Production Planner

MOLTON BROWN; Bishop's Stortford; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cosmetics company in the UK is seeking an experienced professional for in-house supply planning. You will manage production schedules, coordinate raw materials, and work closely with various teams to ensure product availability. Ideal candidates should have 5–7 years of relevant experience, strong SAP skills, and a collaborative mindset. This role demands confident decision-making and the ability to drive cross-functional results in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years’ experience in manufacturing, ideally within cosmetics or FMCG.
• Strong SAP proficiency within supply chain and production planning.
• Confident decision-maker with accountability for cost-impacting choices.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of in-house supply planning to ensure production and product availability.
• Coordinate raw materials for manufacturing and support new product launches.
• Manage FG stock to avoid out‑of‑stock and over‑production.

Skills

SAP proficiency

Decision-making

Collaboration

Production planning

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Role Overview

In this role, you will take ownership of the short- to mid-term in-house supply planning horizon (0–6 months) to ensure seamless production and product availability.

You’ll coordinate raw materials and components for in-house manufacturing, working closely with Production and Project Management teams to support new product launches and product changes.

You’ll manage the phase‑in and phase‑out of finished goods, proactively communicate out‑of‑stock risks, and lead process optimisation initiatives from concept to implementation.

Key Requirements

• Coordinate end‑to‑end in‑house production and make complex decisions to improve ROI.
• Work in collaboration with senior management (VP, Directors, Sr. managers) on a nearly daily basis to align business expectations with significant sales revenue impact.
• Manage FG stock to avoid out‑of‑stock and over‑production.
• Support all new product launches and range reviews.
• Build and own the Master Production Schedule (MPS) aligned to demand, capacity, and inventory targets.
• Manage rough cut capacity planning (RCCP).
• Run MRP, convert planned orders, release weekly production plans and prioritise work orders, and manage expedite/de‑expedite decisions.
• Balance constraints (materials, equipment, labour, changeovers) to produce an executable plan.
• Lead/participate in daily and weekly S&OE meetings with Production, Quality, Warehouse, Procurement, and Customer Service.
• Provide clear priorities to manufacturing and resolve material/capacity conflicts quickly.
• Manage FG transitions, last‑time‑buys, and inventory run‑down plans to minimise write‑off.
• Coordinate SKU rationalisation and update master data accordingly.
• Drive root‑cause analysis and corrective actions for repeat shortages or plan misses.

What You’ll Need

• A degree or equivalent professional experience – a Bachelor’s or higher preferred.
• 5–7 years’ experience in manufacturing, ideally within cosmetics, toiletries or FMCG.
• Strong SAP proficiency within supply chain and production planning.
• Proven ability to manage end‑to‑end demand and supply planning with both internal teams and external partners.
• Confident decision‑maker with accountability for cost‑impacting choices.
• Demonstrated success delivering short‑, mid‑ and long‑term objectives in fast‑paced, evolving environments.
• A collaborative mindset with a passion for driving cross‑functional results.
• Solid understanding of MRP and manufacturing processes.

About Molton Brown & Kao

Molton Brown is part of Kao founded in Japan in 1887; Kao is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives with high‑quality products and services to create a Kirei Life for all – a beautiful life that respects the needs of our consumers, customers, and the planet.

Our corporate philosophy, the Kao Way, guides us in everything we do – acting with integrity, courageously driving innovation and treating each other with trust and respect.

We are a company with strong values and a purpose; we never compromise on quality and craft our products with care for the consumer and the environment. At Kao, each employee can shape their job and career collaboratively to achieve shared goals.

We welcome applications from diverse backgrounds across the globe as diversity makes us strong.

Want to learn more? Visit kao.com/emea/en.