Strategic Inventory & Planning Leader

First City Recruitment Ltd; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Free on-site parking

Healthcare cash plan

Bonus scheme

EAP

Staff discount website

Recognition platform

Supportive, close-knit environment

Ownership of role

Process improvement opportunities

Established manufacturing business

Long-term development

Job summary

First City Recruitment Ltd is recruiting an experienced Inventory, Planning & Supply Chain Leader in Ipswich. You will own material scheduling, production planning and supplier relationships, ensuring on‑time fulfillment while optimizing stock levels and cost efficiency.

You will lead a skilled materials and supply chain team, drive LEAN and MRP practices, and partner with Finance, Sales, and R&D to deliver continuous improvement and robust planning across the business.

Qualifications

• Strong manufacturing background with planning and scheduling experience.
• Experience leading and developing teams within materials, planning or supply chain.
• Proven ability to manage inventories and optimize stock levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage materials/supply chain team members.
• Schedule, plan, procure and monitor materials to meet production demands.
• Lead the release of Work Orders for manufactured items and ensure material availability.

Skills

Planning & scheduling

Inventory management

ERP systems

LEAN practices

Excel

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Team leadership

Supply chain management

Decision making under pressure

Education

Degree-level qualification

CIPS

Tools

Syspro

SAP

Oracle

Microsoft Dynamics

Epicor

Sage

Job description

First City Recruitment Ltd is recruiting an experienced Inventory, Planning & Supply Chain Leader in Ipswich. You will own material scheduling, production planning and supplier relationships, ensuring on‑time fulfillment while optimizing stock levels and cost efficiency.

You will lead a skilled materials and supply chain team, drive LEAN and MRP practices, and partner with Finance, Sales, and R&D to deliver continuous improvement and robust planning across the business.