Production and Supply Scheduler in Newtownards

At Eakin Healthcare, we put patients at the heart of everything we do. We are a family-owned global medical device company with a proud heritage of innovation and care. We deliver innovative solutions across Ostomy, Respiratory, and Surgical therapies, along with our Respond home delivery service. Founded over 50 years ago, we now have a team of over 700 dedicated people across three UK manufacturing sites, 12 international sales and distribution centres and export to over 60 countries. We have been recognised as a Great Place to Work! And we are proud to be named among the Best Workplaces in Healthcare and Best Workplaces for Women. At Eakin Healthcare, we are united by one mission: working together to improve lives - just like we have been doing for over five decades.

WHY JOIN US?

• Blended Working
• Bonus
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (rising to 28)
• Option to buy holiday days
• Wellbeing Programme
• Health Cash Plan
• Pension
• Life Assurance
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Referral Scheme
• Long Service Awards
• Free Parking

ABOUT THE ROLE

Reporting into the Senior Production & Supply Scheduler, you will be planning the production across your designated value stream and ordering and expediting a range of FG from suppliers. You will work as part of the supply and execution team but have close partnerships with our manufacturing production management teams, supervisors and line leads within the facility. You will be accountable for generating production schedules across all production lines, including final packing and sampling, to satisfy customer demand and maximise production efficiency. This will be a site-based role in Coleraine. Occasional travel between UK Sites will be required.

KEY ACTIVITIES

• Provide real-time co-ordination and optimisation of materials and production schedules within the immediate horizon.
• Reduce costs and increase efficiency and productivity by creating effective schedules.
• Develop a strong understanding of the production processes and be able to generate and maintain effective daily and weekly schedules.
• Being the key support to manufacturing on daily operational deliverance, optimising, and balancing production lines for the best financial outcome.
• Solve conflicts, seek to improve processes and systems, and help fulfil company and manufacturing expectations.
• Inventory Management: Support decisions around stock holding policy, monitor stock levels and work with Supply Planner to ensure optimal stock holding to support customer and business needs.
• Design, develop and document the detailed scheduling processes.
• Provide visibility of production schedules and production order status to all internal stakeholders, and the corrective actions taken in recovering arrears and unscheduled stoppages.
• Generate reports and schedules through the applicable applications.
• Provide timely responses to all stakeholder queries and requests.
• Liaise with Procurement team to alleviate any material constraints and provide visibility of future material requirements.
• Interface with wider Supply Planning team, Production and Demand Management to ensure on-time delivery of our customers' orders.
• Recording and reporting of Supply Planning KPIs as requested by Supply Planning Manager.
• Supporting Supply Planning and wider business continuous improvement projects and objectives.
• Supporting the review and maintenance of key planning parameters for FG and sub-assembly SKUs.
• Supporting R&D process with scheduling of new product introductions and trials.
• Order and expedite FG SKUs from external Suppliers as required.
• Resolve invoice queries with suppliers.
• Management of intercompany orders within Eakin Healthcare group.

Key Skills

• Strong Excel and data analysis skills within Excel.
• A logical thinker with strong numerical, analytical and evaluation skills.
• Experience in production scheduling via a scheduling application, not Excel.
• A desire to work toward best in class.
• Ability to handle and prioritise multiple tasks.
• Ability to create and understand reports to make production decisions.
• Demonstrable high standard of IT Skills.
• GCSEs (or equivalent) in Maths and English.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to block out noise and focus on the right priorities.
• Ability to solve problems proactively and an effective decision maker.
• Flexible, adaptable, and eager to learn.

Desirable

• Previous experience with Sage X3.
• Formal Supply Chain credential.
• Experience of ordering from external suppliers.
• An understanding of fundamental lean Six Sigma concepts and tools.
• 5S methodologies.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Internal: Interact cross-functionally and cross-site within the manufacturing teams, warehousing, and procurement.
• Collaborate within operations team to ensure the immediate and short-term planning and execution plans are well understood and communicated.
• Communicate with and provide best service to sales, customer services and demand team.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Occasional Travel Requirements to other sites within UK.

COMPETENCIES

• Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Decision Quality: Making good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward.
• Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Optimizes Work Processes: Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Builds Effective Teams: Building strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.

The closing date for applications is: Friday 3rd April 2026. If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close this role earlier than planned.