Senior Manager, Planning

AKT (pronounced “act”) is The Personal Performance Company with multi award-winning body care that may change your life. Founded by West End stars Ed Currie and Andy Coxon, AKT is by and for those who are “Born to Perform” — on the stage, at work, or in life. In 2020, The Deodorant Balm made its stunning debut to rave reviews and awards from Vogue, GQ, Esquire, and Harper’s BAZAAR. Plastic-free, aluminium-free, and gender-free, The Deodorant Balm instantly resonated with those looking for a natural deodorant that genuinely worked. Five fragrances and over 700,000 happy armpits later, The Deodorant Balm is already becoming a household name.

About The Role: As the Planning Lead, you will work cross‑functionally with Commercial, Marketing, Finance, Operations, Customer Supply Chain, and Executive Leadership to align demand, supply, inventory, and lifecycle decisions through the S&OP process. You will be expected to challenge constructively, surface trade‑offs clearly, and enable timely executive decision‑making. Externally, the role interfaces indirectly with manufacturing partners, 3PLs, and planning system vendors to inform capacity, constraints, and planning assumptions.

• S&OP: Design, implement, and lead a structured S&OP cadence that aligns commercial, finance, and operations around a single, decision‑ready plan.
• Integrated Planning: Consolidate demand, supply, and inventory inputs into a unified plan that balances service levels, inventory health, and financial targets.
• Executive Decision Support: Translate planning data into concise executive recommendations, highlighting risks, scenarios, and commercial trade‑offs to support fast, confident decision making.
• Lifecycle Governance: Own launch, transition, and exit planning to minimise obsolescence, optimise availability, and protect margin across markets.
• Scenario & Risk Management: Proactively model supply, demand, and logistics risks across UK, USA, and Europe, implementing mitigation plans to safeguard service and profitability.
• Performance & Reporting: Own planning and commercial reporting, delivering clear visibility on forecast accuracy, service, inventory, and working capital performance.
• Team Leadership: Lead and develop the planning team, embedding robust standards, analytical rigour, and accountability to build a high‑performing function.
• Cross‑Functional Partnership: Act as the senior planning partner to Finance, Commercial, Operations, and external retail stakeholders, ensuring plans are credible, aligned, and trusted across the organisation.

About You:

• Advanced Excel / planning analytics capability.
• Integrated Planning & S&OP; end‑to‑end S&OP / IBP design, cadence, and governance - how to translate commercial strategy into executable supply plans.
• Scenario planning (upside, downside, constraints) and risk quantification.
• Financial & Commercial Acumen; Understanding of forecast bias, revenue vs volume dynamic and how planning decisions impact cash, COGS, and service.
• Proven experience leading cross‑functional planning discussions.
• Line‑management experience of planners or analysts.
• Planning in environments with imperfect data and volatility.
• Experience in fast‑growth, SKU‑complex, or multi‑channel environments.
• International / multi‑region planning experience.

Backstage Perks:

• Flexible working: work from home, at our Oxford Circus office (which comes with gym access), or in co‑working spaces across the UK.
• Monthly team days in London to connect with the AKT ensemble.
• A funny, kind, and inclusive work environment.
• Allowance for products to give you the confidence to step onto the stage and perform.
• Intervals encouraged: 36 days holiday, including bank holidays (pro‑rata for part‑time roles).
• Pension contribution matching via salary sacrifice up to 5% of your salary.

Everybody is welcome. AKT London is for everyone. We believe that an inclusive work environment and a diverse, empowered team are key to achieving our mission. Our products are gender free and built for every BODY to help give them the confidence to step onto their stage – whatever that may be – and PERFORM. Our work environment is no different. AKT London is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We commit to a focused and sustained action to dismantle racist systems, policies, practices, and ideologies within ourselves and our networks. We have zero tolerance for intolerance. With our Founders belonging to a minority community, we commit to difference and diversity from the beginning, and we know what a rich and creative work environment can cultivate. If you’re a driven and hungry professional with a passion for beauty and sustainability, and you’re ready to make a significant impact in a fast‑growing start‑up, we’d love to hear from you. Join us in redefining personal care while looking after our planet!