National Planning Manager

Lincoln, Canterbury

PGG Wrightson Seeds is part of the global seed cooperative DLF, servicing New Zealand, Australia and international markets. We cover every stage of the seed journey – from research and development through to production, supply, and on-farm support. Our values are built on a foundation of respect, trust, and integrity. We are committed to empowering our people, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, realising global synergies, and operating in an environmentally sustainable way.

We are seeking a senior National Planning Manager to provide end-to-end ownership of planning across New Zealand. This high-impact leadership position is accountable for the S&OP and S&OE operating rhythm—shaping demand and supply decisions, improving service and availability, and strengthening working capital and commercial performance. Experience in seed, agriculture, and/or complex manufacturing environments (including FMCG) will be highly regarded.

Duties & responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end ownership of the New Zealand planning operating model (S&OP/S&OE), including governance, timing, and cross-functional decision-making.
• Lead, coach, and develop the national planning team, driving capability uplift, engagement, and consistent planning excellence across the business.
• Lead and oversee demand and supply planning to balance customer service, production capability, and inventory investment.
• Provide scenario analysis and recommendations to support effective trade-offs, risk management, and seasonal/peak execution.
• Deliver measurable improvements in forecast accuracy, inventory health (including aged/obsolete), and service outcomes through KPI leadership.

Qualifications & qualities

• Demonstrated senior planning leadership across demand, supply and inventory within a complex environment, ideally with strong agriculture and/or manufacturing experience (FMCG experience / similar also considered).
• Proven capability to design and operate an effective S&OP/S&OE cadence, including governance, KPI frameworks and executive-ready reporting.
• Strong commercial and analytical acumen, with the ability to translate data into decisions, manage trade-offs, and deliver working-capital and service improvements.
• Highly effective stakeholder leadership, with the ability to influence across multiple business functions and teams.
• Seed and/or agriculture sector knowledge is highly desirable, including an appreciation of seasonal supply dynamics, quality requirements, and customer service expectations.
• Strong systems and process capability (planning tools/ERP, Anaplan, advanced Excel; Power BI advantageous) and a continuous improvement mindset.

Join a Global Agriculture company

• Comprehensive Benefits: Enjoy health, life, and income protection insurance, wellbeing initiatives, and ongoing professional development.
• Exceptional Location: Our purpose-built office is located in the rural community of Lincoln, offering the best of both worlds—close to Christchurch, yet surrounded by beautiful countryside.
• Global Reach: Collaborate with colleagues across New Zealand, Australia, and the wider DLF global network.
• Values-Driven Culture: Join an inclusive, high-performing workplace where trust, respect, and integrity are at the heart of everything we do.

This position provides the opportunity to lead a critical function that directly influences customer satisfaction, service performance, and commercial outcomes. You will work with experienced teams across the organisation and will have genuine scope to strengthen planning discipline and execution.

Ready to make an impact?

Applications: Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your planning leadership experience and your interest in the role.

For a position description, please email: recruitment@pggwrightsonseeds.co.nz

Applications close 5pm 30th April 2026.