Production Planner

Ottawa-Carleton Ultimate Association; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An established manufacturing company in the East Midlands is looking for a motivated Production Planner. The role involves creating production schedules, managing raw materials, and coordinating with teams to meet customer demands effectively while minimizing costs. Ideal candidates will possess strong skills in Excel and ERP systems, as well as experience in the food or FMCG industries. This is a full-time position with competitive salary and holiday benefits.

Benefits

33 days holidays

Competitive salary

Qualifications

• Experience in production scheduling and inventory management.
• Familiarity with the food or FMCG industry is essential.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain production schedules to ensure on-time delivery.
• Monitor inventory levels to prevent stock imbalances.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain teams for timely delivery of materials.
• Identify opportunities to improve planning processes.

Skills

Using Excel and various formulas

Strong communication skills

Detail-oriented and analytical

Knowledge of ERP systems

Comfortable in fast-paced environments

Tools

ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics)

Planning and scheduling tools (APS, MRP)

Job description

New Opportunity - Production Planner

Our client in Derby, is looking for an experienced and motivated Production Planner to join their team. In this role you will be creating and maintaining detailed production schedules, managing raw material availability, and coordinating with internal teams to meet customer demand, while reducing waste, inventory costs and downtime.

The right candidate will have a strong track record as a production planner, ideally within a food or FMCG industry to understand the factors like perishability, seasonal demand and compliance requirements. Being skilled with using Excel and various formulas is key to be successful in this role.

As The New Production Planner, You Will

Production & Capacity Planning

• Develop and maintain detailed production schedules that ensure on-time delivery of finished goods.
• Coordinate with production teams to create daily, weekly, and monthly plans based on sales orders, forecasts, and capacity.
• Align production schedules with customer demand while minimising stockouts, surplus inventory, and waste.
• Regularly update production plans in line with commercial and procurement guidance.

Raw Material & Inventory Management

• Monitor inventory levels of raw materials and finished goods to prevent stock imbalances.
• Work with internal teams to maintain optimal stock levels and reduce excess inventory without compromising production flow.
• Ensure all stock is in place on site for upcoming product launches and removed for delisted lines.
• Monitor shelf life of finished goods and raw materials on site to reduce waste and recommend substitutions.
• Review finished stock position, identify any outliers and proactively raise with account managers and/or production team to find solution.

Supply Chain Coordination

• Collaborate with the Supply Chain team to ensure timely delivery of raw materials and dispatch of finished goods.
• Partner with production and warehouse teams to resolve supply or scheduling issues that may cause delays.

Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve planning processes, reduce lead times, and enhance scheduling efficiency.
• Support the implementation of process changes aimed at increasing overall operational performance.

Reporting & Performance Monitoring

• Provide regular updates on performance against KPIs, including production adherence and schedule attainment.
• Generate reports to support business decision-making and continuous improvement efforts.

Team Collaboration & Cover Support

• Act as a key liaison between production, warehouse, sales, and supply chain teams.
• Support and mentor colleagues by sharing knowledge and best practices.
• Provide cover for planning and forecasting team members during periods of leave, absence or seasonal demand.

Requirements For This Role

• Must have strong skills with using Excel and various formulas as this is a key part of this role.
• Proficient in ERP systems (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics).
• Strong Excel skills for analysis and reporting.
• Familiarity with planning and scheduling tools (APS, MRP, demand planning software).
• Detail‑oriented and analytical, with a pragmatic approach to solving problems.
• Comfortable working in fast‑paced, dynamic environments with competing priorities.
• Calm under pressure and able to troubleshoot scheduling or supply chain challenges effectively.
• A strong communicator and team player with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Commercially aware and capable of aligning operational planning with business needs.
• Highly organised with experience in production scheduling and inventory management.
• Familiar with the complexities of the food or FMCG industry, including perishability, seasonal demand, and compliance requirements.

About You

• Excellent problem‑solving and decision‑making abilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.
• Resilient and adaptable in high‑pressure situations.

About This Role

• This is a full time, permanent role.
• 33 days Holidays – As working on bank holidays is often required.
• Competitive Salary.
• Working hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm.
• An excel test will be part of the screening process for this role.

How To Apply

Do you think you may be a good fit for this role? Then please get in touch today! We invite suitably experienced candidates to apply by following the appropriate links or by contacting Recruit 2 You directly on 01773 252222 who are acting as an employment agency for this hire.

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