Senior Materials Planner

Mane Contract Services; West of England; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Mane Contract Services is seeking a Senior Materials Planner to join our Bristol-based Planning team. You will coordinate across Production, Purchasing, Engineering, Quality, Stores, Build and Test to ensure material availability and resolve shortages, enabling a smooth manufacturing flow.

The role requires substantial experience in materials or production planning, strong MRP knowledge, and hands-on work-order management in a low-volume, high-mix environment.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience in materials planning, production planning or manufacturing planning.
• Strong knowledge of MRP-based planning and scheduling.
• Experience in a low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environment.
• Practical experience managing work orders, material requirements and shortages.
• Ability to interpret production schedules into clear material actions.
• Strong organisational and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Proactive, practical problem-solving approach.
• Good IT skills with ERP/MRP experience.
• Ability to identify delivery risks and communicate them.
• Collaborative and dependable approach to work.

Responsibilities

• Raise and maintain work orders to support the production plan.
• Release work orders into production after approval.
• Ensure materials are available with Stores and kitting teams.
• Manage work-order part lists throughout build and test.
• Monitor material availability; resolve shortages with teams.
• Review MRP messages and adjust work orders as needed.
• Support engineering changes, concessions, and deviations.
• Add material requirements to orders with proper investigation.
• Maintain planning data in MRP and business systems.
• Identify and communicate risks to schedules, delivery, or revenue.
• Support master production schedule execution.
• Act as planning point of contact for Build and Test.
• Attend production and gateway meetings and drive process improvements.
• Deputise for Planning Team Leader when required.

Skills

Materials planning

MRP-based scheduling

Production shortages management

Work orders management

ERP/MRP systems

Analytical thinking

Communication & collaboration

Problem solving

Delivery risk identification

Tools

Edwards E1

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

The Opportunity
Senior Materials Planner to join our Planning team in Bristol.
You will work closely with colleagues across Production, Purchasing, Engineering, Quality, Stores, Build and Test to manage material availability, resolve shortages and support the smooth flow of work through the manufacturing process.
Key Responsibilities

• Raise and maintain work orders to support the production plan.
• Release work orders into production following the appropriate approval process.
• Work with Stores and kitting teams to ensure materials are available in line with build schedules.
• Manage work-order part lists throughout the build and test process.
• Monitor material availability and resolve shortages in partnership with Production, Purchasing and other operational teams.
• Review and action MRP messages, including work-order amendment and cancellation requirements.
• Support engineering changes, concessions and deviation permits affecting active builds.
• Add additional material requirements to work orders when required, ensuring that requests are properly investigated and controlled.
• Maintain accurate planning information within the relevant MRP and business systems.
• Identify and communicate risks that could affect production schedules, customer delivery or revenue.
• Support the execution of the master production schedule.
• Act as a key point of contact for planning enquiries from Build and Test teams.
• Attend relevant production and gateway review meetings.
• Support the creation and continuous improvement of planning processes and procedures.
• Deputise for the Planning Team Leader when required.
• Support other Supply Chain and operational teams to maintain the effective flow of materials through the business.

Essential Requirements

• Substantial experience in materials planning, production planning or manufacturing planning.
• Strong knowledge of MRP-based planning and scheduling.
• Experience working within a low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environment.
• Practical experience of managing work orders, material requirements and production shortages.
• The ability to interpret production schedules and translate them into clear material actions.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple activities.
• Good communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• A proactive and practical approach to problem-solving.
• Good IT skills and experience using ERP, MRP or other manufacturing business systems.
• The ability to identify delivery risks and escal...
• A collaborative, dependable and adaptable approach to work.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working within a lean manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of lean principles as applied to materials management.
• Experience using Edwards E1 or a comparable ERP or MRP system.
• Experience managing engineering changes, concessions or deviation processes.
• Previous experience supporting or deputising for a team leader.
• An IOM, ONC, HNC or equivalent professional or technical qualification.