Production and Raw Materials Planner

Hollybank Trustees Ltd; Thirsk; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus 10%

Enhanced pension & life cover

Bring your dog to work

Healthcare cashback plan

Pet perks & discounts

Free onsite parking

Job summary

INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is seeking a Production and Raw Materials Planner to join our Thirsk manufacturing site. You will build production and material plans that balance customer service with our site capabilities, and coordinate material purchasing to keep stock flowing.

Working closely with operations, commercial and finance teams, you will manage forecasts, flag risks early, and drive improvements to planning processes while supporting a culture of workplace happiness and pet nutrition

Qualifications

• Planning experience in fast-paced FMCG or manufacturing.
• Experience across wide SKU range with short and long lead-time materials.
• Ability to turn forecasts into workable production, schedule and material plans.

Responsibilities

• Convert forecasts into production plans and material plans.
• Manage risks and adjust schedules to meet service and stock targets.
• Share forecasts with suppliers and resolve material availability issues.
• Maintain communication with operations to ensure accurate information exchange.
• Propose continuous improvements in own area.
• Monitor plan attainment by work centre and identify root causes.
• Translate production plans into material requirements and supplier PO generation.
• Manage material stocks to keep above minimum levels.
• Define processes to integrate with operations, finance and commercial teams.

Skills

Planning

Forecasting

Supplier management

Analytical thinking

Operations communication

Tools

Planning system

Job description

Production and Raw Materials Planner | Thirsk, North Yorkshire | Permanent

Due to an internal promotion we are excited to be recruiting for a Production and Raw Materials Planner to join our Planning team in based at our Thirsk Manufacturing site.

The Role

Planning sits at the centre of everything we make. As Production and Raw Materials Planner you will build the plans and schedules that keep stock and customer service on target, and buy the materials that make them happen — organising production around what our customers need and what our site can deliver. It is a role with real ownership: you will issue the production plans and commit raw materials, finished goods and stock. You will work closely with operations, commercial and finance, build strong supplier relationships to keep materials flowing, and flag risk early with practical options to solve it — with the scope to review and improve the processes around you.

About us

INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is an innovative, well-established, and award-winning pet food manufacturer employing over 1,200 colleagues across the UK and Europe. Our family of brands includes Harringtons, Wagg, Barking Heads & Meowing Heads, AATU, Blink, Butcher's, Classic, Pro-Nutrition, and Ultra Premium Direct, along with a number of partner brands that trust us to produce food on their behalf. Our kitchens in Thirsk, Kinmel, and Crick produce a wide range of dry, wet, and baked foods enjoyed by dogs and cats all over the world. Our ambition is simple: to become a global leader in pet nutrition.

Our Purpose: To create happiness

We’re on a mission to set a new standard of workplace happiness within the pet nutrition industry—one that looks like no other and feels like no other. Our culture is built on INSPIRED’s unique behaviours and colleague experience, creating an environment that excites, empowers, and puts people and pets at the heart of everything we do.

Key Responsibilities

• Utilise available planning systems to convert sales forecasts into achievable production plans, schedules and material plans that optimally balance customer service and operational capabilities
• Manage risks within the plan and amend schedules where possible and practical to achieve customer service and stock targets. Escalate dropped production
• Share forecasts with suppliers and work with them to resolve issues with materials availability
• Manage ongoing communication with the operations teams to ensure accurate exchange of information. Including changes to production schedules
• Propose and implement continuous improvements in own area
• Monitor and manage plan attainment by work centre. Escalate with operations team to find route cause to relay to management
• Translate production plans into material requirements and convert them into supplier purchase orders
• Manage material stocks to ensure always above agreed min stock levels, escalating any instances where supply cannot maintain this
• Scope and define processes required for effectively working within the role, aligning processes with any relevant teams also involved, operations, finance, commercial. Review and challenge processes • on-going to ensure maintain best possible outcome.

About you

• Planning experience gained in a fast-paced FMCG or manufacturing environment
• Experience of working across a wide SKU range, with both short and long lead-time materials
• Confidence turning sales forecasts into workable production, schedule and material plans using a planning system
• An eye for detail and a naturally analytical approach to problem solving
• Clear, straightforward communication with operations teams and suppliers

At INSPIRED, we want to inspire colleagues to join, stay, develop, and achieve, creating an inclusive and sustainable business fit for growth. One of the enablers of achieving this, is to offer competitive pay and benefits to all colleagues.

Our Total Reward Benefits include:

• Annual bonus related to personal and company performance 10%
• Enhanced pension, life assurance, and enhanced maternity, paternity, sick pay, and holiday buy options
• People and Pets First benefits, including paw-reavement and paw-ternity leave and bring your dog to work
• Healthcare cashback plan and Hertility at-home fertility testing
• Heavily discounted pet food and lifestyle benefits (Netflix, Spotify, or breakdown cover)
• Retail and gym discounts, electric car scheme, and free onsite parking and electric car charging
• Onsite canteen, free hot drinks, and modern facilities

INSPIRED Pet Nutrition is committed to building an inclusive workplace that reflects the diversity of the colleagues and communities we serve. We believe everyone should feel valued, respected and able to be themselves at work.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender identity or expression, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We make hiring decisions based on talent, potential and the experience you bring.

We are also committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace, ensuring equitable access and opportunity for all. If you need any adjustments or support to take part in our recruitment process, please let us know by emailing recruitment@ inspiredpetnutrition.com