PRODUCTION PLANNER
COMPANY OVERVIEW
Designer Parfums is a fast-growing, dynamic global fragrance company in the perfume & cosmetics industry, with a UK base in London and international ambition, with active business in around 70 markets.
We are a small family-owned business, and we are proud to create, develop, and distribute brands from a fantastic portfolio of heritage classics to celebrity trend-led fragrances. We are brand owners and licensees for GHOST, JENNIFER LOPEZ, HAWAIIAN TROPIC, CERRUTI, PLAYBOY & JEAN LOUIS SCHERRER, and proud to be distributors for ARIANA GRANDE, GUY LAROCHE, PILOMA PICASSO, AIGNER & GANT.
JOB PURPOSE
Designer Parfums (DP) is seeking a highly skilled Production Planner to take full ownership of end-to-end production and materials planning for an assigned portfolio of brands. This role is responsible for ensuring the timely, cost-effective, and quality-driven execution of production plans—ensuring all finished goods, components, and materials are available in line with commercial requirements, customer demand, and launch calendars.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Production & Material Planning
* Develop, execute, and maintain detailed production plans aligned with demand forecasts, commercial priorities, and inventory strategies.
* Coordinate production schedules with manufacturers and contract fillers, ensuring adherence to agreed timelines and service levels.
* Create and launch new SKUs and Bills of Materials (BOMs) to support innovation projects and new product launches—ensuring complete master data accuracy.
* Manage production planning for additional allocated brands as required.
Supplier & Manufacturing Partner Management
* Own the operational relationship with key suppliers, contract manufacturers, and fillers—driving performance, communication, and issue resolution.
* Ensure all partners meet production commitments, quality specifications, and on-time delivery targets for both components and finished goods.
* Conduct regular stock reconciliations with contract fillers and drive corrective actions for discrepancies.
Inventory, Availability & Risk Management
* Monitor inventory health and drive initiatives to optimise stock holding, reduce obsolescence, and support financial and operational targets.
* Proactively identify and report potential out-of-stock (OOS) risks, proposing mitigation strategies to protect customer service levels.
* Maintain responsibility for stock availability, intake management, and sales forecast support—providing regular updates and insights to the Brand and Commercial teams.
Systems, Data & Process Ownership
* Create and maintain Purchase Orders (POs) and Production Orders (PVs) in SAP, ensuring master data and transactional accuracy.
* Lead Netstock implementation for your brand and maintain full ownership of stock management within Netstock, including parameter setup, replenishment policies, exception management, and reporting.
* Champion data integrity across SAP and Netstock to ensure reliable planning outputs.
* Process and approve supplier invoices in accordance with finance controls.
* Contribute to the development of supply chain digital tools and enhancements, ensuring systems align with operational best practices.
* Drive continuous improvement initiatives aimed at efficiency, process optimisation, and enhanced planning visibility.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
* Act as a key liaison across Marketing, NPD, Demand Planning, Logistics, Procurement, QC, Master Data, Customer Service, Finance, and the China Supply Team.
* Provide operational support for launches, supply reviews, and business planning cycles.
* Ensure technical, regulatory, and quality standards are consistently upheld across suppliers and internal stakeholders.
Operational KPIs:
* Deliver and continuously improve:
* OTIF (On-Time In-Full)
* Inventory on hand
* Production Plan Adherence
* Customer Service Level
* Cost Savings & Efficiency Gains
* Quality & Compliance Metrics
REQUIREMENTS
* Proficiency with ERP systems such as SAP or Netstock
* Experience with production planning, inventory management, and quality control activities.
* Excellent with MS Excel for data visualisation, analysis, and reports
* Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP): Experience with MRP and MPS systems is often required.
* Knowledge of the Manufacturing processes and principles
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and eliminate production bottlenecks.
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills to liaise with different departments, suppliers, and manufacturers
* Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage priorities and deadlines effectively.
* Ability to use data and forecasting to make informed decisions.
* Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team
* Degree beneficial but not essential