Planning Manager

Start People Ltd; Blackburn; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturing company in Blackburn is seeking a Planning Manager on an 18-month fixed term contract at a starting salary from £40,000 per annum. The role involves managing the Planning Team to maintain high service levels while optimizing planning processes. Key responsibilities include scheduling materials, providing production plans, and preparing Supply Reviews for operational oversight. The ideal candidate will have FMCG experience and strong planning, interpersonal, and people-management skills.

Qualifications

• Experience in an FMCG environment is essential.
• People-management experience with an inclusive style is required.
• Strong ownership and results-oriented mindset.

Responsibilities

• Manage the material scheduling function for production.
• Provide a rolling 18‑month production plan.
• Prepare and present Supply Review in Sales and Operations Planning.

Skills

Planning and presenting skills (Excel, PowerPoint)

Interpersonal skills

Ability to drive change

Team player

Initiative

Education

Graduate qualification

Job description

Planning Manager

18 month fixed term contract, starting from £40,000 per annum.

Manufacturing | Blackburn

Our client, a leading manufacturing business, are currently recruiting for a Planning Manager. The purpose of this role is to manage the Planning Team, providing the customer base with a high service level whilst evolving the planning process.

You will continually seek ways to improve the planning processes by optimising operations, by continually revisiting the master data, to achieve agreed key performance indicator targets.

Responsibilities

• Manage the material scheduling function to ensure material is ordered and available for production at the right price, right time.
• Provide the business with a rolling 18‑month production plan, reviewing demand against capacity and highlighting issues to the senior team.
• Ensure the Planner provides the finite planning team with a rough‑cut capacity plan for a rolling 8‑week schedule.
• Ensure production is planned efficiently and in line with customer forecast/demand and to agreed inventory targets, communicating to the business any requirements for stock build that exceed these targets.
• Prepare and present the Supply Review as part of the company's Sales and Operations Planning process, using data from the Demand process to highlight any scenarios requiring further action.

Qualifications

• Experience of an FMCG environment.
• Graduate qualification – desirable.
• Excellent planning and presenting skills (use of Excel, PowerPoint).
• Team player with great interpersonal skills.
• Takes ownership and delivers results.
• Experience of driving change in an organisation.
• Works from own initiative.
• People‑management experience with inclusive style.

If you are interested in this opportunity please apply now and a member of our team will contact you.