Production Planner (Manufacturing)

Production Planner (Manufacturing) Location: Burghfield, Berkshire (RG30 3RP / RG30 3RR) Contract: 18 Months (Until December 2027) Rate: £200–£235.24 per day (Inside IR35) CV Deadline: Tuesday 28th July 12pm Production Planner – Charlton Recruitment is recruiting on behalf a UK Government facility which designs, manufactures, and maintains important UK's weponary for an experienced Production Planner to join its Manufacturing team at Burghfield. This is an exciting opportunity to support one of the UK's most important defence organisations, helping to deliver complex manufacturing programmes within a highly regulated environment. You'll play a key role in planning, coordinating and optimising production activities to ensure operational demands are delivered safely, efficiently and on schedule. About Organisation Supports the UK's nuclear deterrent through world-class science, engineering and manufacturing. Operating at the forefront of national defence, this organisation combines technical excellence with an uncompromising commitment to safety, security and quality. The Burghfield site is responsible for the assembly, maintenance and decommissioning of the UK's nuclear warheads. The Role As a Production Planner, you will provide planning support across Manufacturing and Science Operational Delivery Units, ensuring production activities are effectively scheduled, coordinated and aligned to operational priorities. Working closely with manufacturing, engineering and programme teams, you will maintain production schedules, manage planning data and drive continuous improvement to maximise delivery performance. Key Accountabilities: • Support the maintenance of the Master Production Schedule/supplementary schedule and ensure forecast dates are accurate. • Maintain and promote high personal standards in environment, safety, health, security and quality and to be a great team player. Key Responsibilities: • To detail plan methods of manufacture in response to tasking requirements with full regard to time, cost and quality. • Ensure local MRP system is updated and accurate. • Demonstrate and use ‘Lean Planning’ techniques and ‘Production Control’ processes such as visual management, Kanban and Push/Pull in the operational/ manufacturing areas. • Proactively tackles blocks and barriers to progress. • Responds positively to the needs of internal and external customers. • Attend Visual Management board meetings ensuring all actions are being addressed. • Liaises with Delivery Units for clarification and coordination of balanced and de-conflicted demands and plans. • Support the creation and maintenance of Basis of Estimate with Production costs and schedules. • Ensure all planned requirements are aligned within the Master Production Schedule/Supplementary Schedule and loaded into the local MRP system (where used). • Liaises with other functions within the technology centres for clarification and coordination of balanced and de-conflicted production demands and plans. • Updating and reporting on Key Performance indicators as required. • Promote and sponsor operational excellence and drive all actions aimed at continuous process improvement. • Works effectively with others and building required relationships and interfaces to support delivery of the Programme. • Provide a diverse and inclusive working environment that allows individuals to flourish and realise their potential. • Work with others to form high performing teams. • Adopt a ‘See It, Own It, Solve It’ mind-set, by identifying obstacles to success and taking ownership to find solutions to those problems. About You Essential: • Proven experience in production planning within a manufacturing or precision engineering environment. • Engineering background (Precision Engineering/Mechanical or Manufacturing) with a strong understanding of machining processes, manufacturing routes, and shop floor operations. • Experience managing material availability, supplier deliveries, purchase orders, and production schedules, with the ability to reforecast plans in response to supply chain challenges. • Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across supply chain, operations, manufacturing teams, suppliers, and customer-facing functions. • Good computer literacy and planning/reporting skills, with experience tracking production performance, analysing forecasts, and delivering accurate updates to internal and external stakeholders. Desirable: • Experience in SAP and ERP systems What's on Offer * £200–£235 per day (Inside IR35). * 18-month contract through to December 2027. * Opportunity to work on nationally significant defence programmes. * Long-term contract within one of the UK's leading engineering and manufacturing organisations. * Collaborative, technically challenging environment with excellent career-enhancing experience