in the application form.