Vickerstock are partnering with a leading food manufacturer to recruit a Head of Planning for a key leadership position within their supply chain function.
This is a strategically important role responsible for leading the planning function across a complex, fast-paced manufacturing operation. The successful candidate will play a critical role in aligning customer demand, production capability and business objectives, ensuring the business delivers exceptional service levels while optimising capacity, inventory, cost and operational performance.
The Role
As Head of Planning, you will be responsible for developing and executing the planning strategy, ensuring robust planning processes are in place across all time horizons. You will work closely with stakeholders across Commercial, Operations, Procurement, Agriculture, Logistics, Finance, Engineering, Technical and NPD functions to deliver a single, aligned operational plan for the business.
This role requires a strong leader who can influence at all levels, manage complexity and use data-driven insight to support effective decision-making and continuous improvement.
Head of Planning - Key Responsibilities
- Lead the end-to-end planning function, ensuring demand, supply and production plans are aligned to customer requirements, manufacturing capability and business objectives.
- Own and drive the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, fostering collaboration across Commercial, Operations, Procurement, Agriculture, Logistics, Finance, Technical and Engineering functions to deliver a single aligned business plan.
- Translate demand forecasts and commercial plans into achievable production and capacity plans, balancing service levels, inventory, cost, waste and operational constraints.
- Provide leadership, coaching and development to the planning team, creating a high-performance culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement and operational excellence.
- Develop and maintain short, medium and long-term production and supply plans that maximise capacity utilisation while supporting customer service objectives.
- Monitor planning performance and plan adherence, proactively identifying risks, constraints and opportunities and coordinating corrective actions with key stakeholders.
- Lead scenario planning and decision support activities relating to demand volatility, capacity changes, raw material availability, promotional activity and new product launches.
- Develop and report key planning KPIs, capacity metrics and performance insights to support effective decision-making and continuous improvement across the supply chain.
- Partner with Commercial, Operations and NPD teams to support new product introductions, range changes and strategic business initiatives.
- Drive continuous improvement across planning processes, systems and governance, implementing best practice and standardised ways of working.
- Play a key role in shaping supply chain strategy, long-term capacity planning and future growth initiatives, ensuring planning capability supports business objectives.
- Ensure robust planning governance, data integrity and compliance with company, customer, quality and regulatory requirements.
Essential Experience
- Proven experience within Supply Chain, Production Planning or FMCG manufacturing environments.
- Proven experience leading planning teams, including the management and development of planning managers and senior planners.
- Strong knowledge and practical application of Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) processes.
- Experience operating within complex manufacturing environments with multiple constraints and changing customer demands.
- Advanced Excel capability and strong analytical skills.
Desirable Qualifications
- Degree qualification in Supply Chain, Operations Management, Food Science, Business or a related discipline.
- Professional supply chain or operations qualifications would be advantageous.
- Experience working with ERP and planning systems such as SAP, IBP, APO or equivalent platforms.
Skills & Competencies
- Demonstrated expertise in supply chain planning, forecasting, production planning and scheduling within an FMCG environment.
- Exceptional analytical capability with a data-led approach to decision-making.
- Highly effective communicator with strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Natural leader who builds high-performing teams and develops capability across the organisation.
Interested?
If you believe that you have the skills and experience to thrive in this position, please apply to the link provided and we will be in touch for a confidential conversation!
Skills:
planning production scheduling SAP
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