Head of Planning

Ancient + Brave | B Corp; Wealden; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A mission-driven wellness brand seeking a Head of Planning during a period of critical growth. The role involves managing the end-to-end planning processes while ensuring supply chain alignment with commercial ambitions. A successful candidate will have proven experience in similar roles, demonstrating leadership in demand and supply planning within a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Discretionary bonus based on performance

Private Medical Insurance

Continuous training & professional development opportunities

25 days annual holiday plus bank holidays

Company products discount

Wellbeing days

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior Planning or Supply Chain Planning role in a fast scaling FMCG.
• Strong track record of leading Demand & Supply Planning processes and implementing S&OP frameworks.
• Excellent understanding of inventory strategy and planning optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Demand Planning, Production, and Data team.
• Set inventory targets and oversee supply planning to support production scheduling.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure effective alignment between demand and supply planning.

Skills

Leadership

Planning Optimization

Data Management

Inventory Strategy

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Education

Experience in FMCG or similar

Tools

ERP Systems

MRP Systems

Job description

About Us

We are a mission driven wellness brand with an award winning range of collagen, blends and supplements. We started as all good businesses do, by seeing the opportunity to do things differently in a growing market. To carefully balance people, planet, and profit for the sake of the world around us and our health.

We are now shaping the future of wellness with simple daily rituals, thoughtfully and sustainably designed to support women’s health. Our vision is to be the #1 wellness brand in the world, setting new standards for holistic health, sustainability and female empowerment.

As a B-Corp, Ancient + Brave meets the highest standards of social and environmental Impact. In June 2024 we have been named 5th in The Sunday Times 100 fastest-growing private companies and we have recently been recognised as one of the FT 1000: Europe's Fastest Growing Companies, 2025.

Want to be a part of a team that’s shaping the future of health and wellbeing?

We'd love to have you!

THE ROLE

We’re looking for a driven and commercially minded Head of Planning to take ownership of our end-to-end planning processes during a critical phase of growth and transformation. In this high-impact role, you will lead Demand and Supply Planning, oversee the full Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) implementation, and manage a cross-functional team spanning demand forecasting, production planning, and associated data.

Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer (COO) and working closely with other senior stakeholders, you will bring clarity, rigour, and structure to planning operations — ensuring that our supply chain and inventory are aligned with commercial ambitions, new product launches, and international expansion.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and manage the Demand Planning, Production, and Data team to deliver integrated and reliable planning processes.
• Own the structure, development, and performance of the Planning function, fostering a proactive and collaborative team culture.
• Cover key responsibilities for the Demand Planning Manager during absences (and prior to recruitment), with hands-on support from the COO and Chief Digital Officer (CDO).
  
  

Planning & Inventory Management

• Set inventory targets by product and location, using input from the Demand Planning Manager and commercial data to ensure stock availability while optimising working capital.
• Oversee supply planning to support production scheduling, promotional activity, and market expansion.
• Lead the Production team, providing clear inventory targets and planning guidance to ensure optimal production execution.
• Supported by the COO and other technical and operations team members, lead the collaboration with our third party contract manufacturers to enable great partnerships and tactical excellence to deliver production at high standards and low cost, meeting our customer needs.
  
  

Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) Ownership

• Lead the implementation of a full S&OP process, aligning demand forecasts, inventory strategies, and production capabilities with broader business goals.
• Collaborate cross-functionally (Operations, Finance, Digital, Retail) to ensure effective alignment between demand and supply planning, while creating transparency in decision-making.
• Act as the central point of coordination for monthly S&OP cycles once implemented.
  
  

ERP & MRP Systems Ownership

• Fully own and optimise Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and processes related to Production, Inventory, Purchasing, and MRP (Material Requirements planning).
• Drive the successful implementation of MRP functionality within the ERP system to enhance planning accuracy, procurement visibility, and operational efficiency.
• Ensure all ERP data inputs, planning parameters, and master data are accurate, aligned, and continuously improved.
  
