Lead Material Planner

Lead Material Planner (Packaging)
Location: Northampton (Hybrid, 3 days onsite)
Salary: Up to £42,000 + 5% bonus

The Opportunity
We're supporting a leading FMCG business to recruit a Lead Material Planner (Packaging) into a newly created role, driven by increased complexity, NPD activity, and multi-site operations.

This is a hands-on leadership position where you'll take ownership of packaging material supply while managing a small team of planners across multiple sites. You'll play a key role in ensuring service levels are maintained, supply risks are managed, and packaging availability supports both production and customer demand.

Sitting at the centre of procurement, planning, technical and operations, this role offers strong visibility and the opportunity to influence how packaging supply is managed across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and coordinate a multi-site team of Material Planners (3 direct reports)
Own packaging availability and service level performance across all sites
Manage packaging call-offs aligned to production plans and supplier lead times
Act as the escalation point for supply issues, driving resolution and continuous improvement
Monitor inventory levels and proactively manage risks (shortages, delays, overstock)
Communicate delivery schedules across warehouse, planning, and operations teams
Maintain accurate data across ERP/MRP systems, including forecasts, pricing, and supplier information
Support new product launches, artwork changes, and supply readiness
Build strong supplier relationships and ensure consistent delivery performance
Lead service reviews, KPI tracking, and cross-functional supply meetingsWhat We're Looking For

Strong experience within material planning, supply chain, or FMCG environments
Experience managing or coordinating others within a planning or operational setting
Confident communicator with the ability to influence stakeholders and suppliers
Strong organisational skills and ability to manage complexity across multiple SKUs
High attention to detail with a proactive, problem-solving mindset
Strong Excel and ERP/MRP systems capabilityExperience within packaging, food manufacturing, or multi-site environments would be advantageous.

Additional Information

Hybrid working (3 days onsite, 2 days from home)
Flexible start times (between 8am-9am)
Core hours typically between 10am-4pm
Collaborative and supportive team environment
Opportunity to develop into broader supply chain or procurement rolesWhy Join?

This is a great opportunity to step into a management role within a growing FMCG business. You'll gain exposure across multiple sites, manage a team, and play a key role in ensuring packaging supply supports production and business growth.

If you're an experienced planner looking for more ownership, leadership responsibility, and the chance to make a real impact, we'd love to hear from you