Inventory, Planning and Supply Chain Leader
hace 2 días
Ipswich
A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an experienced Inventory, Planning & Supply Chain Leader to join a well-established manufacturing business based in Ipswich. This is a varied, hands-on leadership role with responsibility for inventory management, production planning, materials and the external supply chain. You’ll work closely with Production, Sales, Finance, R&D and the global service team, while also leading and supporting members of the materials and supply chain team. We’re looking for someone with a strong manufacturing background who can combine hands-on planning and inventory expertise with the ability to lead others, make decisions and drive continuous improvement. \n The Role \n\n • You’ll take ownership of material scheduling and production planning to ensure customer demand is fulfilled, while maintaining appropriate stock levels and managing materials throughout the product lifecycle.\n, • You’ll lead the scheduling and release of Work Orders for manufactured items and ensure sufficient materials are available for production and service requirements.\n, • A key part of the position will be driving effective material pull systems, including Min/Max, Kanban and MRP, to ensure target shipment dates and pull-forwards are achieved. You’ll guide buyers on tactical execution and lead the wider supply chain team to ensure supplier performance supports business and customer requirements.\n, • You’ll also work closely with Finance on annual and periodic cycle counts, inventory accuracy and material queries, while identifying opportunities to reduce costs and improve stock control.\n\n Inventory, Planning & Supply Chain Leader - Benefits \n\n • Salary up to £50,000 DOE\n, • 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays\n, • Free on-site parking\n, • Healthcare cash plan\n, • Bonus scheme\n, • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)\n, • Access to a staff discount website\n, • Peer-to-peer recognition platform\n, • Supportive, close-knit working environment\n, • Varied position with genuine ownership\n, • Opportunity to influence processes and improve planning performance\n, • Stable, well-established manufacturing business\n, • Long-term development opportunities\n\n Inventory, Planning & Supply Chain Leader - Key Responsibilities \n\n • Lead and manage members of the materials/supply chain team, including buyers\n, • Schedule, plan, procure and monitor materials to meet production and customer requirements\n, • Lead the scheduling and release of Work Orders for manufactured items\n, • Manage inventory levels and ensure sufficient materials are available for production and service\n, • Utilise ERP systems and LEAN material pull methods including Min/Max, Kanban and MRP\n, • Maintain accurate and up-to-date inventory and master parts data\n, • Analyse inventory and supply-chain data to identify opportunities for improvement\n, • Drive inventory levels against agreed targets\n, • Develop and maintain effective inventory and material-control processes\n, • Work with Finance to resolve material and supply queries and support cycle counts\n, • Lead the supply chain team to improve supplier performance and ensure customer demand is met\n, • Work closely with Sales, Warehouse, Manufacturing, R&D and Production Engineering\n, • Support the NPD process by defining suppliers and procuring materials\n, • Ensure new parts are correctly created and maintained within the ERP system\n, • Drive material cost improvements through PPV projects and support VAVE activities\n, • Work with suppliers to mitigate potential material cost increases\n, • Identify and implement continuous-improvement initiatives across inventory, planning and supply chain\n\n Inventory, Planning & Supply Chain Leader - Requirements \n\n • A strong manufacturing background, with planning and scheduling experience\n, • Previous experience managing or leading others, ideally within materials, planning, purchasing or supply chain\n, • Strong inventory and materials-management experience\n, • Experience using ERP systems such as Syspro, SAP, Oracle, Dynamics, Epicor or Sage\n, • Knowledge and practical experience of LEAN material/supply-chain practices, including Min/Max, Kanban and MRP\n, • A degree-level qualification or a relevant professional qualification such as CIPS\n, • Strong Excel skills\n, • Good understanding of supply-chain processes\n, • Strong analytical, planning and problem-solving abilities\n, • A proactive approach to continuous improvement\n, • Confidence making decisions and working with a sense of urgency\n, • Ability to manage multiple priorities and perform well under pressure\n, • Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to the wider team\n\n Inventory, Planning & Supply Chain Leader - Desirable Experience \n\n • Experience procuring direct materials\n, • Experience working with scientific products\n, • Knowledge of SQL, database querying and integration with Excel\n\n Apply Now \n If you’re an experienced planning, inventory or supply-chain professional from a manufacturing environment and are looking for a role where you can combine hands-on expertise with leadership responsibility, we’d love to hear from you.