At a Glance
- Tasks: As a Production Planner, you'll coordinate daily production schedules and optimise operational efficiency.
- Company: Avara Foods is a leading UK food business supplying chicken and turkey to major supermarkets and restaurants.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, 31 days holiday, life assurance, and lifestyle perks like shopping discounts.
- Why this job: Join a dynamic team in a fast-paced environment with opportunities for growth and recognition.
- Qualifications: Planning experience in FMCG preferred; strong Excel and communication skills are essential.
- Other info: This role is office-based but involves time in a factory setting.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 43200 £ per year.
Join to apply for the Production Planner role at Avara Foods. Who are we, and what do we do? Avara Foods is one of the UK’s leading food businesses, supplying chicken and turkey to the country’s major supermarkets and well-known restaurants. We own and manage our entire supply chain, from farms to factory and all the way to the customer door, meaning we have careers that cover a whole range of functions. We have major processing sites across England and Wales, and an agricultural network of over 350 farms, spanning from North Yorkshire to the South Coast and Wales.
A Little About Our Wednesbury Site: Our advanced manufacturing site in Wednesbury, West Midlands, is our newest advanced manufacturing site, and we’ve invested around £4.7 million into state-of-the-art facilities. Our Wednesbury site is a flagship Added Value centre for Avara, which employs over 150 talented individuals at the site, who help to supply some of the UK’s largest supermarkets and popular restaurants!
About The Role: As an inclusive, forward-thinking business, we take pride in our approach to Operations across Avara Foods and are looking for a highly competent and motivated Production Planner to join our Site Operations Planning Team, based at our Wednesbury site. The role is office-based but you will be required to spend time in the factory, so you’ll be working in a fast-paced, dynamic FMCG factory environment which is noisy and refrigerated in some areas, manufacturing short shelf life products where hygiene standards are critical. As a Production Planner you’ll be working Monday to Friday 07.00-16.00.
What will you be doing as a Production Planner at Avara? As Production Planner you will:
- Co-ordinate and implement day to day planning & scheduling processes to optimise operational efficiency and maintain service level.
What will your key responsibilities as a Production Planner include?
- Assist with and create daily production schedules for the factory and manage related systems (PMS, WMS etc).
- Coordinate day-to-day planning processes alongside lead planner and schedulers and support in dealing with real-time problems.
- Create forward plans for the next three weeks and communicate pinch points to the Lead Planner.
- Devise, monitor and control raw material requirements and delivery schedules based on weekly and daily production plans, checking for discrepancies (actual vs. expected), highlighting concerns to Lead planner and working closely with logistics to coordinate real-time material supply into the factory.
- Analyse execution accuracy of the schedule from top line and detailed perspectives.
- Perform data entry and spreadsheet maintenance.
- Conduct data analysis (forecast changes, material fluctuations) and identify and execute improvement opportunities where possible.
- Manage short-life requests and strip-out. Investigate reasons and suggest preventative actions.
- Analyse and communicate shortages. Review reasons and suggest preventative actions.
- Communicate supply plans to all stakeholders.
- Ensure effective communication across all supply chain functions.
- Cover for Lead Planner and schedulers when required.
What You’ll Need To Be Successful:
- Planning experience within FMCG preferred.
- Short shelf life or food experience desirable.
- Strong excel skills.
- Strong communication skills to interact effectively cross-functionally.
- Excellent problem solving and analytical skills.
- Able to work on own initiative to drive things forward whilst also being a team player.
The Benefits Of Working For Avara Foods: As a Production Planner you will enjoy a secure, supportive and progressive working environment, where your contribution and achievements will be recognised and rewarded. We offer comprehensive training as well as continuous development as you build your long-term career with us. You can also look forward to benefits that amongst other things include the following:
- Competitive salary.
- Additional shift allowance.
- 31 days holiday allowance.
- 6% pension.
- Life assurance/insurance.
- Various lifestyle benefits, such as cashback perks, exclusive shopping discounts from well-known retailers, and discounted cinema tickets!
- Wellbeing resources, including free online health advice & support, and wellbeing assessments.
What happens after you apply for this role? After you’ve applied, you’ll be contacted in due course by a Resourcing Officer, to discuss your application and CV further. There’ll also be a chance for you to ask us any questions you may have about the role. If you’re ready to work in a dynamic environment alongside talented people who take pride in delivering great results, apply today! We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer.
Production Planner employer: Avara Foods
Contact Detail:
Avara Foods Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Production Planner
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the FMCG sector, especially in food production. Understanding the dynamics of short shelf life products will give you an edge during discussions and interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Brush up on your Excel skills, as strong proficiency is essential for this role. Consider taking a quick online course or tutorial to enhance your data analysis capabilities.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss real-time problem-solving scenarios. Think of examples from your past experiences where you successfully managed scheduling issues or material shortages.
✨Tip Number 4
Network with current or former employees of Avara Foods if possible. They can provide insights into the company culture and expectations, which can be invaluable during your application process.
We think you need these skills to ace Production Planner
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Read the job description thoroughly to understand the key responsibilities and required skills for the Production Planner position. Tailor your application to highlight relevant experience in FMCG and planning.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasise any previous experience you have in production planning, especially within the food industry. Mention specific tools or systems you've used, like PMS or WMS, to demonstrate your familiarity with the role.
Showcase Your Skills: Make sure to showcase your strong Excel skills and problem-solving abilities in your application. Provide examples of how you've used these skills in past roles to improve efficiency or resolve issues.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a personalised cover letter that connects your background to Avara Foods' values and the specific requirements of the Production Planner role. Use this opportunity to express your enthusiasm for the position and the company.
How to prepare for a job interview at Avara Foods
✨Understand the FMCG Environment
Familiarise yourself with the fast-paced nature of the FMCG industry, especially in food production. Be prepared to discuss how you can adapt to a dynamic environment and manage short shelf-life products effectively.
✨Showcase Your Planning Skills
Highlight your experience in planning and scheduling processes. Be ready to provide examples of how you've optimised operational efficiency in previous roles, particularly in relation to production schedules and material management.
✨Excel Proficiency is Key
Since strong Excel skills are essential for this role, brush up on your spreadsheet abilities. Be prepared to discuss how you've used Excel for data analysis and reporting in past positions.
✨Communicate Effectively
Demonstrate your strong communication skills by preparing to discuss how you've interacted with cross-functional teams. Share examples of how you've effectively communicated supply plans and resolved issues in a collaborative manner.