Production Planning Assistant

WestRock Company; Bristol; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

WestRock Company is seeking a proactive procurement and planning support professional to join the team in Bristol. You will help ensure orders, materials, and resources are ready for production and provide administrative support across departments to maintain smooth day-to-day operations.

The role requires strong Microsoft Office skills, attention to detail, and good communication with suppliers and internal teams.

Qualifications

• Proficient in Microsoft Office.
• Educated to minimum A level standard (or equivalent).
• Experience in a production/manufacturing environment is desirable but not essential.
• Excellent communication skills to liaise with cross functional teams and suppliers.
• Strong analytical skills with a keen eye for detail and accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Act as a key link between the Customer Service, Board, Planning, and Logistics teams.
• Process sales orders, prepare job bags, and ensure all new and amended orders are plan ready.
• Liaise with external suppliers to ensure business requirements are met on time and in full.
• Plan and coordinate the supply of raw materials, maintaining inventory levels within agreed control limits.
• Support the creation and management of packing specifications.
• Daily KPI reporting.
• Contribute to Continuous Improvement projects across the site.
• Provide support across departments as needed, including covering team duties during periods of annual leave.
• Perform additional tasks that may vary in line with changing business needs.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Education

A level or equivalent

Job description

The Role

In this role, you’ll play a key part in supporting the Planning team by ensuring all orders, materials, and resources are accurately prepared, coordinated, and available for production. You’ll also provide adaptable Procurement and administrative assistance across multiple departments, contributing to efficient workflows and helping keep day‑to‑day operations running smoothly throughout the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a key link between the Customer Service, Board, Planning, and Logistics teams
• Process sales orders, prepare job bags, and ensure all new and amended orders are plan ready
• Liaise with external suppliers to ensure business requirements are met on time and in full
• Plan and coordinate the supply of raw materials, maintaining inventory levels within agreed control limits
• Support the creation and management of packing specifications
• Daily KPI reporting
• Contribute to Continuous Improvement projects across the site
• Provide support across departments as needed, including covering team duties during periods of annual leave
• Perform additional tasks that may vary in line with changing business needs

Experience, skills, education and qualifications required

• Proficient in Microsoft Office
• Educated to minimum A level standard (or equivalent)
• Experience in a production/manufacturing environment is desirable but not essential
• Excellent communication skills to liaise with cross functional teams and suppliers
• Strong analytical skills with a keen eye for detail and accuracy

Competencies

• Effective Communication: Clearly articulates ideas, decisions, and feedback to team members, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Attention to Detail: Consistently maintains high standards of accuracy and quality across all tasks.
• Organisation: Prioritises workload effectively to meet deadlines and support operational efficiency.
• Decision Making: Evaluates situations accurately and makes sound, timely decisions to achieve the required outcomes.
• Problem Solving: Applies strong analytical skills to identify issues quickly and implement practical, effective solutions.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of responsibilities and delivers on commitments.
• Integrity: Shares information honestly, maintains confidentiality, and demonstrates reliability in all interactions.
• Rational Persuasion: Influences others logically, constructively, and with clarity to support collaborative working.
• Willingness to Learn: Actively pursues new knowledge, skills, and approaches to support ongoing development and improvement.
• Proactive Self‑Starter: Demonstrates initiative, adaptability, and a continuous improvement mindset—actively seeking opportunities to enhance processes and add value across the business.

Other Requirements

• Flexibility and Adaptability: Comfortable working in a changing environment, taking on additional responsibilities when needed to meet business demands.
• Resilience to Change: Successfully adjusts to shifting priorities, conditions, and expectations while maintaining a high standard of performance.