Location: Cardiff\nSalary: £55,000–£60,000 per annum + 10% bonus\nHours: Monday–Friday (Days)\nContract: Permanent | Full-time\nIndustry: Manufacturing\n\nAbout the business\nA well-established manufacturing business is investing heavily and experiencing rapid growth. You’ll be joining a new, state-of-the-art factory in Cardiff equipped with modern technology and systems. The business is scaling fast and — due to internal promotion — is now seeking an accomplished Planning Manager to own planning & scheduling and lead a small, high-performing team.\n\nThe role\nAs the Planning Manager you will be responsible for end-to-end production planning and scheduling to ensure the site delivers on customer service, minimises waste and inventory, and meets commercial targets.

This is a hands-on leadership role that combines day-to-day planning with people management, stakeholder engagement and continuous improvement.\n\nKey responsibilities\n\n * Lead and develop a team of planners/schedulers to deliver accurate production schedules and on-time customer service.\n\n * Own demand planning, short-term scheduling and capacity planning across multiple lines/areas.\n\n * Manage inventory levels and drive initiatives to reduce stock, obsolescence and cost.\n\n * Run S&OP / IBP activities and collaborate with Commercial, Supply Chain, Procurement and Production.\n\n * Maintain and optimise planning processes within the ERP/MRP system; champion system improvements and data accuracy.\n\n * Monitor and report on planning KPIs (OTIF, stock days, schedule attainment, yield) and deliver continuous improvement projects.\n\n * Coach, mentor and develop planners; create a culture of accountability, accuracy and collaboration.\n\n * Support change and implementation activities as the site grows and new technology is deployed.\n\nWhat we’re looking for\n\n * Proven experience managing planning teams in a manufacturing environment (food/FMCG desirable).\n\n * Strong technical knowledge of MRP/ERP systems and planning tools; confident with forecasting and S&OP. Experience with Oracle ERP would be advantageous.\n\n * Excellent people leader with a track record of coaching, developing and motivating a team.\n\n * Commercially aware — able to balance customer service with inventory and working capital control.\n\n * Strong stakeholder management and communication skills; comfortable presenting to senior leaders.\n\n * Analytical mindset with experience using data to drive decisions and improvements.\n\nHow to apply\nClick Apply Now with your CV and a short covering note outlining your planning leadership experience. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an initial call