Strategic Purchasing & Planning Leader for Growth

Placr Recruitment; Hailsham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Placr Recruitment is recruiting a Purchasing & Planning Manager for an established East Sussex manufacturing business. The role leads a four-person team, owns purchasing and production planning, and ensures 95%+ on-time delivery to customers and suppliers.

You will drive continuous improvement, build scalable processes, and collaborate with Production, Engineering, Quality, Finance and Sales to support growth.

Qualifications

• 10+ years across purchasing and production planning
• 5+ years in leadership/management
• Strong background in production planning, purchasing and scheduling
• Experience leading and developing a team
• Excellent supplier management and negotiation skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• Structured planning, prioritisation and delivery
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Resilience and adaptability in fast-moving, high-growth environment
• Degree-level qualifications or equivalent experience

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of four purchasing and planning professionals
• Manage purchasing, production planning and scheduling
• Drive supplier performance and on-time delivery
• Support a target of 95%+ customer and supplier on-time delivery
• Develop efficient, scalable purchasing and planning processes
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities
• Build strong relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Provide commercial and operational insight to senior management
• Work across Production, Engineering, Quality, Finance and Sales
• Support growth and operational development
• Attend customer meetings, site visits and industry events when required

Skills

10+ years exp

Leadership

Production planning

Purchasing

Supplier management

Analytical skills

Stakeholder mgmt

Degree-level

Education

Degree-level qualifications

Job description

Placr Recruitment is recruiting a Purchasing & Planning Manager for an established East Sussex manufacturing business. The role leads a four-person team, owns purchasing and production planning, and ensures 95%+ on-time delivery to customers and suppliers.

You will drive continuous improvement, build scalable processes, and collaborate with Production, Engineering, Quality, Finance and Sales to support growth.