Head of Planning (FMCG)

Head of Planning - FMCG

Location: London

Sector: Food Manufacturing

Salary: Competitive + Benefits

Alexander Steele Recruitment is partnering with a leading food manufacturer in London to recruit a Head of Planning.

This is a critical leadership role within a business operating in a high-volume, extremely fast-paced manufacturing environment. We are looking for a hands-on planning professional who can lead from the front, make decisions at pace, and drive performance across the entire planning function.

Reporting into senior leadership, you will have responsibility for Production Planning, Demand Planning, and Supply Planning, ensuring the business can meet customer demand while maximising service levels, production efficiency, and inventory performance. You will also lead and develop a large planning team, creating a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end planning function across Production, Demand, and Supply Planning.
• Manage and develop a large planning team, ensuring high performance and engagement.
• Own the S&OP process and drive alignment between Commercial, Operations, Procurement, and Supply Chain.
• Ensure production plans are optimised to meet customer demand while maximising factory efficiency.
• Drive improvements in forecast accuracy, stock management, and service levels.
• Identify and implement planning process improvements to support business growth.
• Provide planning insights, reporting, and recommendations to senior stakeholders.

About You

• Proven leadership experience within food manufacturing, FMCG, or a similar fast-moving manufacturing environment.
• Strong background across Production Planning, Demand Planning, and Supply Planning.
• Experience managing and developing large teams.
• A hands-on leader who enjoys being visible within the operation and working closely with key stakeholders.
• Able to thrive under pressure and make decisions in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills.

Additional Information

• This is an on-site role, 5 days per week in London.
• Unfortunately, sponsorship is not available for this position, and candidates must have the right to work in the UK.

If you are an experienced planning leader looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity within a growing food manufacturing business, we'd love to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Alexander Steele Recruitment.