Materials Supply Planner at PZ Cussons

Job Purpose:

To ensure the timely and efficient supply of materials and components to meet the production schedule and maintain minimum stock levels, supporting operational continuity and the achievement of production targets.

The Materials Planner coordinates with suppliers, procurement, production, and logistics teams to deliver effective material planning solutions, minimise shortages, and optimise inventory.

Key KPIs:

• Casefill performance to customers
• Inventory levels (Mats + FG)
• Monthly reporting on over/ unders, bridges with explanations for Materials
• Production schedule adherence through Materials Availability
• Supplier OTIF
• Regular reviews with suppliers, extra reviews for poor performers
• Cost & Process Efficiencies (including reduction of obsolete or excess stock)
• NPD Launches on time in full

Function/Business Unit Overview

The Material Planner is part of the Supply Planning team. The Supply Planning team forms part of the Planning and Customer Supply team which reports ultimately to the Chief Supply Chain Officer.

The Supply Planning team is responsible for Supply Planning for PZ Cussons Innovation Centre Liquids (ICL) Factory (Agecroft) - approx. 300 SKUs.

Reporting Relationships:

This role reports into the Factory Materials Planning Manager.

Key Duties and Responsibilities  

Material Supply Planning:

• Schedule and forecast the supply of materials and components to meet production requirements and optimal stock targets.

Order & Inventory Management:

• Manage day-to-day orders, deliveries, and inventory levels; monitor and maintain accurate stock records in SAP ECC/ECP system.

Production Support:

• Ensure material availability for production lines, proactively address shortages, and manage risks to minimise production disruptions

Supplier Coordination & Relationships:

• Communicate material delivery schedules and forecasts to suppliers, monitor supplier performance, and resolve delivery or quality issues.

Process Improvement:

• Identify and implement improvements in material planning, inventory management, and supply chain processes to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

Reporting & Analysis:

• Generate regular reports on inventory and wider KPIs; provide analysis to support decision-making and continuous improvement