Operations Planner

Team Jobs - Commercial; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Team Jobs - Commercial in Portsmouth is seeking an experienced Operations Planner to coordinate vessel, container and labour planning within busy shipping port operations. You will liaise with shipping lines, agents and internal teams to ensure safe, efficient operations aligned with customer requirements.

The role emphasizes planning accuracy, stakeholder communication and adherence to health & safety policies, with opportunities to develop in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in operations planning within shipping/port/logistics environment.
• Experience coordinating vessel, terminal, transport or warehouse operations.
• Experience planning and allocating labour or resources.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Ability to work independently and make decisions confidently.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Good problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Strong customer service and ability to build relationships.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and use of terminal management systems.
• IOSH Working Safely or Managing Safely qualification would be advantageous but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Plan vessel and terminal operations in line with customer requirements and priorities.
• Coordinate berth usage considering vessel arrival and departure times.
• Liaise with shipping lines, agents, vessel crews, customers and authorities.
• Prepare vessel plans, paperwork and work instructions.
• Create and maintain accurate vessel records using the Terminal Operating System.
• Prepare crane splits and discharge/load sequences to support operational productivity.
• Communicate vessel plans clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
• Attend vessels when required to provide operational information and adjust plans as needed.
• Coordinate with government agencies and authorities regarding inspections and requirements.
• Work with Operations Management and vessel teams to meet customer needs.
• Plan the efficient allocation and movement of containers within container parks.
• Coordinate with cargo planning teams regarding container stripping and collection requirements.
• Coordinate with forwarding teams and shipping lines for export containers within cut-off times.
• Communicate container planning requirements clearly to operational teams.

Skills

Operations Planning

Labour Planning

Resource Allocation

Vessel Planning

Container Planning

Logistics

Shipping & Port Operations

Health & Safety

Customer Service

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Microsoft Office

Terminal Management Systems

Tools

Microsoft Office

Terminal Operating Systems

Job description

Location: Portsmouth

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Department: Operations

About the Role

We are recruiting on behalf of a busy and well-established organisation within the shipping and port operations sector for an experienced Operations Planner.

This is a key role within the Operations team, responsible for the efficient planning and coordination of vessel, container and terminal operations, as well as the allocation of operational labour.

You will act as a key point of contact for shipping lines, agents and internal operational teams, ensuring activities are planned safely, efficiently and in line with customer requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Vessel Planning

• Plan vessel and terminal operations in line with customer requirements, vessel schedules and operational priorities.
• Coordinate berth usage, taking into consideration vessel arrival and departure times.
• Liaise with shipping lines, agents, vessel crews, customers and relevant authorities.
• Prepare vessel operational plans, paperwork and work instructions.
• Create and maintain accurate vessel records using the Terminal Operating System.
• Prepare crane splits and discharge/load sequences to support operational productivity.
• Communicate vessel plans clearly to internal and external stakeholders.
• Attend vessels when required to provide operational information and make amendments to plans where necessary.
• Coordinate with government agencies and authorities regarding inspections and operational requirements.
• Work closely with operational management and vessel teams to ensure customer requirements are met.

Container Planning

• Plan the efficient allocation and movement of containers within container parks.
• Ensure all operational instructions are accurately recorded within the relevant systems.
• Coordinate with cargo planning teams regarding container stripping and collection requirements.
• Liaise with forwarding teams and shipping lines to ensure export containers are available within required cut-off times.
• Communicate container planning requirements clearly to operational teams.
• Coordinate with relevant authorities where required.

Labour Planning

• Prepare daily labour plans and coordinate resources to meet operational priorities.
• Allocate employees based on their skills, training and competency.
• Prepare and issue operational paperwork and labour plans.
• Manage overtime lists and allocations across operational teams.
• Coordinate employee training requirements with relevant training teams.
• Manage and record employee absence requests in line with company policies.
• Maintain accurate manual and electronic records to support payroll processing.
• Monitor attendance and timekeeping and elevate concerns where required.
• Conduct return-to-work meetings and complete relevant HR documentation.
• Support attendance reviews in conjunction with HR and operational management.

General Responsibilities

• Ensure all planned activities comply with Health & Safety policies and procedures.
• Support the maintenance of operational KPI and billing information.
• Provide operational planning cover as part of a 7-day rota.
• Work closely with Operations, Commercial, Shipping, Health & Safety and other internal teams.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of operational planning processes.
• Carry out any other reasonable duties as required by Operations Management.

About You

We're looking for someone with previous experience in operations planning, ideally gained within a shipping, port, logistics, warehousing, distribution or transportation environment.

You will ideally have:

• Previous experience planning operational activities within a busy environment.
• Experience coordinating vessel, terminal, transport or warehouse operations.
• Experience planning and allocating labour or operational resources.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• The ability to work independently and make decisions confidently.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Good problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Strong customer service skills and the ability to build effective working relationships.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft Office and experience using operational/terminal management systems.
• The ability to work effectively under pressure and respond quickly to changing operational requirements.
• An IOSH Working Safely or Managing Safely qualification would be advantageous but is not essential.

Key Skills

• Operations Planning
• Labour Planning
• Resource Allocation
• Vessel Planning
• Container Planning
• Logistics
• Shipping & Port Operations
• Health & Safety
• Customer Service
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Microsoft Office
• Terminal Operating Systems

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Operations Planner, Logistics Planner, Shipping Coordinator or similar operational professional looking to develop their career within a busy and varied environment.

TJCOM