Head of Planning

Role overview

An established Irish FMCG manufacturer is looking to bring in a Head of Planning to oversee and strengthen its full planning operation across a busy, high-output production setting. This is a senior role for a planning leader with deep experience in FMCG supply chain activity, sales and operations planning, production scheduling, and working across multiple business functions.

The person in this position will help shape the planning approach, improve day-to-day performance, and support the company’s next stage of growth.

The role is site-based in County Cavan and comes with a competitive pay and benefits offering for the right candidate.

What you will lead

You will be responsible for managing the planning function end to end, covering forecasting, production scheduling, and S&OP in a fast-moving manufacturing environment. Working alongside colleagues in Operations, Supply Chain, Commercial, and Procurement, you will help ensure customer needs are fulfilled while maintaining the right balance between service, efficiency, and operational capacity.

You will also contribute to process improvement, planning performance, and longer-term business development.

Core responsibilities

• Oversee the full planning and scheduling process across short-, medium-, and long-range timeframes.
• Take ownership of the S&OP cycle and make sure commercial, operational, and supply chain teams are aligned.
• Convert forecast demand into practical production and supply plans.
• Create production schedules that support both high efficiency and strong service delivery.
• Manage scenario planning for changes in demand, limited capacity, promotions, and new product launches.
• Track performance using KPIs, reporting, and data analysis, and identify where planning can be improved.
• Strengthen planning tools, governance, and standard operating procedures.
• Assist with strategic supply chain projects, continuity planning, and long-term capacity planning.
• Lead, support, and develop a strong planning team.
• Develop trusted working relationships across functions and use data to influence decisions.

Experience and qualifications

• At least 12 years of experience in FMCG supply chain, production planning, or scheduling.
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including managing planning teams and team managers.
• Strong knowledge of S&OP and integrated planning methods.
• Background in high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong analytical ability.
• Exposure to ERP or planning platforms such as SAP, IBP, APO, or comparable systems.
• A qualification in Supply Chain, Operations, Food, or a related field is preferred.

What success in this role looks like

You will bring a solid understanding of both commercial and operational priorities, a highly collaborative leadership style, and the ability to make sound decisions from data. The role suits someone who can remain effective under pressure, organise work well, solve problems confidently, and continually improve how planning is done.

Additional information

This position is based onsite in County Cavan, Ireland. A generous remuneration and benefits package is available for the right candidate. Interested applicants with the required background are encouraged to submit their CV for consideration.