Planning Manager

**Planning Manager

• 6-Month Fixed-Term Contract**

Location: Near Bishop’s Stortford Hours: 40 hours per week Contract: 6-Month FTC

About the Role

We are seeking a proactive and highly organised Planning Manager to take ownership of planning all installation activity across the business. This is a pivotal role focused on bringing structure, clarity, and delivery certainty to installation operations — ensuring labour, materials, subcontractors, logistics, and timelines are fully aligned to commercial commitments.

You will act as the single point of accountability for installation plans, translating customer demand and project requirements into realistic schedules that drive performance, support operational capability, and protect service levels.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Own and deliver realistic, fully resourced installation plans aligned with commercial commitments.
• Translate demand and project requirements into detailed daily, weekly, and forward-looking schedules.
• Balance labour, materials, logistics, and subcontractor capacity to ensure on-time delivery.
• Identify capacity gaps, clashes, and risks early — resolving issues before they impact performance.
• Act as the central planning interface across teams, driving alignment, communication, and clarity.
• Challenge unrealistic timelines or assumptions with fact-based alternatives.
• Establish planning KPIs and improve visibility of performance and forward risks.
• Introduce simple, robust planning processes that stabilise delivery and reduce reactive firefighting.

What We’re Looking For

You will be a great fit for this role if you bring:

• Strong planning experience within FMCG or similar fast-paced operational environments.
• Proven experience owning and managing complex operational plans under tight deadlines.
• Experience planning labour-intensive operations, with a track record of stabilising or improving planning functions.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with confidence to challenge constructively at senior levels.
• Background in project-led, installation-based, or logistics-heavy operations.
• Experience working with subcontractors or third-party suppliers.
• A calm, structured approach with the ability to bring teams together and drive delivery.
• A data-focused mindset with strong analytical capability.