Job Title: Hybrid Roll On Planner
Location: Leeds
Work-Level: WL1 - 13
Unilever’s mission is to brighten everyday life all. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Leeds is a key Deodorants Sourcing Unit supporting European and international markets through the sourcing of materials, manufacture of finished goods and delivery to internal customers.
The SU Logistics Team coordinates the sourcing of materials, production of finished goods and delivery to customers, while holding responsibility for both material and finished goods inventory.
JOB PURPOSE
The purpose of the Hybrid Planner role is to manage both material planning and short-term execution planning for a defined and limited part of the Leeds portfolio.
The role ensures that raw and packaging materials are available to support the agreed production plan, while also converting weekly plans into executable daily schedules for the assigned lines and technologies. The role is accountable for supporting customer service, cost, inventory and waste objectives by balancing material availability, factory performance, supplier constraints, production priorities and stock accuracy.
This role provides end-to-end ownership across a smaller portfolio, improving planning continuity between Raw & Pack Planning and Execution Planning while maintaining clear alignment with suppliers, factory operations, warehouse teams and central planning teams.
Operational / Development Make-Up
The role is primarily operational, with an expectation to contribute to continuous improvement, simplification and digital ways of working across material planning and execution planning activities.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Raw & Pack Planning Responsibilities
Ensure all materials within the assigned portfolio are available to meet agreed production plans while maintaining stock levels within agreed company targets.
Prepare and manage material delivery schedules and supplier call-offs for the assigned portfolio.
Review material schedules, purchase orders, supplier confirmations and call-offs, escalating risks or constraints where required.
Work directly with suppliers on call-off changes, overdue deliveries, urgent requirements and short-notice production changes.
Maintain effective communication between suppliers, warehouse teams, factory teams, planners and other internal stakeholders.
Monitor supplier stock levels and material availability to support production plan adherence.
Support phase-in and phase-out activity, ensuring material availability while minimising obsolete stock.
Flag risks of overstock, shortages, obsolete materials or supplier constraints early and propose mitigation actions.
Work with Procurement and other relevant teams to support purchase order activity when required.
Contribute to supplier improvement and integration activities for the assigned portfolio.
Support reduction of inventory levels in line with risk, production requirements and customer service priorities.
2. Execution Planning Responsibilities
Receive the weekly plan and convert it into a daily production schedule for the agreed planning window.
Maintain APO, PPDS, PPR or equivalent planning systems to reflect the latest executable production plan.
Adjust the short-term plan based on service priorities, DBNR, overstock, material availability, factory performance and other short-term inputs.
Maintain relevant short-term planning master data, including opening patterns, calendars, efficiencies, speeds and planning assumptions.
Track demonstrated capacity for the assigned lines or portfolio.
Ensure accurate SAP usage, including production orders, material consumption and plan updates.
Update weekly and daily production reports for the assigned area.
Coordinate with the Raw & Pack team, factory operations and warehouse teams to ensure production requirements are understood and executable.
Work with the external warehouse provider to support delivery requirements where applicable.
Provide limited weekend cover on a rota basis, for reduced hours, to complete minimum checks on material arrivals and confirm the production line-up remains executable where required.
Support stock-take coordination for raw materials, packaging materials and finished goods where required.
3. End-to-End Planning Ownership
Ensure the daily production schedule is realistic from both a material and factory execution perspective.
Identify risks where material availability, supplier performance, warehouse constraints or line performance could impact the plan.
Make balanced decisions between service, cost, inventory, waste and factory efficiency.
Coordinate short-term plan changes with suppliers, warehouse teams, factory teams, execution planners, Raw & Pack planners and central planning teams.
Support better visibility between material constraints and production scheduling decisions.
Drive proactive communication to prevent service losses, last-minute disruption, excess stock or obsolete materials.
Key Accountabilities:
- Ensure material availability and executable production scheduling for the assigned portfolio to support customer service from Leeds SU.
- Minimise avoidable cost impacts by reducing schedule disruption, urgent deliveries, excess stock, obsolete materials, waste and OLE impacts.
- Maintain material and finished goods inventory within agreed targets, balancing service protection with stock control.
