Material Planner in London

Founded in 2003, Wasabi's vision is to lovingly create and serve delicious Asian food for a busy nation. Wasabi now has 42 thriving restaurants across London and major UK cities and 4 in New York. In 2019, we introduced Wasabi Home Bento, the grocery channel, launching exclusively in Sainsbury’s. Building on that success, the grocery business broadened its reach to Tesco in September 2022, followed by exciting launches in Co-op and Morrisons in 2024. Wasabi grocery has seen phenomenal growth and is now a £62m RSV brand. Wasabi proudly stands as the No. 2 chilled ready-meal brand in the market, consistently attracting new customers to the category through an innovative East Asian range. Wasabi’s menu is celebrated for its unique character, exceptional freshness, and bold flavours. Our diverse range is designed to delight a wide audience, delivering both comfort and excitement with every bite. We have an ambitious 5-year growth strategy, focusing on new restaurants, franchise partnerships, and international expansion.

As we embark on our next phase of growth and innovation, we’re thrilled to offer an exciting opportunity for a Material Planner to join our Procurement team based in Park Royal.

The Role:

• Responsible for ensuring that the right materials (raw materials, components, packaging) are available for production and restaurants when needed, without overstocking or causing delays due to shortages.

Key responsibilities:

• Material Planning: Develop material requirements based on the demand forecast and production schedules, raising purchase orders, ensuring all required materials are available in the right quantity at the right time. Respond rapidly to changes in demand, production schedules and customer requirements, ensuring material plans remain aligned to operational priorities. Supplier forecasts to be shared with suppliers in regular manner. To be a first point of contact for suppliers in terms of daily deliveries and queries. Warehouse capacity.
• Inventory reporting: Work closely with warehouse teams to collate and consolidate data, running reports when required. Support with improvement of inventory accuracy and investigations into inventory discrepancies.
• Supply risk mitigation: Identify, assess and communicate material supply risks in a timely manner, escalating issues with clear mitigation plans to minimise impact on production and customer service. Identify opportunities to reduce material waste by optimizing ordering processes, reducing surplus, and improving material handling practices.
• KPI Ownership: Monitor and report key planning KPIs including material availability, inventory levels, supplier service, write-offs and stockholding.
• Support Demand Planning and Material Manager: Manage any material delists, changeover and new product listings.
• Cross Functional Working: Collaborate closely with Production, Planning, Procurement, NPD, Technical, and Warehouse teams to support operational and business objectives. Identify opportunities to improve planning processes, system utilisation, data quality and supplier collaboration to enhance supply chain performance.
• Environment, Social, Governance (ESG): Support site ESG agenda ensuring commitments are delivered across areas of responsibility. Weekly meetings with suppliers to ensure timely delivery of materials, managing lead times, supplier production plans and minimum order quantities. Monitor supplier performance against agreed service, lead time and delivery metrics, challenging underperformance and supporting corrective actions where required.
• Inventory Control: Maintain end-to-end visibility of material availability and take ownership of resolving potential shortages before they impact production or overstocking impacting Warehouse.

Our requirements:

• Proven experience of Material Planner supply planning or production planning in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of production scheduling, manufacturing constraints and supply chain planning principles.
• Proficiency in material planning tools (ERP / MRP).
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail, supported by strong planning, organisational, and administrative skills.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills, with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Proactive approach to problem solving.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Planning experience in chilled, short shelf life (SSL) food manufacturing environment is desirable.

A great working environment, Refer A Friend Scheme, Free Sushi or hot food (vegan options available), 50% discount in our Branches, Employee Assistant Programme, Long Service Awards, Wagestream - a financial wellbeing benefit that lets you access your pay as you earn it in real time and manage savings, Life Assurance, Electric Vehicle Scheme through Octapus, Cycle To Work, Free on-site parking, A variety of discounts (shopping, food & drink, entertainment and health & fitness) through Perkbox and the opportunity to develop your skills within a growing company.