Production Planner

Job Title: Production Planner

Report to: Production Manager

Department: Production / Operations

Section: Production Planning & Control

Job Location: Factory / Plant

Date Issued: 26/05/2026

Job Summary

Plans, schedules, and coordinates the production activities of the company to ensure that manufacturing operations meet customer demand, delivery commitments, and quality standards while optimizing the use of materials, labour, and machine capacity. The Production Planner translates sales forecasts and customer orders into executable production plans, monitors progress against schedule, and works closely with production, procurement, warehouse, and sales teams to resolve bottlenecks, balance inventory, and minimise downtime. The role is central to ensuring on-time delivery, efficient capacity utilisation, and effective working-capital management of finished goods and work-in-progress.

Tasks and Duties

• Production Scheduling & Capacity Planning – 30%:
• Develop daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules for all product lines based on sales forecasts, confirmed customer orders, and minimum stock levels.
• Balance production load against available machine capacity, manpower, and shift patterns to maximise throughput and avoid bottlenecks.
• Issue production orders/work orders in the ERP system, sequence jobs to minimise changeovers, and release them to the factory floor in coordination with shift supervisors.
• Re-plan and re-prioritise schedules promptly in response to urgent customer orders, machine breakdowns, material shortages, or quality holds.
• Materials & Inventory Coordination – 20%:
• Generate material requirements (MRP) from production plans and submit timely purchase requisitions to the Procurement team for raw materials, packaging, and consumables.
• Liaise with the Warehouse/Stores team to confirm availability of raw materials and components before releasing work orders, preventing line stoppages.
• Monitor stock levels of raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP), and finished goods; flag slow-moving, excess, or near-expiry stock to management.
• Coordinate cycle counts and reconcile any variances between ERP records and physical stock with the Warehouse and Cost Accountant.
• Demand Forecasting & Sales Coordination – 15%:
• Work with the Sales and Marketing teams to gather demand forecasts, confirm order pipelines, and align production plans with promotional activities or seasonal peaks.
• Communicate realistic delivery dates and lead times to Sales/Customer Service, and proactively notify them of any anticipated delays.
• Maintain an up-to-date order book and ensure all confirmed orders are reflected in the production plan.
• Performance Monitoring, Reporting & ERP Data Integrity – 20%:
• Track daily production output against plan; analyse variances (schedule adherence, OEE, downtime, scrap) and report findings to the Production Manager.
• Prepare weekly and monthly production planning reports including capacity utilisation, on-time delivery, WIP ageing, and forecast accuracy.
• Ensure that all production transactions (work order issue, completion, material consumption, scrap) are accurately captured in the ERP system on time.
• Maintain accurate master data – bills of materials (BOM), routings, standard cycle times, and lead times – in collaboration with Engineering and Costing.
• Cross-Functional Coordination & Continuous Improvement – 15%:
• Chair or attend daily/weekly production meetings with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Procurement, and Warehouse to review progress and resolve issues.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to planning accuracy, lead-time reduction, inventory optimisation, and use of planning tools (ERP, Excel, dashboards).
• Support the implementation of lean manufacturing practices (e.g. Kanban, pull systems, level scheduling) where applicable.
• And any other duties as may be assigned by your supervisor.

Relationships and Responsibilities

Reports to: Production Manager (with dotted-line coordination to the Sales & Marketing on demand planning matters).

Staff Reporting to Job: Production Planning Assistant / Scheduler (where applicable). The role primarily works through influence and coordination with Production Supervisors / Foreman, Procurement Officers, Warehouse Officers, and Quality Control rather than direct line management.

Terms of Employment

Full-time, permanent. Based at the factory/plant, with occasional visits to Head Office, warehouses, or sister factories for planning meetings, stock counts, and cross-site coordination.

Work Environment

Mixed office and factory-floor environment, with regular time spent on the shop floor, in stores, and in planning/coordination meetings.

Extensive use of computer systems, ERP (production, inventory and MRP modules), and advanced Excel.

Fast-paced setting with daily and weekly deadlines; extended hours may be required during peak production periods, month-end, or to recover from disruptions.

Exposure to standard factory conditions (noise, heat, moving machinery); requires adherence to PPE and safety rules when on the shop floor.

Occasional travel to supplier sites, other factories, or branches for coordination, audits, or stock counts.

Minimum Requirements

Educational Background

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Production Management, or a related field. A post-graduate qualification in supply chain, operations, or business administration is an advantage. Professional certification such as APICS CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent is strongly preferred.

Related Work Experience

5–7 years of experience in production planning, scheduling, or materials planning within a manufacturing environment. At least 2 years working with an integrated ERP system (production and inventory modules) is required. Prior exposure to MRP, capacity planning, and lean manufacturing practices is highly desirable.

Languages

Fluent in English. Fluency in local languages is an advantage.

Skills and Competencies

• Production Planning & Control: Strong working knowledge of MRP/MPS, capacity planning, scheduling techniques, BOM and routing management, and inventory control principles.
• ERP & Technical Skills: Proficient in ERP planning modules (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Datacom/ATS, or similar) and advanced Excel (pivot tables, lookups, what-if analysis). Familiarity with planning/BI dashboards is a plus.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Able to analyse demand patterns, capacity constraints, and variance reports; identify root causes of delays and propose practical solutions.
• Communication & Coordination: Effective in coordinating across Production, Sales, Procurement, Warehouse, and Quality functions; communicates plans, changes, and risks clearly to both shop-floor and management audiences.
• Planning & Time Management: Highly organised and deadline-driven; able to manage multiple product lines, priorities, and disruptions without losing sight of overall delivery commitments.

Personality Traits

• Detail-Oriented & Accurate: Consistently accurate with numbers, dates, and data entry into the ERP.
• Proactive & Decisive: Anticipates issues before they escalate and is confident in making timely planning decisions.
• Calm Under Pressure: Maintains composure and clear thinking when handling urgent orders, shortages, or breakdowns.
• Collaborative & Approachable: Builds strong working relationships across departments and shifts.
• Ethical & Trustworthy: Maintains confidentiality of forecasts, costs, and customer information, and upholds high standards of integrity.

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