
Daniel Foster
Planning Analyst
Turning data and forecasts into solid plans
Planning analyst with seven years building demand, supply and financial plans for a retail and consumer-goods company in Manchester. Sits between data and decisions — forecasting demand, modelling scenarios, aligning supply and budgets to the plan, and giving the business a clear, numbers-backed view of what is coming and how to prepare. Improved forecast accuracy that cut both stockouts and excess inventory, and built a planning model the team now relies on. Forecasts demand, builds and maintains planning models, runs scenarios, aligns supply and budgets, and turns analysis into clear recommendations. Analytical, organised and commercially aware. Looking for a planning-analyst or demand-planning role with a company that wants its plans built on real data, not guesswork.
Manchester Consumer Goods - Manchester, UK
Planning Analyst January 2019 to Present 7 years & 7 months
Improved forecast accuracy that cut both stockouts and excess inventory, and built a planning model the team relies on.
Forecast demand across products and channels, blending data, trends and judgement into reliable projections.
Build and maintain planning models, turning messy inputs into a clear, usable picture of supply and demand.
Run scenarios and align supply and budgets to the plan, so the business is ready for likely and unlikely outcomes.
Turn analysis into clear recommendations leaders act on, not dense spreadsheets nobody reads or trusts.
UK Retail Group - Manchester, UK
Junior Analyst February 2017 to December 2018 1 year & 11 months
Maintained models and analysed data daily, steadily building forecasting and analytical skills over time.
Learned forecasting, data analysis and planning processes on the job during this first role.
Gained the certificate and experience that led into a full planning-analyst role of my own.
University of Manchester
BSc in Business Analytics (September 2012 to June 2016)
Institute of Business Forecasting
Demand Planning & Forecasting Certificate (August 2016 to January 2017)
Better forecasts, less waste
A model the team relies on
Forecast Accuracy Programme
Planning Analyst (January 2021 to September 2021)
Demand Planning & Forecasting Certificate
Institute of Business Forecasting (January 2017 to Present)
- Demand Forecasting
- Planning Models
- Scenario Analysis
- Supply & Inventory Planning
- Data Analysis
- Excel & SQL
- S&OP
- Budget Alignment
- Reporting & Dashboards
- Data Storytelling