Production Planning Manager

Production Planning Manager

Exeter Manufacturing Permanent £50,000 + Benefits

Butler Rose is delighted to be working with a well-established manufacturing organisation in the Exeter area to recruit an experienced Production Planning Manager.

Reporting into the Purchasing & Planning Director, this role will take full ownership of production planning activities, leading a small specialist team and working closely with production and purchasing functions to deliver strong customer service, efficient manufacturing output and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the translation of high-level demand and capacity plans into robust, achievable master production plans
• Drive customer service performance through accurate planning and effective execution
• Work closely with inventory and supply chain colleagues to ensure appropriate stock policies, inventory levels and safety stocks are maintained
• Utilise and continually improve the effective use of planning and scheduling systems (including MRP and finite scheduling tools) to generate and manage production work orders
• Manage capacity and resources, identifying and resolving bottlenecks to optimise production efficiency
• Provide clear communication across planning, production and purchasing teams to ensure plans are understood and delivered
• Lead, motivate and develop the Production Planning team, ensuring high performance, adaptability and collaborative working
• Own and develop planning processes, using meaningful KPIs to monitor performance and support continuous improvement
• Ensure data accuracy across planning systems and use performance metrics to support strategic business objectives

About You

• Proven experience in a production planning leadership role within a manufacturing environment
• Strong understanding of demand forecasting, capacity planning and alignment to business strategy
• Hands-on experience using MRP systems and production scheduling software
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop a team, setting clear expectations and leading by example
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the confidence to make sound operational decisions
• Clear and confident communicator with the ability to work effectively across multiple functions
• Highly organised, numerate and detail-focused, with a proactive and dynamic approach
• Engineering or technical background would be beneficial, though not essential
• Flexible and adaptable, comfortable working in a varied and fast-paced manufacturing environment

The Opportunity

This is an excellent opportunity to join a stable and forward-thinking manufacturer in a key planning leadership role, where you will have real scope to influence performance, processes and service delivery.

Apply today to find out more

Butler Rose is committed to equality in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer.
Butler Rose Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.