John Shields

Experience

• 

  Volkswagen Group UK Ltd

  Sept 2004 - now

  Responsibilities:- Responsible for the detailed forecasting and management of Volkswagen Brand tactical budget across multiple fleet channels.- Stakeholder management and factory liaison.- Development of tactical offers across multiple sales channels.- Legal compliance and application of standard accounting principalsKey Achievements:- Managing budget levels under significant cost constraints and market pressure while delivering volume ambition- Influencing senior stakeholders both UK and Parent company to secure financial support for local tactical actions.- Delivering record Market share in True Fleet within budget. Show less Responsibilities:- Leading the Supply team for VW PC with responsibility for vehicle supply from order to customer handover.- Requirement to deliver agreed brand total sales volume by month, model and channel.- Main factory and retailer facing contact on all supply & production topics including ideal stock levels, aged stocking, lead-times and customer management.- Production and development of timely and accurate management reporting on brand production, supply and stock situation. Identifying material risks or opportunities, recommending appropriate action and delivering desired outcome.Key achievements:- Delivering strategic Steering Today project, reviewing entire Supply chain and delivering a record aged stock position, significant improvements in Out of Zone performance and annual tactical cost savings.- Managing the VW supply chain through COVID lockdown and reopening in 2020 – detailed planning, organisation and co-ordination with factory, Logistics & other brands- Managing VW brand supply through WLTP/RDE rule changes – 3 years of managing production and supply through huge upheavals, shortages and tight sales deadlines.- New Product (ID.3) Launch and sales challenge – key player in huge brand challenge of launching ID.3 and ensuring delivery – strategic decisions and micromanagement required to deliver a positive outcome.- Leading a key team through COVID, motivating and producing high volume of quality results. Show less Responsiblities:- Managing the risk within Volkswagen Group’s retailer network (VW & CV) and driving the profitability of investors. - Reporting to brand management teams on network performance and updating on the current status of risk retailers, including actions for recovery. - Assessing network development proposals, analysing and challenging investor business plans.Key achievements:- Working with risk and underperforming investors to improve profitability and limit Volkswagen Group’s financial exposure- Developing a new risk scoring system and leading a robust risk process to ensure tracking and reporting of all the risk retailers in the network. - Streamlining and development of management reporting of the Group Business Management department by managing the delivery of new data sources from Group Network Planning. Show less Key Areas of ResponsibilityProduction:- Lead the weekly production fulfilment process with the factory to ensure optimal stock volume and mix ordered JIT- Managing and implementing solutions to any production restrictions or constraints- Effective internal and retailer communications related to production and supply issuesAllocation:- Manage the monthly production allocation process, balancing current demand and business ambitionsStock:- Ensuring the specification and mix of stock vehicles is optimised to meet UK sales and stock targets.- Identify and communicate volume risks and opportunities that will impact on ability to achieve planned targets.- Minimise aged stock risk.Customer Satisfaction:- Monitoring of customer orders through the production process to identify and resolve issues that may impact on the customer experience. Show less Responsible for the preparation and analysis of the monthly management accounts for the Skoda Brand. The role requires a high level of attention to detail in order to fully reconcile balance sheet accounts and to ensure full brand co-ordination and control for audit purposes. Achievements in the role include the introduction of new processes to improve results reporting to the Skoda factory, stock and sales reconciliations and to drive efficiencies and accuracy of the quarterly overhead reforecasts. As deputy for the Skoda Brand Controller the role requires strong communication skills in order to influence people at all levels of the organisation as well as a strong commerical and strategic awareness. Show less Responsible for the daily treasury activities of a company with c. £6 billion turnover; including forecasting long and short term funding requirements and maximising return on cash resources. The production of daily, weekly and monthly management reporting relating to liquidity management required excellent attention to detail and strong time management skills. The crucial nature of cashflow and interest forecasting to the company made this a highly pressured role which helped develop a good understanding of the Volkswagen group. Show less

  • Fleet Tactical Manager

    Feb 2023 - now

  • Supply Planning Manager

    Mar 2017 - Jan 2023

  • Business Management Consultant

    Mar 2016 - Feb 2017

  • Factory Production Manager

    Jan 2012 - Feb 2016

  • Management Accountant

    May 2007 - Dec 2011

  • Treasury Accountant

    Sept 2004 - Apr 2007