Description
Senior Production Planner
Location: Pickering, North Yorkshire
Type: Permanent | Full-time (Site-based)
Working Hours: 37 hours per week. Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 4.30pm, Friday 8.30am to 4.00pm (30-minute unpaid lunch break)
Salary: Competitive (Dependent on Experience)
Benefits:
- 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays
- 5% salary sacrifice pension scheme
- 2 x base salary life insurance
- Private healthcare
- Flexi-time available
Overview
A leading engineering and manufacturing organisation near Pickering is seeking a highly capable Senior Production Planner to lead and develop the planning function across operational areas.
This is a key site-based role focused on ensuring optimal scheduling, resource planning and inventory management to meet customer delivery expectations. The successful candidate will play a pivotal part in production performance, working cross-functionally with key stakeholders including Production, Engineering, Projects, Sales and Procurement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop the Planning team, managing day-to-day planning activities
- Collaborate with senior management to align operational planning with strategic goals
- Oversee and direct all Master Scheduling activity, incorporating demand forecasts into production plans
- Generate and maintain daily, weekly and monthly production status reports and dashboards
- Ensure effective MRP system use including maintenance of timing, routings and inventory parameters
- Support procurement processes, change order implementation and resolution of supply issues
- Maintain accurate inventory levels and monitor kit availability, stock thresholds and order increments
- Facilitate communication across departments to ensure visibility and accountability in planning
- Analyse capacity data to align staffing and production output to agreed delivery targets
- Maintain and enhance planning visual management tools to track KPIs and performance trends
- Drive improvements in on-time-in-full (OTIF) delivery and overall schedule adherence
- Support new product introduction and R&D planning activities
- Contribute to the organisation’s continuous improvement and lean initiatives
- Develop and monitor planning KPIs and provide data-driven insight to support decision making
- Assess production capacity and identify constraints, supporting load balancing and resource optimisation
- Manage works order creation, maintenance and closure in line with operational needs
Qualifications and Experience
Essential:
- Education in a technical or business management discipline
- Proven experience in production planning within a manufacturing or engineering setting
- Minimum 5 years’ experience in MRP/MRP II or ERP-based planning environments
- 5 years of leadership experience in planning or scheduling functions
- Working knowledge of production processes and ability to read and interpret engineering drawings
Desirable:
- Technical training or qualifications in project management
- Experience with Microsoft Dynamics Navision or similar ERP systems
Key Skills and Competencies
- Strong knowledge of MRP system functionality and planning principles
- Advanced MS Excel skills (e.g. pivot tables, vlookups)
- Excellent organisational, communication and leadership skills
- High level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Proactive approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement
- Ability to collaborate effectively across functions and levels
- Data-driven mindset with the ability to analyse and interpret performance metrics
QHSE Commitment
- Comply with health, safety and environmental policies and procedures
- Maintain responsibility and accountability through professional behaviour
- Report any unsafe acts or conditions to enable timely corrective actions
Additional Information
This is a site-based position offering a great opportunity to shape and lead planning operations in a technically innovative and quality-driven environment. You’ll be part of a team that values reliability, technical excellence and continuous improvement.
If you are an experienced production planning professional ready to take on a senior role with influence and impact, we would welcome your application.
