Senior Materials Planner
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The Opportunity- Senior Materials Planner
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About the role:
We’re looking for a driven and experienced Senior Material Planner to join our team at JCB Earthmovers. This is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing all Planning and Supply Chain activities across the Business Unit.
With responsibility for managing 3PL receiving operations, a supply base of over 350 suppliers across all continents, and over 14,000 part numbers across four production lines, this role is central to ensuring operational excellence and material availability in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
What does this role involve day to day?
As Senior Material Planner, you’ll lead a team and manage the end-to-end supply chain function, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and daily production needs. Your key responsibilities will include:
• Managing business inventory targets
• Leading departmental resources to meet both strategic and operational objectives
• Managing third-party logistics providers and driving continuous improvement
• Developing early warning systems to protect key performance indicators (POF KPIs)
• Driving initiatives to improve material availability across internal and external supply chains
• Building long-term supplier relationships and promoting best practices
• Managing premium freight and transport spend
• Ensuring daily production build requirements are met
• Maintaining and improving KPIs related to the Materials Department
• Ensuring compliance with company safety policies
• Implementing effective processes and systems for routine materials planning
• Leading the material planning and expediting team across a broad supply base
• Overseeing SAP transactional performance, including parked invoices
This will be suited to you if…
• You have at least 3 years’ experience in a leadership role within a supply chain or manufacturing environment
• You possess strong Excel and data management skills, with a solid understanding of SAP, particularly in Release & Follow-Up processes and inventory management
• You’re commercially aware and able to anticipate challenges before they arise
• You’re a lateral thinker with strong problem-solving abilities
• You’re a team player with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work across all levels of the organisation
• You’re passionate about driving performance, improving processes, and delivering results in a dynamic environment
What happens next?
Ordinarily, our Resourcing Team reviews and shortlists CVs. If shortlisted, you’ll speak to one of our Recruiters to discuss the role further. Our interview process usually consists of an initial team’s interview followed by an in-person interview. We’ll keep in touch throughout the process but if you have any questions, please get in touch at recruitment@jcb.com
This is your chance to join a company that values expertise not only in rewards but also in real employee care. At JCB you don’t just get a competitive salary, 33 days’ holiday and access to our company pension—you can also use our onsite gym, in-house doctor and dentist. We have an ULEV car scheme available for our employees too. Then there’s the JCB Rewards Hub, which gives you discounts with high street retailers. Feel like biking to work? There’s our Cycle to Work Scheme.
We value diversity and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.
We’re committed to ensuring our recruitment process is fair and inclusive. If you face any accessibility challenges with your online application and require additional support, you have the option of speaking to a member of our Recruitment Team who can support you to complete an application in an alternative format. If you would benefit from this support, please email recruitment@jcb.com, and a member of the team will be in touch.
Recruitment Agencies: JCB does not accept any speculative approaches to present candidates for advertised vacancies.