Welcome to our latest meet the team blog

Welcome to our latest meet the team blog. Today we introduce Susan McGregor who joined Bedford recently as an S&OP Subject Matter Expert with over 20 years’ experience both in industry and consulting. In her spare time Susan enjoys yoga, reading and walking her dog.

What made you consider joining Bedford?

One of the main reasons I joined Bedford was the team culture and values that were evident in throughout the interview process. Humility, teamwork, and the ability to be creative were all key drivers. It was equally important to utilise my supply chain experience to support customers in developing best practice processes while working with a product I am passionate about. I recognise the benefits Anaplan offers in helping organisations effectively plan and manage their supply chain and S&OP processes.

Why did you apply to be a Subject Matter Expert on S&OP?

With over 23 years’ experience of supply chain management and consulting within various industries sectors, I have extensive experience in supply chain planning, S&OP implementation, and process improvement. I am passionate about supporting customers to find the best-fit solution to manage and grow their business. Supply chains are becoming ever-more complex through evolving omnichannel route to markets, sustainability challenges and geopolitical disruptions impacting supply and cost. The SME role provides the opportunity to help customers establish processes that quickly highlight impacts, enabling informed decision-making within their organisations.

What’s the most important skill that someone needs to succeed in your role?

Effective listening combined with an openness to collaborate and grow with colleagues and customers is essential. Supply chain processes within different industries, regions and markets are wide and vast. It is critical to understand the uniqueness of needs and how organisations operate to communicate specific requirements to Bedford’s Anaplan Model Builders. S&OP is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. It is important to effectively listen to clients’ needs and utilise the combined Bedford teams’ expertise to deliver the best-fit solution.

In your experience of working in supply chain, what are the biggest challenges to overcome and how do you see Bedford & Anaplan supporting customers?

Volatility of issues which arise and how organisations quickly react is a key challenge. Recent issues such as logistic constraints, energy, and the cost-of-living crisis are all major disruptions, and it is critical to have tools and processes in place that can model ‘what- if’ scenarios to understand impacts and adapt quickly.

Sustainability is another key challenge and Bedford is at the forefront of developing apps to support this. The Bedford team have both industry knowledge and Anaplan expertise to offer customers the best-fit solution to help manage this uncertainty.

What are you most looking forward to?

Working with colleagues who share a passion for supply chain and utilise our combined knowledge of supply chain and Anaplan to develop processes and tools which help customers manage and grow their business.

How has your first month been?

Love it! Since joining, it is great to hear colleagues praise Bedford’s team culture. Every person I have spoken to appreciates the open, transparent, and supportive ethos of the team. The team have a great belief in Anaplan as a product and values the benefits of working together to deliver the best service and solution for our customers.

We’re hiring! For more information on our open roles visit our careers page.