Production Planner

Production Planner
Location: Chester
Salary: £34,000 - £37,000 per annum
Hours: 35 hours per week
Monday to Thursday: 08:30 – 17:00
Friday: 08:30 – 12:30

Immediate Start Available

The Opportunity
We are recruiting on behalf of a well-established engineering and manufacturing business seeking an experienced Production Planner to join their operations team in Chester.

This is an excellent opportunity for a proactive planner with experience in a manufacturing or engineering environment to support production planning activities, optimise schedules, and ensure customer requirements are met efficiently and effectively.

Reporting directly to the Planning Manager, you will play a key role in coordinating production schedules, material requirements, labour resources, and machine capacity to support operational performance and on-time delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Support the Planning Manager in developing, implementing, and continuously improving planning and scheduling processes.
Create and maintain production plans to meet forecasted demand while considering machine capacity, labour availability, and holiday schedules.
Coordinate material requirements and build plans across multiple product streams.
Adapt plans quickly to changing priorities and customer requirements, ensuring contingency plans are in place where necessary.
Manage subcontracted work schedules and monitor stock levels as required.
Work closely with production, engineering, sales, and project teams to ensure customer expectations and delivery deadlines are achieved.
Investigate planning issues and identify opportunities to expedite orders where possible.
Monitor and report on operational KPIs and planning performance.
Attend regular planning and operations meetings, providing updates on schedules and production performance.
Support the achievement of operational targets, including On-Time In-Full (OTIF) delivery performance.
Liaise with Production Managers regarding manpower planning, holiday schedules, and sickness absence.
Assist with any other duties appropriate to the role.
Skills & Experience Required
Essential

Significant experience in a Production Planner, Planning Coordinator, or similar role within a manufacturing or engineering environment.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent attention to detail.
Ability to create and manage detailed production schedules.
Knowledge of MRP and/or ERP systems.
Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office.
Ability to work effectively under pressure and to deadlines.
Confident decision-making abilities.
Excellent communication and organisational skills.
Ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments.
Desirable

HNC/HND qualification in Engineering, Manufacturing, Production Management, or a related discipline.
Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Production, or a related field.
Knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management systems.
Experience within a job-shop manufacturing environment.
What’s on Offer

Competitive salary of £34,000 - £37,000 per annum.
Immediate start available.
Early finish every Friday.
Opportunity to join a growing and established manufacturing business.
Supportive team environment with opportunities for development and progression.
If you have a strong background in production planning and are looking for your next challenge within a fast-paced engineering environment, we would love to hear from you