Senior Manufacturing Planner & Team Leader

Michael Page; England; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Michael Page is seeking an experienced Senior Planner for a busy Staffordshire manufacturing operation. The role focuses on production planning, inventory management and customer service performance to meet demand and service targets.

You will lead and develop the planning team, optimise manufacturing schedules with Operations, coordinate with suppliers to secure materials and monitor OTIF performance. Proficient use of MRP, forecasting and advanced Excel is essential to drive continuous

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in a planning role within manufacturing, logistics or supply chain.
• Previous leadership, supervisory or team management experience is key
• Strong understanding of MRP processes, forecasting, production scheduling and inventory management.
• Experience using ERP systems, ideally IFS.
• Strong analytical skills and advanced Excel capability.
• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Commercial awareness and a customer-focused mindset.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Create and manage production plans to meet customer demand and service targets.
• Lead and develop the planning team, driving performance and sharing best practice.
• Monitor and improve OTIF (On Time In Full) performance and schedule adherence.
• Manage inventory levels for raw materials, WIP and finished goods.
• Review capacity constraints and elevate risks to ensure continuity of supply.
• Work closely with Operations to optimise manufacturing schedules and resource planning.
• Coordinate with suppliers to secure raw materials and manage supply risks.
• Support new product introductions, trials and product launches.
• Analyse planning and operational KPIs and present findings to senior management.
• Build strong relationships with Customer Service, Commercial, Logistics and Supply Chain teams.
• Drive continuous improvement across planning processes, inventory management and manufacturing efficiency.

Skills

Planning

Leadership

MRP & forecasting

Data analysis & Excel

Stakeholder management

Customer-focused

Organization & prioritization

Tools

IFS ERP

Job description

Michael Page is seeking an experienced Senior Planner for a busy Staffordshire manufacturing operation. The role focuses on production planning, inventory management and customer service performance to meet demand and service targets.

You will lead and develop the planning team, optimise manufacturing schedules with Operations, coordinate with suppliers to secure materials and monitor OTIF performance. Proficient use of MRP, forecasting and advanced Excel is essential to drive continuous