Production Planner

Role purpose

Plan and coordinate workshop jobs so that materials, people, machines, and work instructions are ready to meet production schedules, quality requirements, and customer delivery dates.

Key responsibilities

• Prepare and maintain daily, weekly, and monthly production plans based on orders, priorities, and available capacity.
• Convert customer orders and job requirements into work orders, routing plans, and production schedules.
• Coordinate with stores, procurement, workshop supervisors, quality, maintenance, and dispatch to ensure timely execution.
• Check material availability; raise purchase or replenishment requests and follow up on shortages.
• Monitor work-in-progress, identify delays or capacity constraints, and take corrective action with the relevant teams.
• Track actual production against plan, including output, machine utilisation, labour allocation, and delivery performance.
• Maintain accurate production records, job cards, inventory transactions, and planning reports using ERP/MRP systems or spreadsheets.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance requirements and machine availability with the maintenance team.
• Ensure work is planned in line with approved drawings, specifications, quality procedures, and applicable safety practices.
• Support cost control by reducing avoidable downtime, excess inventory, rework, and production bottlenecks.
• Participate in production review meetings and recommend improvements to workflow and planning processes.

Qualifications and experience

• Diploma or bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Production, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• [2–5] years of production planning or workshop operations experience; experience in a manufacturing or job-work environment preferred.
• Familiarity with production scheduling, BOMs, routings, inventory control, and shop-floor coordination.
• Working knowledge of MS Excel; experience with ERP/MRP software is an advantage.
• Ability to read technical drawings and understand basic manufacturing processes.

Skills and attributes

• Strong planning, organisation, and follow-up skills.
• Clear communication with workshop teams and support departments.
• Analytical approach to tracking schedules, shortages, and production performance.
• Able to prioritise changing requirements and resolve day-to-day issues.