Group Planning & SIOP Director

Technical Placements; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking a Group Planning & SIOP Director to establish and lead a world-class integrated planning framework. The role involves overseeing demand forecasting, inventory optimisation, and aligning planning with commercial and financial priorities. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in SIOP processes within the manufacturing or FMCG sector and possess strong analytical and communication skills. This senior role offers a competitive salary, bonus, and benefits, along with domestic and international travel.

Benefits

Healthcare

Pension

Car Allowance

Qualifications

• Extensive experience leading SIOP or integrated planning processes.
• Solid understanding of financial planning and operational performance links.
• Experience in manufacturing or FMCG sectors.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end SIOP cycle, aligning demand and operational capability.
• Own the Group forecasting framework and ensure integration with financial goals.
• Oversee inventory planning to maintain service and cost balance.

Skills

Demand forecasting

Inventory optimisation

Supply chain planning

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Formal qualifications in Supply Chain, Operations, or Business Management

Tools

Planning/ERP systems

Data visualisation tools

Job description

Group Planning & SIOP Director opportunity. A newly created role for an experienced, dynamic planning professional to establish, lead, and embed a world-class integrated planning framework across the group, ensuring full alignment between commercial, operational and financial performance. The role provides both strategic direction and hands‑on leadership in developing a mature Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning (SIOP) process that delivers reliability, visibility, and control. Midlands Hybrid role with domestic and international travel.

Our client is a growing world‑leading manufacturer of B2B and B2C products with 650+ employees across multiple sites in the UK, Europe and the US. With leading brands, innovative products, and a global footprint, they are committed to delivering sustainable solutions that protect public health and work in harmony with nature. Reporting to the CEO / CFO, and Operating as part of the Group Leadership Team, this senior Planning and SIOP role influences across regions and functions to create a single, data‑driven view of the business. It brings together demand planning, forecasting, and inventory optimisation with financial and procurement planning to improve service, resilience, and working capital performance.

Key Objectives

• Build and embed a consistent, standardised SIOP process across all business units and functions.
• Improve forecast accuracy, inventory utilisation, and supply reliability across the Group.
• Align planning with commercial and financial priorities, integrating demand, capacity, and cash flow management.
• Establish a unified approach to forecasting that accounts for seasonality, product lifecycle, and market dynamics.
• Strengthen collaboration across commercial, operations, finance, and procurement functions to deliver Group performance goals.

Key Accountabilities

SIOP Leadership & Governance

• Lead the end‑to‑end SIOP cycle, aligning demand, operational capability, and financial plans.
• Maintain global SIOP governance, calendars, and performance metrics.
• Continuously refine planning methodologies to reflect seasonality, working capital needs, and market change.
• Embed data‑driven, disciplined forecasting across all regions.

Forecasting & Demand Planning

• Own the Group forecasting framework, integrating commercial insight, operational constraints, and financial goals.
• Partner with Finance and Commercial teams to ensure forecasts feed budgets, cashflow, and scenario models.
• Drive forecasting excellence through improved systems, data, and processes.

Inventory, Capacity & Procurement Planning

• Oversee Group inventory planning to balance service, cost, and cash.
• Set planning standards incorporating seasonality, lead times, and capacity.
• Lead Plan‑for‑Every‑Part (PFEP) deployment with Procurement and Supply Chain to improve availability and working capital.
• Coordinate capacity reviews linking production, logistics, and demand signals.

Data, Systems & Continuous Improvement

• Work with IT and Data teams to ensure reliable, scalable planning tools and standardised data.
• Develop Group dashboards for forecast accuracy, inventory, and SIOP performance.
• Champion continuous improvement in planning, data quality, and automation.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as the Group’s centre of expertise for SIOP and planning.
• Align with senior leaders across Supply Chain, Commercial, Finance, and Procurement.
• Build capability by coaching teams in forecasting, SIOP, and inventory best practice.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and disciplined delivery.

Your Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience leading global or multi‑site SIOP or integrated planning processes.
• Strong expertise in demand forecasting, inventory optimisation, and supply chain planning.
• Solid understanding of financial planning, working capital, and operational‑cash performance links.
• Experience implementing PFEP and related methodologies.
• Ability to manage complexity, seasonality, and diverse product portfolios.
• Strong communicator and influencer in a matrix environment.
• Advanced analytical skills and systems knowledge (planning/ERP, data visualisation).
• Experience in manufacturing, FMCG, or industrial sectors.
• Fluent English; additional European languages a plus.

Desirable

• Experience deploying advanced planning tools or digital SIOP solutions.
• Exposure to private equity or high‑growth environments.
• Formal qualifications in Supply Chain, Operations, or Business Management.

What’s on Offer

• Senior role with high impact and autonomy.
• Strong prospects working for a growing Private Equity owned group.
• Great salary, bonus, and additional benefits to include Healthcare, Pension, Car Allowance.

Our client is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. All applications will be considered. If you would like to learn more, please apply or contact Tim Hill at Technical Placements for an initial chat about the role.