Production Planner (Northampton)

Our prestigious client is a dynamic and innovative manufacturing company dedicated to producing high-quality products. Launched in 1979, the company initially focused solely on the UK consumer market but quickly became an industry branded name and now exports to over 29 countries around the world. With a commitment to excellence and a focus on continuous improvement, they are seeking a seasoned professional to join their team as Production Planner & Scheduler.

We are seeking a highly organised and agile Production Planner and Scheduler, to operate at the heart of our manufacturing processes and drive excellence in capacity planning, production scheduling, operational efficiency and customer fulfilment. This role is responsible for both medium-term production planning and short-term production scheduling across 20 filling lines, ensuring efficient batch processing aligned with demand requirements and minimum stock levels. Working closely with the Demand Planner and cross-functional teams, the Production Planner must translate forecasted demand into a realistic production plan, then develop detailed daily/weekly schedules that reflect current capacity, constraints, and materials availability.

• Develop and maintain a rolling production plan (typically 2–12 weeks ahead), aligning capacity and resources to forecasted demand and stock targets.
• Translate the production plan into detailed daily and weekly schedules, balancing available capacity, batch sizes, changeovers, and staffing constraints.
• Schedule batch production to maintain agreed minimum stock levels and ensure continuity of supply without overproduction.
• Create and progress SAP-based works orders for all production activity.
• Factor in operational constraints such as lead times, changeover durations, and machine utilisation when generating schedules.
• Respond swiftly to unplanned events—such as downtime, material delays, or urgent orders—by adjusting the schedule while protecting key deliverables.
• Support the implementation and ongoing refinement of Rough-Cut Capacity Planning (RCCP) to anticipate and manage bottlenecks and capacity gaps.
• Monitor actual production against plan and schedule, investigating variances and driving corrective actions where necessary.
• Prepare and present clear, actionable KPI reports, including schedule adherence, line efficiency, inventory coverage, and responsiveness.
• Lead the weekly planning forum and monthly capacity review meetings.
• Identify new ideas and drive improvement in planning and scheduling processes.

• Significant experience in production planning and scheduling within a process manufacturing environment (e.g. food, chemical, cosmetics).
• Strong MRP/ERP system experience and working knowledge of SAP or similar, especially in production planning and materials management modules.
• Experience in designing, implementing and/or improving planning and scheduling processes will be an advantage in this role.
• Understanding of the differences and interplay between medium-term planning and short-term scheduling.
• Proven ability to work flexibly and make real-time decisions in response to changing conditions on the shop floor.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills to collaborate across departments.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and capable of producing clear, actionable planning documentation.

So, if you tick the above boxes, we encourage you to apply today, and a member of the team will review your details and book in a call at a time convenient to you!