Production Planning Manager

MacFarlane Group; Grantham; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A bespoke packaging manufacturer in Grantham seeks a Production Planning Manager to oversee end-to-end production planning. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience in a manufacturing environment, be proficient in using ERP/MRP systems, and have strong customer service and analytical skills. Benefits include a salary of £40,000-£45,000, bonus opportunities, and various employee benefits. Applicants must be comfortable working onsite and ideally live within a commutable distance.

Benefits

23 days annual leave

Contributory pension scheme

Bonus and incentive opportunities

Free on-site parking

Employee assistance and wellbeing support

Qualifications

• Proven experience in production planning within a manufacturing environment, ideally at supervisory or management level.
• Hands-on experience using ERP/MRP systems to manage production plans, materials and demand.
• Strong analytical skills, interpreting production data and translating it into practical actions.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end production planning and scheduling for the Grantham manufacturing operation.
• Lead daily production planning meetings and manage short-term schedule changes.
• Monitor performance data and KPIs, driving corrective action and continuous improvement.

Skills

Customer service

Production planning

Capacity planning

ERP/MRP systems

Analytical skills

Communication skills

People management

Job description

Production Planning Manager

Location: Alma Park Industrial Estate, Grantham, Lincolnshire

Sector: Bespoke Packaging Manufacturing

Package: Basic annual salary £40,000-£45,000 + bonus & company benefits

Protecting what matters, together

At Macfarlane Packaging, we protect what matters most – our people, our customers, our communities, and the environment. With over 75 years of heritage, we combine the security of a long‑established UK manufacturer with a progressive, continuous‑improvement mindset. Our culture is collaborative, supportive and results driven, offering genuine opportunities for development, progression and long‑term career satisfaction.

Responsibilities

• Own end‑to‑end production planning and scheduling for the Grantham manufacturing operation.
• Balance demand, capacity, materials and labour to meet OTIF, efficiency and cost targets.
• Lead daily production planning meetings and manage short‑term schedule changes.
• Monitor performance data and KPIs, driving corrective action and continuous improvement.
• Line‑manage and develop the Planning Co‑ordinator and Production Section Leaders.
• Work closely with Sales, Production, Transport and Senior Management to align plans and priorities.

Essential Qualifications

• Excellent customer service while optimising the production schedule for best efficiencies.
• Proven experience in production planning within a manufacturing environment, ideally at supervisory or management level.
• Strong working knowledge of capacity planning, scheduling, lead‑time management and workflow control.
• Hands‑on experience using ERP/MRP systems to manage production plans, materials and demand.
• Demonstrable ability to manage production costs, labour planning and output against budget and KPI targets.
• Confident people manager with experience leading, developing and coordinating planning/production teams.
• Strong analytical skills, interpreting production data and translating it into practical actions.
• Excellent communication skills with a customer‑focused mindset and confidence to challenge where needed.
• Comfortable working on site full time in Grantham – applicants should live within a sensible daily commute or be genuine relocators.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience within bespoke, make‑to‑order or low‑volume/high‑mix manufacturing environments.
• Exposure to packaging manufacturing or similar engineered product environments.
• Formal or practical experience of Lean/Continuous Improvement tools (Lean, 5S, SMED, TQM, Six Sigma).
• Experience contributing to or managing planned preventative maintenance (PPM) programmes.
• Supply chain, operations or planning qualifications (e.g. APICS/CPIM) or equivalent experience.

Benefits

• 23 days annual leave (rising with service) plus bank holidays
• Contributory pension scheme
• Bonus and incentive opportunities
• Free on‑site parking
• Employee assistance and wellbeing support
• Extensive training, development and progression opportunities
• Employee discount schemes and mobile phone discounts
• Health, dental and family‑friendly benefits for qualifying roles
• Long service awards and charitable giving options

Next Steps

We aim to hold local interviews in Grantham as soon as possible, with a view to the successful candidate joining us quickly in the new year. Please click 'apply' to submit your CV. All applications will be acknowledged. If you have not heard from us within a fortnight, please assume your application has been unsuccessful.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact our recruitment team.