Production & Demand Planner

We are seeking an experienced Production & Demand Planner to take ownership of production planning, demand forecasting and inventory control within a growing manufacturing business.

This is a pivotal role where you will bring structure, visibility and control to a planning function that is currently managed through spreadsheets and informal processes. Working closely with Sales, Production, Purchasing and Senior Leadership, you will create robust planning processes that improve service levels, optimise stock holdings and ensure production capacity is aligned with customer demand.

This role would suit an individual who enjoys building processes, influencing stakeholders and driving operational improvements within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Demand Planning & Forecasting

Develop and maintain accurate demand forecasts using sales history, customer requirements and business trends.

Monitor forecast accuracy and identify opportunities for improvement.

Work closely with Sales and Commercial teams to understand future demand and promotional activity.

Translate customer demand into achievable production requirements.

Production Planning

Create and maintain production schedules to ensure customer orders are delivered on time.

Balance demand against available production capacity.

Prioritise production activities in line with customer requirements and business objectives.

Respond proactively to changing customer requirements and production constraints.

Inventory & Material Planning

Monitor stock levels of raw materials, packaging and finished goods.

Ensure materials are available to support production requirements.

Identify potential shortages and implement mitigation plans.

Reduce stockouts, excess inventory and obsolete stock.

Capacity Planning

Analyse production capacity and resource availability.

Identify bottlenecks and constraints within the manufacturing process.

Work with operational teams to maximise efficiency and throughput.

Provide visibility of future capacity risks.

Stakeholder Management

Act as the central point of coordination between Sales, Production, Purchasing and Senior Leadership.

Challenge unrealistic delivery commitments where capacity or material availability presents risk.

Facilitate regular planning meetings and communicate priorities clearly.

Build strong working relationships across all departments.

Process Improvement

Design and implement robust planning processes and reporting.

Develop meaningful KPIs and planning metrics.

Improve visibility of production performance, stock levels and forecast accuracy.

Drive continuous improvement across the planning function.

Support future system and process enhancements.

Key Performance Indicators

OTIF (On Time In Full) Delivery Performance

Forecast Accuracy

Production Schedule Adherence

Inventory Accuracy

Stock Availability

Reduction in Expedites

Capacity Utilisation

Obsolete Stock Reduction

Skills & Experience Required

Essential

Previous experience within a Production Planning, Demand Planning or Supply Chain Planning role.

Experience within a manufacturing environment.

Strong understanding of forecasting, capacity planning and inventory management.

Advanced Excel skills.

Ability to analyse data and make informed planning decisions.

Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Experience working across multiple departments to drive operational performance.

Desirable

FMCG, Food Manufacturing, Packaging or Process Manufacturing experience.

Experience implementing or improving planning processes.

ERP/MRP system experience.

S&OP exposure.

Continuous Improvement or Lean Manufacturing knowledge.

Personal Attributes

Commercially aware and able to balance customer requirements with operational capability.

Confident challenging stakeholders when necessary.

Process-driven with a continuous improvement mindset.

Able to influence and build credibility at all levels of the organisation.