Sales and Operations Planning Manager

Sales and Operations Planning Manager

Reporting to: Operations Director

Location: London-based (flexible working policy)

Package: Competitive salary + annual bonus

About Healthxchange:

Founded in 2000, Healthxchange is the leading supplier of medical aesthetic products and services to professionals across the UK & Ireland. Healthxchange proudly partner with award-winning brands including Obagi Medical, Medik8, Jan Marini, and Jane Iredale to strategically commercialise their products in market. We currently supply over 9,000 clinics with a full range of products (Skincare, Injectables, Energy-based devices) and services (software & education) to support their 360 business needs. The company offers a dynamic environment for innovation and growth in the medical aesthetic space.

About the role:

A highly strategic and results-driven Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) Manager responsible for building and leading a robust, data-driven S&OP process that drives alignment across supply, demand, procurement and operations functions. This newly created role will be pivotal in driving transparency across the supply chain, improving forecast accuracy, streamlining supplier collaboration, and increasing fulfilment efficiency across our distribution centres.

The role is responsible for leading cross-functional planning cycles, enhancing communication between HQ and Distribution Centres, and ensuring stock positioning is optimised across multiple sites. It requires strong leadership, analytical thinking, and the ability to coordinate effectively across departments, directly influencing Healthxchange’s operational excellence and long-term scalability.

This individual will play a key role in aligning business objectives, fostering a culture of forward planning and proactive decision-making. The ideal candidate will bring proven multi-site planning experience, hands-on expertise, and outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities:

S&OP Leadership & Process Ownership

• Establish and lead the company-wide S&OP process, ensuring a regular cadence of reviews, stakeholder alignment, and decision-making protocols.
• Own the end-to-end planning process – from demand forecasting and supply planning to execution alignment.
• Use data-driven insights to drive continuous improvement and optimise supply chain performance, including OTIF, forecast accuracy, and inventory optimisation.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement supply chain solutions to improve inbound supply and long-term planning capabilities.
• Play a key part in senior management discussions on planning, operational performance, and capacity.

Demand & Supply Planning

• Lead monthly demand planning cycles in collaboration with sales, marketing, and commercial teams to gather intelligence and align forecasts.
• Ensure forecast accuracy using historical data, market insights, and sales input.
• Translate demand plans into actionable supply plans across all supplier groups (major and minor).
• Identify and eliminate planning gaps across sites to enhance fulfilment efficiency.

Supplier Engagement & Procurement Oversight

• Standardise and improve ordering processes to reduce inaccuracies and increase order consolidation.
• Manage supplier relationships, with a focus on improving lead times, inventory performance, and delivery consistency.
• Monitor and evaluate supplier performance against quality, delivery, and cost KPIs.
• Maintain a comprehensive and competitive product range, aligned with market demand and business priorities.
• Lead a team of procurement associates to oversee purchase order cycles and reduce stock discrepancies.

Operational & Distribution Coordination

• Align HQ and Distribution Centre teams to improve transparency of product positioning and inventory availability.
• Coordinate and optimise stock movements between warehouses to meet customer demand across the UK&I.
• Collaborate with warehousing and logistics functions to ensure fulfilment operations are integrated with upstream planning.

Team Development & Cross-functional Collaboration

• Lead and mentor a team of procurement and demand planning associates to develop internal capabilities and ensure consistency in execution.
• Facilitate alignment between commercial, finance, and supply chain teams to support unified planning and execution.

Requirements:

Essential:

• 5+ years’ experience in demand/supply planning, S&OP, or supply chain leadership - ideally in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, or FMCG industry(ies).
• Proven track record of implementing or managing S&OP processes in a complex, multi-site operation.
• Expertise in forecasting, supplier negotiation, and inventory planning.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; comfortable using planning tools and ERP/MRP systems.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent awareness of global supply chain regulations, post Brexit, to ensure Healthxchange are constantly ahead of key changes to compliance

Benefits

Company pension, annual bonus, 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (and increasing with service), staff discount, staff social events, access to Health Assured EAP.

Healthxchange is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability status, marital status, or any other legally protected status. All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs.