Economics and Optimisation Analyst

Virgin Media
Hook - United Kingdom
S: Competitive

Product and Commercial Management

Roles in Product & Commercial have end to end responsibility for the commercial and operational performance of our products; plus their competitive positioning, delivery against consumer needs and future development roadmap. As such, these roles lead product development and management activities across the full product lifecycle - development, launch, in-life management, performance review, retirement and/or evolution.

Knowledge and Insight

Knowledge and insight roles are involved in research, analysis and delivery of marketing information to assist strategic planning and review in support of the Virgin Media business
The Economics department is an intrinsic part of the Commercial Marketing and Product communities. The Economics function is responsible for managing vast amounts of data for ALL the commercial drivers within the Product portfolio, the purpose of which, is to aid, influence and recommend the best possible route for the business to turn to ensure profitability and efficiency are maximised.
The role of Economics and Optimisation Analyst is split into a number of parts, these are:

Optimisation

The role of Economics and Optimisation Analyst is responsible for ensuring that optimal profitability is achieved across our entire product portfolio through active process, supplier and commercial governance. Specifically; ensuring that the Sales to Order processes, supplier selection and contractual commitments are managed effectively and in line with the businesses strategic direction.

Economics

Ensuring that through extensive detailed analysis the business is in a position where it understands current & future profitability, as well as, the market positioning of each product. It is the responsibility of the Economics and Optimisation Analyst to collate, manage, manipulate and report current product position(s) across a number of key business drivers including; Cost of Sale, Operational Expenditure, Capital Expenditure, Revenue, Margin and Operating Cash Flow in line (and/or) against Detailed Budget(s) and to articulate how this can be improved upon through improvements to; systems, process, capex investment, changes to price structure, a renegotiation of supplier contract or price increases/decreases in an ongoing consultative fashion, in a High level business Case fashion.
The Economics and Optimisation Analyst will also assist with Economic Insight into a number of Project based initiatives, be it; New Product Developments, Amendments to existing products (and/or) feature enhancements or similarly self generated optimisation projects.

Economic Accountabilities:

• Generate reporting interlocks with Key departments and divisions across a disperse business environment.
• Ensure that the RASCI models, reporting cycles and interlocks remain adhered to by all key data suppliers.
• Actively manage, monitor and maintain the Dashboard to ensure accuracy, effectiveness and output are of the highest quality.
• Introduce an Activity Based Cost modelling structure into the data base.
• Adhere to a monthly reporting cycle, ensuring that the business continually knows profitability, areas of improvement, potential risks and position(s) against budgets.
• Introduce a reporting interlock from the Database to the Planning team, ensuring that the detail budget is based on insight, soft & hard trending and fact.
• Investigate anomalies, trending and explore possible causes for change.
• Actively build business cases for any optimisation output and present them.
• Act as the commercial support on any given NDP, Feature enhancement project or any company wide economic initiative.
• Retrospectively reallocate cost base in conjunction with any project, new product introduction or companywide incentive.

Optimisation Accountabilities:

• Ensuring least cost Provider selection is adhered to.
• Ensuring capacity validation is adhered to.
• Cost exceeds budget governance & compliance.
• Ensuring that the renewal process is optimised.
• Ensuring supplier contractual and commercial obligations are optimised.
• Ensuring supplier negotiations (per deal) performance optimally.
• Any other activities deemed required by the HoD of Economics and Strategy.
• Granular understanding of Excel, experience of detailed manipulations including building of algorithms & formulas - Vlook-ups, Nested IF statements etc.
• Detailed analysis experience.
• Granular understanding of Activity Based Cost modelling either practical or written.
• Capable of producing professional power point presentations and a confident consultative presentation style.
• Understanding of profitability, all associated commercial business drivers and business budgeting processes and cycles.
• Comfortable working to and exceeding challenging and continuous reporting cycles and deadlines (monthly and/or quarterly).

Desired Knowledge:

• Previous experience in a commercial or pricing role within the Telecoms industry or a graduate with either an Economics or mathematics degree whom can demonstrate the above in a test environment or an internal candidate looking for a new challenge.

Job summary