  

Data & Process Ownership

• Ensure planning processes and systems are scalable and support efficient decision-making across the supply chain.
• Create and maintain robust planning KPIs and dashboards to drive continuous improvement, including forecast accuracy, service levels, stock health, and production efficiency.
  
  

Who You Are

To be successful in this role, you will need the following skills / knowledge / experience:

• Proven experience in a senior Planning or Supply Chain Planning role in a fast scaling FMCG (or similar) business, with an international and/or footprint.
• A proactive and hands-on approach to supporting the team and an ability to step into operational tasks as well as lead the strategic approach.
• Strong track record of leading Demand & Supply Planning processes and implementing S&OP frameworks from scratch.
• Excellent understanding of inventory strategy, production scheduling, and planning optimisation.
• Demonstrated experience managing or owning an ERP system, with a deep understanding of MRP and master data structures.
• Analytical and process-oriented, with a strong grasp of data management and forecasting tools.
• Effective communicator and collaborator with the confidence to engage senior stakeholders and align cross-functional teams around a common planning vision.
  
  

Further, to truly thrive at Ancient + Brave you will need to embody the spirit of our brand and align with our company culture. You will be:

• Hungry: Ambitious, driven with a growth mindset, always seeking ways to learn, develop and be better.
• Humble: No ego, collaborative team player, always acts with integrity and clear sense of accountability, aligned with our B-Corp values
• High Performing - Effective. Efficient, with a solid work ethic. Always operates with self-awareness that enables them to consistently push for exceptional results—while maintaining resilience, balance, and self-care.
• Hustle: Entrepreneurial. Innovative, fast-paced, great communicator. Always adept at solving problems and navigating dynamic, ever-changing situations.
  
  

WHY JOIN US

Ancient + Brave are a community-built brand and embracing innovation and sustainability with social and environmental responsibility is at the heart of everything we do. We hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards when it comes to our commitment to balance profit and purpose - working with us means being part of building a truly sustainable product. We are B Corp certified and members of 1% for the Planet, committed to giving back % of all sales towards helping environmental partners, so we can work together towards a better future for our planet.

At Ancient + Brave you’ll find an engaging, collaborative and inclusive work environment where your talents will be nurtured, and your contributions valued.

We provide all our team members with suitable laptop computers & headphones and our office is equipped with monitors, ergonomic chairs and sitting + standing desks. Our kitchen is fully stocked with the usual supplies as well as limitless supply of A+B products (you also get 50% off on any product you wish to purchase).

We pay a discretionary bonus based on a mix of company performance and individual contributions and review our salaries annually. Our pension contributions are ESG invested (so no pharma, weapons or other ethically questionable investments).

Our Private Medical Insurance is designed to support your health and wellbeing, providing swift access to high-quality care whenever you need it most.

Our Medicash plan offers access to specialist consultations, 24/7 Virtual GP and health screenings as well as dental, optical and complementary therapies and access to confidential support via its EAP programme.

Our Mintago platform gives employees access to financial wellbeing advice and support as well as retail discounts and salary sacrifice schemes, which cover childcare, cycle to work, gym membership, groceries and mobile/tech purchase.

In addition to our regular annual holiday allowance of 25 days plus bank holidays, we also offer one Wellbeing day to use as needed.

We offer continuous training & professional development opportunities and our team members get to enjoy complimentary nutrition and workout sessions in the office. We support a number of charities, coordinating our fund-raising initiatives for maximum impact. We hold two social events a year to come together and connect in a meaningful way.

An important note on our ways of working…

As a fast-paced scale-up, we’ve found that spending time together in person is hugely beneficial to the way we’re needing to communicate, collaborate and drive the business forward. We’ve worked hard to make our office (a beautiful old mill situated in East Sussex) an inviting and friendly environment for all of our team members and we expect any new joiner to be in the office full time.

We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace culture. We embrace varied perspectives and encourage creativity that knows no bounds. While most of our roles are advertised as full-time, we are open to discussing part-time setup where appropriate.