At a Glance
- Tasks: Transform sales forecasts into production plans and schedules for delicious food.
- Company: Join Greencore, a leading UK convenience food creator with a vibrant culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, holidays, pension contributions, and exclusive employee discounts.
- Other info: Dynamic workplace with ongoing training and development opportunities.
- Why this job: Be part of a team that makes everyday taste better while growing your career.
- Qualifications: Experience in planning processes and FMCG environments; training available.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Permanent - Full-Time
Salary: Negotiable
Why Greencore?
Following the combination with Bakkavor in January 2026, we're one of the UK's leading creators of convenience food, driven by a simple purpose: to make everyday taste better. As a vibrant and fast-moving business, we're proud to employ over 28,000 talented colleagues across 36 manufacturing sites and 21 distribution depots in the UK and the US. Together, we bring delicious food to life. Our products cover every meal occasion from breakfast through to dinner and dessert, with lunch and snacking in between. In FY25, our shared passion helped us achieve combined revenues of approximately £4bn.
Our extensive direct to store (DTS) network, with 17 depots across the UK, allows us to deliver fresh and frozen food both our own and from trusted partners to thousands of stores every day, ensuring consumers enjoy the very best, whenever and wherever they shop.
Here at Heathrow, we are a growing team with around 450 colleagues. We produce chilled & hot eat Food for Now products including salads, sandwiches & wraps, Protein Pots & snacking, as well as Food for Later products such as ready meals & sides for some of the biggest retailers in the UK including Amazon Fresh, Asda, Aldi, Co-op, Morrisons and Sainsbury's.
What you'll be doing:
- Shift - Mon - Fri (mostly 8am - 4pm - weekend if needed)
- Utilise available planning systems to convert sales forecasts into achievable production and material plans and schedules that optimally balance customer service and operational cost efficiency.
- Manage risks within the plan and amend orders where possible/practical to achieve customer service and stock targets.
- Share forecasts with suppliers and work with them to resolve issues with materials availability.
- Measure, minimise and publish expected obsolete/over stocks (finished product and/or raw materials).
- Champion ongoing communication with the operations teams to ensure accurate exchange of information.
- Propose and implement continuous improvements in own area.
- Maintain a state of perpetual audit-readiness for all audits (GMP, H&S, Technical, Customer, Accreditation Bodies etc.) to ensure working practices are compliant at all times.
- Translate production plans into material requirements and convert them into supplier purchase orders.
What we're looking for:
- Time served understanding of planning process.
- FMCG Knowledge/have experience of working in a fast-paced seasonal environment.
- Worked with multiple range of SKUs; both short and long lead time.
- Attention to detail.
- Analytical thinking.
- Computer Literacy including experience of ERP system.
These may be trained or developed. These do not all need to be in place at recruitment.
If this sounds like you, join us and grow with Greencore, and be a part of driving our future success.
What you'll get in return:
- Competitive salary and job-related benefits.
- Holidays.
- Competitive matched pension contributions.
- Life insurance up to 4x salary.
- Company share save scheme.
- Exclusive Greencore employee discount platform.
- Access to a full Wellbeing Centre platform.
- Enhanced parental leave and menopause policies.
Throughout your time at Greencore, you will be supported with on the job training and development opportunities to further your career.
Planner - West Drayton in London employer: Greencore Group
Contact Detail:
Greencore Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Planner - West Drayton in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at Greencore on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by knowing your stuff! Research Greencore’s products and values. Be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their mission to make everyday taste better.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your planning skills! During interviews, share specific examples of how you've successfully managed production schedules or resolved supply chain issues in the past.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the Greencore team.
We think you need these skills to ace Planner - West Drayton in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Planner role. Highlight your experience in FMCG and planning processes, as this will show us you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t forget to mention your analytical thinking and attention to detail. We want to see how your skills can help us balance customer service with operational efficiency.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use bullet points where possible to make it easy for us to see your key achievements and experiences.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role without any hiccups.
How to prepare for a job interview at Greencore Group
✨Know Your Planning Process
Make sure you brush up on your understanding of the planning process, especially in a fast-paced FMCG environment. Be ready to discuss how you've successfully managed production and material plans in the past, and think about specific examples that highlight your analytical thinking and attention to detail.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
Since the role involves championing communication with operations teams and suppliers, prepare to demonstrate your ability to convey information clearly and effectively. Think of instances where you resolved issues or improved processes through strong communication.
✨Be Audit-Ready
Familiarise yourself with audit requirements like GMP and H&S standards. During the interview, express your commitment to maintaining compliance and share any experiences you have with audits or quality control processes to show you're proactive about these practices.
✨Highlight Continuous Improvement Initiatives
Greencore values continuous improvement, so come prepared with ideas or examples of how you've implemented changes in your previous roles. Discuss any specific projects where you proposed enhancements that led to better efficiency or cost savings.