Materials Planner

Are you an experienced Materials Planner or Material Supply Planner with experience of working in pharmaceuticals or other batch production looking for a new opportunity and challenge? We are looking for a Materials Planner to work with one of Huddersfield's largest manufacturers who have been awarded Top Employer 2023 and 2024.

Salary: up to £35,000 per year depending on experience
Benefits: Company pension scheme, life assurance, health insurance, Employee assistance programme, bonus scheme, 33 days holiday with the opportunity to buy 5 further days, free parking and charging for EVs, great working environment with subsidised canteen.
Shift: Day shift, 38 hours per week with flexible working hours, core hours 10:00 to 15:00.

To be considered for this role, you MUST have a minimum of 5 years' experience as a Materials Planner within Pharmaceuticals or other batch production, make to stock, make to order manufacturing environments and a minimum of 5 years' experience with SAP, MRP and APO/PPDS.

The Role
The Materials Planner is responsible for the Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) process and its successful operation within the APO/SAP system. The objective of the role is to create and maintain valid material requirement plans for externally procured materials (raw and packaging) for use in production of finished/semi-finished goods, to support service to customers, whilst optimising cost and inventory performance.
There are two horizons for material planning:
Short term (in line with PTF) - to ensure material availability for production
Long term - In conjunction/through Supply Review/ Procurement - strategic review of supply risks in months 4-24 (Critical Materials Planning)
The Materials Planner interacts with Planning and Procurement, to understand the proposed Supply Plan for short term and long-term materials planning, ensuring accuracy of related requisitions (accurate quantity and delivery date) in SAP and in accordance with the Implemented Supply Model and corresponding Planning Time Fence.

Key Role Responsibilities
The Materials Planner is responsible for the accuracy of Purchase Requisitions in SAP (date and quantity) up to 24 months (months 4 -24 is completed through the Supply Review RCCP process and completed with input from Procurement and Materials Planners)
In conjunction with Supply Planner/ Procurement buyer ensuring strategic suppliers are provided a rolling accurate 12 month forecast of requirements.
Daily alert review to ensure timely conversion to PO ensuring on time deliveries in line with Production plan and in accordance with MRP2 framework and Inventory management requirements.
First point of contact for direct procured materials to ensure the timely delivery of materials (raw and packaging) are delivered in line with the site Production Plan and in accordance with the MRP2 framework.
Proactively engaging and managing the requirements of Material Planning in the Capacity Requirements process (CRP), whereby supply risks are continuously monitored with mitigating actions for known risks identified and executed.
Identify and manage risks in materials supply with Procurement in regular meetings, these are then closely monitored to avoid and OOS situation going forward and/ or the risk being managed in the CRP zone whereby PPS is not adversely impacted.
With Procurement, review and complete RCA where required for materials coming to the end of shelf life/ expiry and collaborate with Supply Planner/ Planner to plan in consumption before entering CRP planning zone.
Managing material requisitions to deliver to stock levels for each material in accordance with Inventory policy.
Monitor and maintain, adjusting where required all material inventories between the defined Min and Max inventory levels.
Present out unhealthy inventory to wider team to avoid write-off and obsolescence. RCA to identify causes of unhealthy inventory with robust corrective actions to avoid recurrence
Responsible for the maintenance of critical and effective Material Planning master data fields in SAP/APO
Working with Planning to ensure MTO SKUs are set up in the system accordingly to alleviate risk of unnecessary obsolescence.
Responsible for the accurate implementation of supersessions whereby stock of materials is all captured in the ePP process to facilitate the planning and consumption of old materials before the phasing in of new materials.
Responsible for maintaining the accuracy of critical and effective defined Material Planning master data with target accuracy of >95%
End to end management of materials (packaging and raw)
Maintaining parameters for codes to be-removed through withdrawal process
Removing materials from planning scope
Continuous Improvement. Identify losses in the end-to-end Material Supply Chain and propose improvements with purchasing and operations departments.
Responsible for ensuring all materials are ordered inside the system.
Significant indirect financial responsibility: The Site Material Requirement planning function directly impacts product availability, and sales.
The ability of a Material Planner to contribute to the setting of the optimal Site Production Plan balancing demand, supply and cost has a significant impact on the plant's ability at a commercial level for product availability and for the stability and operating efficiency (e.g., Inventory and conversion cost).

Qualifications and Experience
University degree in Supply Chain Management, Inventory Management, Business.
Knowledge of manufacturing process - managing the supply of materials for manufacturing means material planners are highly skilled in all processes related to the manufacturing their company performs.
Critical thinking - Materials Planners can think clearly and rationally about every task at hand. They often work independently to review logistics and can analyse situations to solve problems and formulate solutions.
Knowledge of shipping, receiving and warehouse material flow processes.
Time management - Materials Planners must keep tight schedules and can prioritise, schedule, set and meet tight deadlines.
Organisational skills - managing a portfolio of materials requires understanding multiple parts of the manufacturing process to run smoothly, so Materials Planners must stay organised to ensure production flow is not adversely disrupted.
Agility - Materials Planners must be agile and be able to proactively react to changes borne out of customer requirements/ demands and machine breakdowns leading to changes being made to the site production plan.
Communication skills - Materials Planners work within a team and are often the only point of contact between the Planning/ manufacturing department and suppliers therefore clear and prompt communication is key.
Minimum of 3 years' experience in a fast paced manufacturing environment
Minimum of 5 years' experience as a Materials Planner within Pharma or other batch production, make to stock, make to order manufacturing environments.
Minimum of 5 years' experience with SAP, MRP and APO/PPDS.
Working knowledge of the end-to-end manufacturing site supply chain processes including demand management, S&OP, production planning, capacity planning, material planning and procurement, order fulfilment, master data and life-cycle management. Working knowledge of MRP2 preferred.
Demonstrated change management and process management experience is preferred
demonstrated usage of data to drive process improvements.

If you would like to be considered for this great opportunity, are an experienced Materials Planner, Materials Supply Planner, Production Planner or Supply Chain Planner press APPLY now.

Kinetic plc is a Recruitment Consultancy with over 40 years of experience of delivering staffing solutions to the engineering, manufacturing and technical industries.

Kinetic plc treats all applications with a high degree of care, we review all submissions and will attempt to contact applicants who match the job profile. Those that do not meet the specification may not be contacted but their CV retained to be considered against future opportunities