Senior Network Planning Manager (Milk / Dairy)

Are you ready to own the UK market milk balance across horizons - turning intake and capacity complexity into clear, value‑maximising decisions for our network?

You’ll be the senior, hands‑on counterpart linking supply, demand and site capacity -framing scenarios and actions that optimise utilisation, product mix and value delivery.

How You Will Make an Impact

In this senior planning role, you will build and own the market milk balance across 1–12 months and 1–5 years, translating supply and demand into site‑level allocation guardrails and executable decisions. You’ll lead market scenario modelling on utilisation and value streams, identify structural surpluses/deficits, and recommend actions spanning re‑routing, product mix shifts, capacity adjustments and trading posture. You will prepare network decision packs for S&OP/IBP and coordinate cross‑functionally to validate assumptions, constraints and options.

• Build and maintain the end‑to‑end market milk balance, linking intake quality/mKG and demand to site allocations


• Lead scenario modelling on network utilisation: capacity envelopes, value streams, debottlenecking, cross‑border/site flows


• Identify structural surpluses/deficits and recommend actions (re‑routing, product mix, capacity changes, trading posture)


• Prepare and present market network packs for S&OP/IBP; document assumptions, options and decisions; track outcomes and close the loop


• Coordinate with Intake Forecast, site teams and Trading to validate assumptions, constraints and executable plans

This role sits within global planning and partners closely with Supply Chain Planning, Market Leadership, Site Teams, Allocation, Trading and S&OP/IBP.

What Will Make You Successful

You will bring a senior planning background with deep knowledge of milk networks, site roles and processing capacities; excel at scenario modelling and decision framing so you can turn complex balance dynamics into clear, executive‑ready recommendations; and be disciplined on data integrity, assumptions and governance as you prepare materials for S&OP/IBP. You will engage effectively across market leadership, sites and allocation teams, acting as a systems thinker who sees end‑to‑end flows and second‑order impacts, a pragmatic influencer who aligns diverse stakeholders around executable choices, and an outcome‑oriented operator who follows through from decision to measured result. We work closely together and promise you a steep learning curve, with colleagues around you to cheer, support and challenge you every day.

What Do We Offer?

We’re committed to supporting your growth and development, offering internal and external training opportunities. You’ll enjoy a competitive salary, 26 days of holiday plus Bank Holidays, matched pension contributions up to 6%, life assurance, and bonus scheme. We also provide a company car, BUPA Healthcare, and flexible benefits.  

Would You Like to Join Us?

If you’re ready to turn milk balance complexity into network value, please apply as soon as possible. We review applications on a continuous basis and will close the recruitment once the right candidate is found.

For additional information, please contact Talent Partner – Oliver Hickson-Burr

Shape the Future of Dairy

Arla is a global leader in the dairy industry, committed to enabling good food choices that make life better, providing people with natural, sustainable nourishment, while taking care at every step to ensure Arla is a choice they can feel good about. If you are looking to shape the future with an ambitious global cooperative that truly cares about your growth, where everyone feels valued and empowered, and collaboration is the core of culture, Arla is a choice you can feel good about.

#TJ