Supply Planner

Supply Planner

Surrey based

Salary up to £40k

We’re supporting a food business in the search for a Supply Planner to help balance customer service, stock investment and supplier delivery.

You’ll turn demand expectations into practical replenishment plans, coordinate orders with suppliers and keep colleagues informed of changes to availability. The role suits someone who enjoys working with data, takes ownership of supplier follow-up and acts quickly when supply plans need adjusting.

Working closely with purchasing and the wider commercial and operational teams, you’ll manage the flow of products into the business. Your focus will be ensuring stock arrives when needed, while keeping inventory under control and resolving potential disruption before it affects customers.

Responsibilities:

• Building and updating replenishment plans using demand forecasts, existing stock, supplier lead times and customer commitments.
• Placing purchase orders within agreed approval limits and keeping quantities, pricing and delivery information up to date.
• Staying close to suppliers throughout the order cycle, confirming progress and agreeing alternative arrangements when delivery commitments change.
• Reviewing stock levels and expected receipts to identify products at risk of running short or accumulating beyond requirements.
• Working with colleagues to reduce surplus, ageing and slow-selling inventory.
• Adjusting planned purchases to reflect changes in demand, promotional activity and commercial priorities.
• Highlighting supply constraints and coordinating responses with sales, logistics and operations.
• Maintaining reliable planning records, including supplier confirmations, order amendments and approval documentation.
• Tracking supplier reliability and using delivery data to support performance discussions and improvement actions.
• Providing concise updates so colleagues understand availability, delivery changes and the actions being taken.
• Finding practical ways to improve replenishment routines, reporting and stock management.

Experience required:

• Experience in supply planning, buying support, purchasing, stock management or a similar role.
• A background in food or another product-led environment would be useful.
• Strong organisation and the ability to keep multiple orders, deadlines and changing priorities moving.
• Confidence working with suppliers, asking direct questions and following issues through to resolution.
• Good analytical skills and practical experience using Excel to interpret demand, inventory and delivery information.
• An understanding of how lead times, stock cover and replenishment decisions affect service and cash tied up in inventory.
• Careful attention to detail when maintaining systems, processing orders and recording decisions.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving, with sound judgement about when to act and when to escalate.
• Clear communication and the ability to work effectively across different departments.
• Familiarity with ERP, purchasing or inventory systems.
• Exposure to overseas suppliers, freight arrangements or import administration would be an advantage.