Planning Manager

Location: Cardiff

Salary: £55,000–£60,000 per annum + 10% bonus

Hours: Monday–Friday (Days)

Contract: Permanent | Full-time

Industry: Manufacturing

About the business

A well-established manufacturing business is investing heavily and experiencing rapid growth. You’ll be joining a new, state-of-the-art factory in Cardiff equipped with modern technology and systems. The business is scaling fast and — due to internal promotion — is now seeking an accomplished Planning Manager to own planning & scheduling and lead a small, high-performing team.

The role

As the Planning Manager you will be responsible for end-to-end production planning and scheduling to ensure the site delivers on customer service, minimises waste and inventory, and meets commercial targets. This is a hands-on leadership role that combines day-to-day planning with people management, stakeholder engagement and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of planners/schedulers to deliver accurate production schedules and on-time customer service.
• Own demand planning, short-term scheduling and capacity planning across multiple lines/areas.
• Manage inventory levels and drive initiatives to reduce stock, obsolescence and cost.
• Run S&OP / IBP activities and collaborate with Commercial, Supply Chain, Procurement and Production.
• Maintain and optimise planning processes within the ERP/MRP system; champion system improvements and data accuracy.
• Monitor and report on planning KPIs (OTIF, stock days, schedule attainment, yield) and deliver continuous improvement projects.
• Coach, mentor and develop planners; create a culture of accountability, accuracy and collaboration.
• Support change and implementation activities as the site grows and new technology is deployed.

What we’re looking for

• Proven experience managing planning teams in a manufacturing environment (food/FMCG desirable).
• Strong technical knowledge of MRP/ERP systems and planning tools; confident with forecasting and S&OP. Experience with Oracle ERP would be advantageous.
• Excellent people leader with a track record of coaching, developing and motivating a team.
• Commercially aware — able to balance customer service with inventory and working capital control.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills; comfortable presenting to senior leaders.
• Analytical mindset with experience using data to drive decisions and improvements.

How to apply

Click Apply Now with your CV and a short covering note outlining your planning leadership experience. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an initial call.