Supply Planner – Third Party Manufacturing

Kao EMEA & Americas; Bishop's Stortford; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Health and wellbeing

Pension scheme

Insurance options

Job summary

Kao is seeking a proactive 3PM Supply Planner in the UK to lead short- to mid-term supply planning, improving ROI and optimising inventory, capacity and costs. You will collaborate with Sourcing, QA, Customer Service and other teams to keep schedules aligned and ensure timely delivery.

The role requires 2–3 years in manufacturing, strong SAP/MRP knowledge, and proven cross-functional collaboration. A hybrid work setup is supported with regional scope for multiple markets.

Qualifications

• Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience in manufacturing (2–3 years).
• SAP experience in supply and production with MRP understanding.
• Proven experience in internal and external supply planning.
• Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration.
• Decision-making under cost thresholds in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage short-, medium- and long-term objectives amid changing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate end-to-end 3PM operations and optimize ROI while managing supplier storage costs.
• Collaborate with Sourcing, NPD, R&D and Logistics to align expectations and support sales.
• Manage vendor forward requirements, supply plans and PO placement.
• Support new product launches and promotions ensuring quantities across markets.

Skills

Supply planning

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Decision making

Cost management

Education

Degree-level education

Tools

SAP

Job description

We are Kao, listed as one of the world’s most ethical companies for the last 20 years.

Our EMEA brand portfolio spans across three sectors; Consumer Care (John Frieda, Guhl, Bondi Sands, Bioré, Jergens, Curél), Professional Hair (Goldwell, Oribe, KMS Hair, Kerasilk), and Molton Brown.

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.

About our role:

As the 3PM Supply Planner, you will lead short- to mid-term supply planning to ensure on-time, in-full delivery while optimising inventory, capacity and costs. Working closely with Sourcing, Quality, Customer Service and other functions, you will manage supply schedules, materials readiness and plan adherence, proactively resolving constraints and driving continuous improvement.

What you will do:

• Coordinate end-to-end 3PM operations and make complex decisions to improve ROI, while utilising storage space at suppliers with minimal cost impact.
• Work closely with internal departments, including Sourcing, NPD, R&D and Logistics, on a near-daily basis to align business expectations and support significant sales revenue.
• Manage key vendor forward requirements, supply plans and the placement of finished goods and component Purchase Orders (POs).
• Support all new product launches and range reviews, ensuring Christmas, summer and winter sales promotions are met with full quantities available across all markets in a timely manner.

What you will need:

• Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience, with 2-3 years’ experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally within cosmetics, toiletries or FMCG.
• SAP experience within a supply and production environment, with a good understanding of materials requirements planning (MRP).
• Proven experience in supply planning, both internally and with external/third-party suppliers.
• Effective stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration, working with internal and external partners to achieve results.
• Sound decision-making skills, with the ability to manage significant cost thresholds and respond effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage short-, medium- and long-term objectives, adapting quickly to changing priorities and business requirements.

At Kao, we believe the diversity of our teams strengthens our global mission. Here we trust and respect each other, collaborating in a friendly and inclusive work environment to achieve great results.

What you can expect from us:

• An entrepreneurial environment where passionate and innovative teams come together.
• Respect, teamwork and collaboration are at the heart of how we work.
• A workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing, with opportunities to get involved in initiatives such as Mental Health First Aiders, our Charity Committee, and DE&I communities
• A broad range of benefits, including flexible working, competitive salaries, health and wellbeing offers, pension schemes, insurance options, and more…
• Learning and development opportunities

Your voice matters here, we value entrepreneurial thinking and innovation from our teams.

To find out why 33,000 people across the Globe work at Kao please visit:

https://candidate-brochure.kao.com/kao-emea/full-view.html

https://www.kao.com/emea/en/careers/

Discover careers at Kao and how we live our purpose, Kirei – Making Life Beautiful.

https://kao.voyse.io/

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