Materials Planner jobs
Getting products out of the factory and the money in the bank is the ultimate aim of any production enterprise, be it a factory, studio or building site. But at the other end of the process, the materials need to come into play at just the right time. Failure to optimise this side of the business can at best result in inefficiencies and reduced profits, at worst failure to deliver on orders, lost customers and even collapse. No pressure then, materials planners.
The job of the materials planner will be to secure a steady flow of materials into the production process to ensure productivity can continue in line with demand. However securing material supply can be a balancing act because storage has a cost too. This is never truer than in the “just in time” model of production, where materials don’t have time to gather dust – they arrive on site just as they are ready to be used. It means there’s little room for error and it requires military planning, but the savings can be huge. Another reason over-ordering is bad is because it affects cash flow. Money spent on latent materials isn’t available for other purposes and that might necessitate borrowing.
So with the employer’s process in mind, the materials planner will need to liaise with suppliers and organise the optimum means of delivery of materials to meet productivity demands. This can fluctuate seasonally or daily, and the planner will need to have the projections and the orders to hand to make procurement decisions, perhaps daily. While JIT is not always appropriate or possible, as the ultimate model for efficiency of at least one point in the supply chain, any step taken towards it is generally a profitable one.
The skills required
The most important skill of the materials planner will be an analytical mindset. He or he might have to juggle a number of needs to end up at an optimum outcome, and that can mean making decisions that in isolation could look inefficient, but which will add efficiency to the whole system. Mathematics aptitude will be enormously helpful, as will familiarity with planning IT solutions.
There could be some negotiation as part of the job, but at the least the materials planner will regularly need to be in touch with suppliers to place orders. Good communications skills will be required for this part of the job. The planner will be in constant touch with analysts, buyers and sales teams, so the need to be communicative will be at the heart of the position.
Materials Planner Jobs in Lisburn
Lisburn is a city whose centre is 7.5 miles (12 km) south west of the centre of Belfast. It is Northern Ireland’s newest city, gaining city status in 2002 for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. The city is historically noted for its links with the linen industry, and now has a museum dedicated to the craft. To Lisburn’s north west are the banks of Lough Neagh, which at 151 square miles (392 sq km) is the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles by surface area (Lake Windermere, England’s largest, is only about 5.5 square miles in area!). The city is connected to Belfast by the M1 motorway. It is also on the railway line from Belfast to Dublin, and trains can be taken from the city centre to both capitals.
Although the population of Lisburn is roughly 70,000, it is part of The Dublin-Belfast Corridor, which is home to 3 million people. The population of the whole of Northern Ireland is just under 2 million. Close to three quarters of a million people live in the Belfast area, which means that about a third of the population is concentrated in this small area on the country’s east. The city’s population is growing steadily, and indeed the local government is attempting to boost Lisburn’s population with a set of schemes it is putting in place.
With its growing population and excellent links to Belfast and Dublin, Materials Planner positions do come up in Lisburn or its neighbouring areas relatively frequently. Northern Ireland as a whole has seen more prosperity over the past decade or so, and it’s now considered a good place to invest, which can only be good news for the logistics, supply chain and procurement industries.
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Cast UK’s supply chain opportunities
Cast UK’s founder members and consultants all come from the logistics, procurement and supply chain sectors, so we know what employers and candidates are looking for in their staff and careers respectively. We are a growing force in the UK recruitment industry, mainly because these are the only sectors we deal with. Many employers often come to us first to create a candidate shortlist because they know we’re tightly focused on delivering the best people to them.
Applicants approach Cast UK for many reasons. They might be seeking more job fulfilment, they could have been made redundant or they might simply be relocating for family reasons, so it’s good to know that we always have the complete range of positions available nationwide. Please see what’s available in your region and if you’ve seen something you’re interested in, do get in touch – whether it’s today or tomorrow, we might have the ideal position for you.
To find out more about how Cast UK can help you recruit a Materials Planner for your business or find you a job as a Materials Planner then contact one of our consultant team on 0333 121 3345.
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