Production Planner

Vickerstock in partnership with a leading Food Manufacturing company are recruiting for an experienced production Planner

Key Responsibilities

• Production Scheduling: Develop and issue daily production plans in line with the weekly schedules and operational priorities.
• Coordinate production activities to maximise efficiency, reduce downtime, and minimise unnecessary product changeovers.
• Ensure all raw materials and ingredients are planned accurately and available on time to support production requirements.
• Monitor ingredient usage and manage surplus cooked ingredients effectively to minimise waste and support future production runs.
• Communicate key production information to relevant departments, including shelf-life concerns, product trials, and launches.
• Identify and escalation potential planning or production issues such as stock shortages, labour requirements, or capacity constraints.
• Work closely with Purchasing, Production, and Warehouse teams to ensure smooth operational flow and material availability.
• Attend daily operational meetings to resolve planning issues and respond promptly to schedule changes or urgent orders.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date production planning documentation and ensure the latest schedules are in use.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to enhance planning accuracy, operational efficiency, food safety, and customer service levels.

Essential Requirements

• Experience: Proven experience as a Production Planner, preferably in FMCG.
• Technical Skills: Proficient in MS Office, especially Excel; familiarity with production planning software is a plus.
• Competencies: Strong organisational skills, problem-solving abilities, effective communication, and teamwork orientation.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration, Supply Chain Management, or related field preferred; CPIM certification is advantageous.

Hours: Monday-Saturday 8am - 5pm (includes Bank Holidays, Saturday in rotation, half day for time off in lieu)