- Support phase-in, phase-out, delist and innovation activity to minimise obsolete raw materials, packaging materials and finished goods waste.- Maintain accurate and executable daily production schedules, ensuring system updates reflect the latest agreed plan and operational reality.
- Build effective relationships with suppliers and internal stakeholders to enable responsive, reliable and proactive planning.
Key Interfaces:
Internal:
Raw & Pack Planners; Execution Planners; Site Planning Manager / Planning Manager; E2E Planning Team; Centralised Planning Team; Customer Service / Customer Care Teams; Factory Operations Team; Cell Leaders; Warehouse Teams; Warehouse Support; Logistics Manager; Procurement / Buyers; Quality Team; Finance Team; Development / Innovation Teams; Supply Chain Development; Category Supply Management / Logistics Teams.
External:
Material suppliers; Re-packers where applicable; Transport companies; External warehouse provider; DCIW / offshore support teams where applicable.
Decision Making
The Hybrid Planner is expected to use initiative and sound judgement when issues arise, particularly where material availability, supplier disruption, warehouse constraints, line performance or service priorities require short-term decision making. The role requires the ability to prioritise across competing business needs, balancing service, cost, inventory, waste and operational feasibility.
Quality, Safety and Environment
Follow a Safety First approach in all activities.
Ensure planning decisions do not create unsafe working conditions for warehouse, factory or logistics teams.
Consider storage, movement and handling constraints when planning materials or schedule changes.
Support material quality feedback and escalation where issues are identified.
Contribute to waste reduction through good planning practices and proactive risk management.
Continuous Improvement and Digital Ways of Working
Identify opportunities to simplify planning handovers between Raw & Pack and Execution Planning.
Support improved use of SAP, APO, PPR or future planning systems.
Improve accuracy of planning master data, production reporting and supplier information.
Contribute to better planning visibility, reduced manual work and more proactive issue management.
Participate in logistics continuous improvement activities where required.
ALL ABOUT YOU
- Planning and analytical skills: Understanding of material planning and production scheduling principles; ability to manage priorities across a limited end-to-end portfolio; strong attention to detail and risk analysis.
- Systems and digital skills: Excelent working knowledge of SAP and Excel. Experience with Microsoft tools such as Copilot, Power Automate and Power BI is desired, alongside a digitally enabled mindset to simplify processes, improve visibility and support proactive planning decisions.
- Communication and stakeholder management: Clear communication with suppliers, factory teams, warehouse teams and planning teams; ability to escalate risks and propose practical solutions.
- Behavioural requirements: Proactive, solution-focused, able to work under pressure, comfortable making decisions with imperfect information and collaborative across planning activities.
NOTES
About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers a day. Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes around the world, including Dove, Tresemme, Lynx, Lifebuoy, Shea Moisture, Persil, Domestos, Ben & Jerry’s, Magnum, Marmite, The Vegetarian Butcher, Graze and Pot Noodle.
Faced with the challenge of climate change and the need for human development, we want to move towards a world where everyone can live well and within the natural limits of the planet. That’s why our purpose is ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’
What We Offer
Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, subsidised gym membership, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.
Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.
Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self. To find out more, including about our Employee Resource Groups, please click here Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Unilever | Unilever.
Recruitment Fraud
Cyber criminals advertise fake job adverts with prestigious employers as a way of stealing information or even defrauding individuals out of money. In the most sophisticated cases, they will set up fake websites, which have a similar address to companies like Unilever. They even conduct fake telephone interviews and then offer candidates a role with the proviso they pay a fee for background checks or to cover work visa costs. These types of attacks are becoming more common as more people are looking for employment in the economic climate.
How is Unilever tackling this?
Many of Unilever’s recruitment sites publish a warning to candidates about recruitment fraud. The Cyber Security team also proactively scan for signs of people setting up fake Unilever sites and act to close them down.
What can I do?
If you become aware of potential recruitment fraud, spot fake Unilever recruitment adverts or fake LinkedIn profiles, report them via Una Live Chat.
Unilever does not accept responsibility or liability for any candidates who are financially impacted by recruitment fraud. Your vigilance is key!