Inventory Planning Manager - 12m FTC

At Costa Coffee, we are what we craft. We’re reimagining coffee experiences in over 50 countries and counting, as a key part of the Coca-Cola System. Whether you get your coffee in a store, from a machine, at home, or on the go – we’ve got you covered.

This is an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of Costa’s global expansion, joining the passionate Roastery Planning team. Here, your expertise will help shape the future of our supply chain as we continue to grow at pace. The work is dynamic, fast-moving, and requires sharp planning skills in S&OP, service improvement, and inventory management. A consistent and reliable raw material portfolio is key to our success—and you’ll help make that happen.

As Inventory Planning Manager, you’ll play a crucial role in securing the materials that keep our world-class coffee flowing. You’ll work closely with suppliers to ensure smooth, efficient inbound supply to meet production and distribution needs.

So, why Costa?

We didn’t become a global coffee brand by sitting back. When you work here, you join a community that values passion, progression and integrity, with some pretty brilliant perks to sweeten the deal:

• Own a piece of Costa’s success by becoming a share owner in Coca-Cola with our Share Investment Plan (SIP)
• A smart pension that saves you money on tax and national insurance, and matches your contributions up to 10%
• The Costa Financial Support Fund, supporting team members who find themselves in unexpected financial pressure
• 50% discount in all Costa-owned stores, and 25% off in other participating stores
• Private medical cover thanks to our Private Healthcare scheme
• And that’s not all. Explore even more of our perks here: https://bit.ly/costaperks

We’re passionate about being a great place to work, where you can bring your unique self into our mix. We firmly support diversity, equity and inclusion, and continue to work with our teams to shape the future of our culture and values: Disciplined to Deliver, Passion for Progress, Win with Warmth, Courage to Challenge and Trusted Team Players.

What you’ll do

Being an Inventory Planning Manager is about so much more than bringing our coffee to the world. It’s your chance to stir up real success - which means you’ll be

• Responsible for end to end Inventory planning & control - manage forecasting, demand planning, and procurement of raw materials to ensure 100% material availability while minimising excess stock, waste, and stockouts.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers to guarantee timely, accurate delivery of materials, resolve issues, and drive continuous improvement.
• Identify and implement improvements across the inbound supply chain, including streamlining procurement, reducing lead times, and supporting cost-saving initiatives.
• Analyse inventory performance, track KPIs, and produce regular reports and presentations to guide business decisions and continuous improvement efforts.
• Lead inventory related audit processes, ensuring compliance with financial, SOX, and traceability standards, maintaining 100% stock accuracy.
• Work closely with global supply chain, procurement, production, finance, and NPD teams to align inventory strategies with business objectives, supporting key events and product launches.

Who you are

It’s your unique ingredients we’re interested in. You will have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• Proficient in inventory and ERP systems such as Nav16, D365, or similar platforms.
• Strong ability to interpret stock data, trends, and reorder points to optimise inventory levels.
• Skilled in developing inventory forecasting models aligned with roast schedules, sales trends, and seasonal demand.
• Focused on inventory accuracy, food safety, and traceability. Experienced in conducting cycle counts, physical inventories, reconciliations, and maintaining clear, efficient workflows.
• Works effectively across production, purchasing, logistics, and sales teams to align inventory planning with overall business objectives.
• CIPS, CPIM (APICS), or CSCP qualifications are advantageous.

Location: Onsite, The Roastery, Basildon