Planning Manager

COREcruitment; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading wholesale organisation in the UK is looking for an experienced Planning Manager to oversee demand, supply, and inventory planning in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of planning experience in FMCG or wholesale sectors, along with strong leadership capabilities. Responsibilities include managing demand forecasting, leading cross-departmental strategies, and optimizing inventory. Opportunities for career growth are available in this exciting role.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in demand/supply planning and S&OP.
• Experience with multi-temperature food, FMCG, or wholesale sectors.
• Ability to influence cross-functionally.

Responsibilities

• Own demand forecasting across categories and channels.
• Lead S&OP/IBP cadence aligning departments.
• Drive continuous improvement in planning tools.

Skills

5+ years planning experience

Leadership in demand/supply planning

Strong analytical capability

Advanced Excel

Experience with ERP/APS systems

Commercial mindset

Stakeholder management

Job description

Planning Manager – Multi-Temperature Wholesale Organisation - £55K + Benefits

My client is a leading multi-temperature wholesale organisation with a fantastic reputation across the UK.

They are seeking a Planning Manager to join their team. The successful Planning Manager will lead demand, supply, and inventory planning for a fast-paced FMCG wholesale operation. You will own the end-to-end planning cycle, balancing availability, freshness, and working capital while supporting strong service levels to customers.

This is the perfect role for a high performing Planning Manager looking to join an exciting business who can match their ambition and offer genuine career progression opportunities.

Responsibilities include:

• Own demand forecasting across categories and channels; translate insights into actionable supply plans.
• Lead S&OP/IBP cadence, aligning Sales, Procurement, Operations, and Finance.
• Optimise inventory (DOH, availability, waste/obsolescence) across DCs and suppliers.
• Develop replenishment strategies for high-volume, short shelf-life SKUs.
• Manage supplier planning, MOQ constraints, lead times, and capacity risks.
• Drive continuous improvement in planning tools, data quality, and KPIs.
• Build and lead a small planning team; coach and develop talent.
• Produce clear executive reporting and scenario analysis.

The Ideal Planning Manager Candidate:

• 5+ years planning experience within multi-temperature food, FMCG, or wholesale sectors.
• Proven leadership in demand/supply planning and S&OP.
• Strong analytical capability; advanced Excel and experience with ERP/APS systems.
• Commercial mindset with a track record of improving service and inventory turns.
• Confident stakeholder manager; able to influence cross-functionally.
• Experience with short shelf-life or high-SKU environments is highly desirable.

If you are keen to discuss the details further, please apply today or send your cv to Mikey at COREcruitment dot com / [e-mail]