Head of Planning

Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the business strategy and annual budget process, and devise and implement appropriate planning strategies to meet objectives for delivery targets.
• Oversee day-to-day planning activities, developing and maintaining reliable and detailed production schedules and a Master Production Schedule (MPS).
• Lead capacity planning across internal resources (labour, tools, materials), identifying constraints and ensuring readiness for new product introductions.
• Analyse demand variations to support the Head of Supply Chain, use advanced forecasting methods to anticipate demand, influence part treatment plans and manage inventory levels effectively.
• Manage inventory policies and levels of raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods, coordinating with the Head of Supply Chain to ensure timely material availability.
• Identify and execute planning improvement initiatives, incorporating Lean methodologies and problem-solving tools to enhance operational efficiency and reduce waste.
• Ensure Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) data accuracy, and drive improvements in planning systems and technology adoption.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing planning team, fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability. Develop robust talent and succession plans and manage associated actions. Proactively manage and forecast labour requirements.
• Act as the senior planning interface, collaborating with cross-functional teams including Sales, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Import/Export and Shipping to align plans with business objectives.
• Identify potential issues (e.g. material shortages,) and propose mitigating actions to ensure production continuity and reliable delivery dates.

Education/Qualifications:

• Tertiary qualifications in relevant disciplines and/or an Apprenticeship in an appropriate discipline or equivalent experience. For example, a degree in Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field.
• Professional qualifications such as APICS CPIM/CSCP or Lean/CI certifications are desirable.

Professional Skills/Abilities:

• Customer-centric problem solving. Skilled at delivering customer commitments in line with business objectives.
• Strong technical knowledge of MRP II principles, ERP/MES systems (e.g., SAP), and supply planning methodologies.
• Proficiency in data analysis and advanced Excel is often required.
• Experience managing and developing Planning teams. Recognises, inspires, and motivates the team to contribute to business objectives, and puts in place actions and opportunities to develop their team.
• Highly developed analytical and problem-solving abilities to interpret complex data and make data-driven decisions.
• Puts in place monitoring processes and makes appropriate adjustments when progress is not as planned or when requirements change.
• Plans own time to maximum effect, delegating responsibility and authority appropriately.
• Co-operates effectively with, and makes a significant contribution to, the wider Management team.
• Implements business processes to create a competitive advantage. Contributes to the strategic change required to drive process improvement for the benefit of the business.