Raw Material Planner

Career Opportunity: Raw Material Planner

Are you a meticulous planner with a passion for optimizing supply chains? This Raw Material Planner position offers a dynamic opportunity to play a crucial role in ensuring the seamless flow of essential materials, directly impacting production efficiency and customer satisfaction. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and possess a keen eye for detail, this role might be the perfect next step in your career.

The Opportunity

As a Raw Material Planner, you will be at the forefront of managing the critical supply of raw materials and packaging. Your primary objective will be to ensure timely procurement to flawlessly support the plant's production plan. This involves a strategic approach to inventory management, meticulously controlling stock levels within specified constraints and proactively mitigating the risk of material stockouts. This role operates on a hybrid model, requiring a minimum of three days per week in our Banbury office, offering a blend of collaborative in-office work and flexible remote working.

Key Responsibilities and Skill Development

This role offers a comprehensive scope of responsibilities that will allow you to hone and expand your supply chain expertise:

• Demand Forecasting & Planning: Utilizing SAP to run Material Requirements Planning reports, you will develop a deep understanding of actual demand, building a strong foundation in data-driven forecasting.
• Procurement & Order Management: You will gain hands-on experience in creating Purchase Requisitions and Purchase Orders, mastering the end-to-end procurement process for crucial materials.
• Expediting & Risk Mitigation: A key aspect of this role involves proactively expediting orders and escalating any potential delays. This cultivates valuable skills in negotiation, problem-solving, and proactive risk management to minimize production disruptions.
• Inventory Control & Optimization: Managing raw material stock levels within storage constraints, shelf life, and budget will sharpen your analytical and inventory management skills, teaching you the art of efficient resource allocation.
• Supplier Relationship Management: You will be instrumental in ensuring contracts are in place, resolving supplier paperwork issues, and managing discrepancies. This fosters strong communication and negotiation skills, vital for effective supplier partnerships.
• Logistics Coordination: From creating daily transfers from 3PL to site to managing inbound liquor deliveries and planning the flow of materials from Africa to the UK, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of international and domestic logistics.
• Production Planning Interface: Collaborating to plan and control Melthouse production to meet internal and external customer requirements will provide insights into the intricate relationship between material planning and manufacturing operations.
• Data Accuracy & System Management: You will be responsible for maintaining the integrity of SAP data, including clearing purchase orders, highlighting outstanding processes, and managing goods receipting and quality inspections. This reinforces the importance of data accuracy and proficiency in ERP systems.
• Performance Monitoring & Improvement: Managing supplier On-Time-In-Full (OTIF) performance and contributing to weekly Sales & Operations Execution (S&OE) meetings will enhance your understanding of key performance indicators and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Cost Management: Analyzing demurrage reports and actively participating in root cause analysis sessions will build your financial acumen and cost-control capabilities.
• Logistics Asset Management: Controlling the return of pool pallets demonstrates a commitment to efficient logistics and resource management.

What We're Looking For

To excel in this role and advance your career, we are seeking candidates with the following qualifications and attributes:

• A minimum of an A-Level qualification or equivalent is essential.
• A Degree or professional qualification in Business Management or a related field is preferred, providing a strong theoretical foundation.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in a similar planning or supply chain role is highly advantageous. Alternatively, strong data-driven experience within supply chain, operations, or planning functions will be considered.
• Working knowledge of SAP and Microsoft Excel is a prerequisite for navigating the essential systems and data analysis required.
• Strong problem-solving, numeracy, and analytical skills are critical for deciphering complex data and developing effective solutions.
• An ability to build and maintain positive relationships through strong stakeholder management and collaborative working is key to success in this cross-functional role.
• Excellent attention to detail is paramount; a genuine care for accuracy and getting things right the first time will set you apart.
• A self-starter mentality with the ability to work autonomously and take initiative is highly valued.
• The capacity to work effectively under pressure and adapt to rapidly changing priorities is essential in this dynamic environment.
• You will thrive in a team setting while also demonstrating strong self-motivation to drive your individual contributions.

This Raw Material Planner position offers a fantastic platform for growth, enabling you to develop critical skills in supply chain management, data analysis, and strategic planning. If you are ready to take on a challenging and rewarding role, we encourage you to explore this exciting opportunity.