Production Planner

A well-established organisation is seeking a Production Planner to create realistic, feasible manufacturing schedules and manage daily production workflow. Based on-site, this role translates commercial forecasts and confirmed sales orders into actionable daily and weekly schedules for production lines. The position ensures efficient material usage, workforce allocation, and capacity management while minimising product waste and operational downtime. Working hours are full-time, standard operational shifts, coordinating closely with supply chain, procurement, and operations teams to balance customer demand with inventory targets and product shelf-life requirements. Key Responsibilities: Translate sales forecasts, historical data, and customer orders into achievable weekly and daily production schedules. Match production plans against line capacity, labour availability, batch parameters, and scheduled equipment maintenance. Sequence production runs to minimise downtime, changeovers, and cleaning cycles while adhering to food safety and allergen standards. Calculate time-phased material requirements for raw ingredients and packaging, confirming availability with procurement and warehousing teams prior to schedule release. Monitor stock on hand, open orders, and product expiry dates to optimise inventory levels and support first-expiry-first-out (FEFO) stock movement. Chair weekly planning alignment meetings with production, procurement, and supply chain functions, providing capacity and inventory data for S&OP processes. Track daily plan execution with shop-floor supervisors, identifying bottlenecks, machinery breakdowns, or material shortages to implement prompt corrective actions. Maintain accurate planning master data, including run rates, batch sizes, lead times, and changeover assumptions. Monitor schedule adherence and log reasons for plan deviations to drive continuous process improvements. Requirements Relevant tertiary qualification in Operations Management, Production Management, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related discipline. 1 to 2 years of practical experience in production planning or scheduling within a manufacturing or FMCG environment. Proven capability in converting sales forecasts and order books into operational production schedules. Solid understanding of production capacity, batch sizing, sequencing, changeovers, and material requirements planning (MRP). Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills with high attention to detail. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and build collaborative relationships across cross-functional teams. Preferred Qualifications: Prior experience within food manufacturing or high-care processing environments. Familiarity with food safety regulations, product shelf-life management, allergen control, and cleaning protocol planning. Working knowledge of Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) frameworks within a small-to-medium enterprise. Required Software Skills: Microsoft Excel - Advanced ERP / MRP Systems Benefits Opportunity to take end-to-end ownership of the production scheduling process in a growing business. Collaborative, cross-functional working environment spanning operations, supply chain, and commercial teams. Exposure to structured S&OP processes and operational efficiency initiatives