West Midlands, Wolverhampton
£40,000pa
The Production Planner plays a critical role in aligning customer demand with operational capabilities, acting as a key liaison between Sales, Marketing, Production, Procurement and Logistics. This position is responsible for managing and continually improving the demand forecasting and production planning processes through the effective use of data, systems, and cross-functional collaboration.
The role supports the successful execution of the monthly S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) cycle, converting market and customer insights into an accurate demand plan and translating this into a feasible, cost-effective production schedule. Success in this role drives customer satisfaction, service levels and operational efficiency across the site.
Previous experience as production planner in food manufacturing is essential.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
· Lead the monthly demand planning process in collaboration with Sales, Marketing, and Finance, incorporating historical trends, customer run rates, promotional activity, product lifecycle changes, delists and broader market insights.
· Facilitate and lead cross-functional monthly demand review and S&OP meetings to gain consensus and sign- off on a rolling 3–6 month forecast horizon.
· Generate detailed, efficient production plans that balance forecasted demand with available labour, machine capacity, materials, storage and energy consumption.
· Monitor forecast accuracy and variance against actual sales, reporting KPIs and root cause analysis to Channel Heads and the Sales Director.
· Develop weekly and monthly raw material forecasts and liaise with Procurement to ensure timely supply chain alignment.
· Work closely with Engineering, Production and Quality to incorporate maintenance, cleaning and labour constraints into production schedules.
· Maintain a close relationship with the Sales team to ensure the forecast aligns with financial targets.
· Collaborate with Innovation and NPD and production teams to plan for launches, trials, and product transitions with minimal disruption to standard operations.
· Proactively drive continuous improvement of forecasting and planning systems, processes and reporting tools.
· Maintain strong external supplier relationships, advising on delivery schedules and managing key planning inputs.
· Deputise for the Procurement Manager during periods of absence.
Experience / Qualifications
1. Advanced proficiency in ERP/MRP systems and analytical tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI).
2. Strong academic background in Supply Chain, Business, Maths or related discipline.
3. Minimum 3 years in a demand forecasting or production planning role in food manufacturing.
4. Proven experience working cross-functionally to build and manage a consensus forecast.
5. Track record of improving planning accuracy and operational efficiency.
6. Solid knowledge of inventory management, scheduling, and manufacturing processes.
7. Experience dealing directly with customers to understand forecasts, resolve issues, and maintain service levels.
Search International Ltd are specialist recruiters within the Food, Drink and FMCG Sector.
We specialise in Permanent and Interim Recruitment for the following core disciplines – Technical & Quality- Research & Development – Production & Operations – Engineering- Supply Chain- Sales & Marketing – Human Resources – Finance – Graduates – Transport & Logistics
View latest vacancies at www.searchinternational.co.uk
Job Category: Production Job Type: Full Time Job Location: West Midlands