Planning Manager Ireland

Planning Manager UK & Ireland – Sazerac Company

Join Sazerac Company – Explore a powerful career with an independent, family‑owned American spirit company with a rich history spanning almost 400 years. Sazerac produces world‑renowned brands such as Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Fireball, and many others, operating in the United States and worldwide.

Sazerac UK is a leading spirit distributor and brand builder in the UK, representing award‑winning Sazerac owned and third‑party agency spirit brands. This role provides a fantastic opportunity to join an exciting company and work with a diverse portfolio of award‑winning brands, including Buzzballz, Buffalo Trace, Southern Comfort, Antica Sambuca, Tequila Rose, and Fireball.

The Planning Manager leads a team of three within the UK & Ireland Supply Chain and Operations team based in Kingston Upon Thames, London. The role is hybrid working (two days per week in the office) with occasional travel to the Dublin office and Lucerne office.

The team includes one Demand Planner and two Supply Planners. The Planning team gathers demand signals (Atlas planning system), analyses, records, and orders finished goods from distilleries worldwide.

The Planning Manager works with commercial, manufacturing, logistics, customer service and marketing teams to ensure the latest finished goods demand plan is accurately reflected in Atlas, driving forecast accuracy and optimal inventory. The team collaborates cross‑functionally to meet customer demand.

• Demand Planning – Lead the execution of improved forecasting through the S&OP process.
• Work with the demand planner to review key changes in forecasting, identify risks or inaccuracies, and focus on new product launches. Establish mitigation plans and escalation to global S&OP leadership as appropriate.
• Check slow‑moving and obsolete finished‑goods risks, support the demand planner in holding others accountable on clearance plans.
• Attend strategic forecast review meetings with the demand planner, ensure all meetings are documented and significant trends and demand changes are identified, communicated, and followed up to achieve optimum finished‑goods inventory.
• Oversee the high‑level forecast within Atlas and ensure proximity to detail.
• Publish monthly forecasting performance metrics.
• Build excellent working relationships with account managers, marketing and finance team members.

• Supply Planning

• Execute improvements to the supply planning processes and collaborate with the Global Supply Planning team.
• Ensure inventory levels are appropriate, minimise out‑of‑stocks while keeping cash tied up to a suitable level.
• Support supply planners in accurately placing 250–400 purchase orders each month, automating where possible.
• Identify potential inventory issues and execute plans to mitigate and escalate proactively.
• Lead clearance of slow‑moving and obsolete products with tracking and execution.
• Track re‑work activities and support suppliers in meeting timelines and budgets.
• Optimise delivery time and cost factors within the supply chain.
• Lead weekly reviews on supply risks and publish outcomes.
• Publish monthly performance metrics on inventory (volume and value).

Focus on continuous improvement across the planning function, embracing technology, automation, and process simplification to drive efficiency and add value. Support and develop team members, fostering a culture of ownership, improvement, and productivity.

• Proven experience as a Planning Manager (Demand & Supply) in FMCG.
• Experience at management level.
• Strong knowledge of demand planning theory; APICS Supply Chain certification preferred; track record of leading S&OP process.
• Leadership skills: support, hold the team accountable, drive results.
• Analytical mindset with great attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and prioritise in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and multitasking skills (internal and external).
• Forward‑thinking, modernising, automating, and leading processes toward best‑in‑class performance.

Mid‑Senior level

Full‑time

Management and Manufacturing

Beverage Manufacturing, Wholesale Alcoholic Beverages, and Wholesale Food and Beverage