Planning & Purchasing Supervisor in Cheltenham

Location:
Gloucester Reporting to:
Operations Director / Manager The Role
We are looking for an experienced Planning & Purchasing Supervisor to oversee material requirements planning, purchasing and inventory control within a manufacturing environment. This hands-on role requires a strong planning and buying background, with practical experience using ERP/MRP systems to ensure materials and consumables are available to meet production requirements. You will supervise a small Materials team and work closely with Production Planning, Production, Customer Service, Finance, Quality and suppliers to maintain material availability, control inventory and improve purchasing efficiency. Key Responsibilities
Planning and ERP/MRP Review production plans, demand, stock levels and consumption to determine material and consumable requirements.
Use ERP/MRP systems to plan replenishment, review requirements and maintain accurate purchasing and inventory records.
Assess supplier lead times, outstanding orders and stock availability to identify and resolve potential shortages.
Work closely with Production Planning to respond to schedule changes and communicate supply constraints.
Maintain appropriate inventory levels, balancing production needs, purchasing costs and storage capacity.
Prepare clear reports on shortages, stock levels, material consumption and open purchase orders.
Purchasing and Supplier Coordination Raise, place and expedite purchase orders within agreed purchasing policies and approval limits.
Confirm delivery dates and follow up suppliers to ensure materials arrive when required.
Resolve delivery delays, quantity discrepancies and specification issues with suppliers and internal departments.
Monitor supplier delivery performance and support corrective action where standards are not met.
Identify opportunities to improve costs, order quantities and supplier service, working with Group Purchasing where appropriate.
Maintain effective relationships with approved suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Inventory and Materials Control Oversee the accurate receipt, storage, issue and recording of materials and consumables.
Maintain effective stock location controls, FIFO rotation, cycle counting and Kanban replenishment.
Investigate stock discrepancies and significant variances in material consumption.
Supervise the collection, segregation, weighing and storage of internally generated production waste for recycling.
Coordinate with Planning and Production to support efficient reprocessing and accurate recording of recycled material usage.
Team Supervision Supervise the day-to-day activities of the Materials team, allocating work and setting clear priorities.
Monitor performance, provide guidance and resolve operational issues.
Maintain safe working practices, good housekeeping and appropriate material-handling standards.
Coordinate materials handling and support packing and vehicle-loading activities as required.
Escalate issues that could affect safety, material availability, production or dispatch.
Essential Experience and Skills
Proven experience in both material requirements planning and purchasing within manufacturing.
Confident, hands-on use of an ERP/MRP system to manage requirements, purchase orders and inventory.
Ability to interpret production demand and plan material availability using stock levels, consumption and supplier lead times.
Experience managing shortages, expediting orders and responding to changing production requirements.
Strong understanding of inventory control and replenishment methods.
Competent Excel skills for analysing stock, consumption and outstanding orders.
Previous supervisory or team-leadership experience.
Strong organisation, attention to detail and problem-solving skills.
Clear communication skills and confidence working with suppliers and colleagues across departments.
Desirable
Experience using Oracle.
A relevant planning, supply chain or purchasing qualification, such as CPIM, CIPS or equivalent.
Experience within plastics manufacturing, extrusion or materials recycling.
Knowledge of lean manufacturing, Kanban and continuous improvement.
Formal supervisory or leadership training.
Key Measures of Success
Materials available to meet production requirements.
Accurate ERP/MRP, purchasing and inventory records.
Timely order placement and reliable supplier deliveries.
Early identification and resolution of shortages.
Appropriate stock levels and reduced inventory discrepancies.
Safe, organised and effective team performance.
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