Production Planner jobs
In any manufacturing/production situation, from a workshop to a high-volume production line, there is a fine balance between producing items much faster than they can be sold and going too slow to keep up with demand. In the ideal zone there needs to be a slight leeway, with any slack taken up by warehousing, but since this has a series of cost implications of its own, it needs to be minimised.
The production planner will be in charge of ensuring productivity is always at an optimal level to meet all demands while cutting out overproduction. Where products are perishable or otherwise time-sensitive this would simply not be an option as overproduction is pure waste. But even making things that will sell eventually but slowly will be a drain on the company’s credit and cash flow.
Using materials requirements planning (MRP) software and systems, the production planner will stay in tune with current stock levels, raw materials availability and customer demands to ensure that as productivity rises and falls, all stock levels are optimised. The planner will be in touch with several parties on a regular basis, most notably forecasters, sales and marketing teams, warehousing staff, suppliers and the factory floor. This is all to gain the best possible insight into the ability to meet customer demand and to guide productivity as it rises and falls throughout the year.
The skills required
The main personal characteristic of a production planner will be a logical, analytical mindset. This he or she will engage to perform the mental juggling act that is production planning. Business understanding will be highly valued, as there is little to distinguish running a business and keeping abreast of the costs and planning production based on the best intelligence. Plans will be being made weekly or monthly, but they will always be subject to change as the situation changes – the good planner will be able to take these changes, and all their after-effects and permutations, in their stride.
There are several popular MRP solutions on the market, and there is a good chance any large company will use one of them, so experience in using one would certainly help. A good working knowledge of all the main spread sheet and word processing solutions will also be helpful for analysis and communication.
Production Planner Jobs in South Yorkshire
Situated in the region of England known as Yorkshire and the Humber, South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county that was established in 1974. It shares borders with Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, as well as West and North Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire.
Those seeking Production Planner positions in the region will have various options to consider, as it is home to a number of large settlements, including Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham.
For much of the region's modern history, South Yorkshire has been known for its mining industry - particularly coal - and steel production. Innovations in the 17th and 18th centuries included crucible steel and stainless steel and during the Industrial Revolution, the region was extremely prosperous.
The local economy went into steep decline during the latter half of the 20th century, but over the last two decades it has seen a significant amount of redevelopment.
Today, South Yorkshire has a thriving retail and service sector, while a number of business parks, manufacturing facilities and innovation centres have also sprung up in recent years. Just some of the companies that can be found in the area include Ronseal, confectioners A.L Simpkin & Co, Plusnet and the Ardagh Glass Group.
What's more, a number of warehousing and distribution centres are located in the region - these are operated by firms like Next, IKEA, Tesco and Amazon.com.
Popular locations
Production planner recruitment at Cast UK
Whether you’re working for a company looking for a production planner or you’re an experienced production planner yourself, Cast UK wants to hear from you. We deal with talent at this level of expertise every day, and we know exactly what kinds of candidates clients are looking for. Your manufacturing operation could really benefit from forming a relationship with Cast UK – please call us on 0333 121 3345 or get in touch here for more info.
For production planners looking for new challenges – please follow the link below and register your details with us. We know there are companies looking for your talents right now, so it could be the smartest thing you can do for your career.
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