At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a planning team and ensure smooth order flow in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Company: Established manufacturing business with a strong reputation for excellence.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, supportive team culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by bridging commercial demand with production capabilities.
- Qualifications: Experience in manufacturing planning and proven leadership skills required.
- Other info: Dynamic role with potential for continuous improvement and operational excellence.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
An established and highly regarded manufacturing business is seeking a Planning Manager to join its operations leadership team at its Bridgwater site. This is a key role within the wider operations function, responsible for bridging commercial demand with production capability while leading and developing a dedicated planning team.
You’ll play a central role in external collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and production planning, ensuring orders flow smoothly through the business and customers receive a consistently high level of service. If you thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and enjoy combining people leadership with operational problem-solving, this role offers genuine scope to make an impact.
Key Responsibilities- Leading and developing a team of MPS Planners, managing workloads, performance, and development.
- Acting as a key interface between customer-facing teams, supply chain, and site operations.
- Ensuring accurate and timely processing of commercial enquiries and customer orders through the ERP system.
- Identifying capacity constraints, supply risks, and potential delivery issues, providing early visibility to stakeholders.
- Supporting production teams with order release, expediting, and demand prioritisation.
- Monitoring on-time delivery, backlog, arrears, and lead times, driving continuous improvement.
- Overseeing freight forwarder performance and cost control.
- Maintaining accurate documentation and records to meet audit and compliance requirements.
- Contributing to operational excellence and process improvement initiatives across the site.
- Experience in planning within manufacturing.
- Proven leadership or supervisory experience.
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate.
- A solid understanding of production processes, order flow, and dispatch activities.
- Strong analytical skills and a high level of attention to detail.
- Confidence working with ERP systems and Microsoft Office (SAP or similar systems desirable).
Planning Manager in Bridgwater employer: First Base
Contact Detail:
First Base Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Planning Manager in Bridgwater
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the manufacturing sector and let them know you're on the hunt for a Planning Manager role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your knowledge of production processes and stakeholder management. Think about real-life examples where you've led teams or solved operational problems, as these will really impress potential employers.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just apply anywhere; focus on companies that align with your values and career goals. Use our website to find roles that excite you and tailor your approach to each one, showing how your experience fits their needs.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. Mention something specific from your conversation to show you were engaged and are genuinely interested in the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Planning Manager in Bridgwater
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Planning Manager role. Highlight your experience in manufacturing planning and any leadership roles you've held. We want to see how your skills match up with what we're looking for!
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your skills; demonstrate them! Use specific examples from your past experiences that show your stakeholder management, problem-solving abilities, and familiarity with ERP systems. This helps us see you in action!
Keep It Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate a well-structured application that’s easy to read. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role – we want to understand your experience without getting lost in the details.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for the best chance of being noticed. It’s super easy, and you’ll be able to attach your CV directly. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at First Base
✨Know Your Planning Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of planning within manufacturing. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past experience where you've successfully managed production processes or resolved capacity constraints. This will show that you understand the role and can hit the ground running.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Planning Manager, you'll be leading a team, so it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership style. Prepare to share stories about how you've developed teams in the past, managed workloads, and improved performance. Highlight any specific achievements that showcase your ability to inspire and motivate others.
✨Master Stakeholder Engagement
This role requires strong stakeholder management skills, so think about how you've effectively communicated and collaborated with different teams before. Be prepared to discuss how you've influenced decisions or negotiated outcomes in previous roles, as this will illustrate your ability to bridge gaps between customer-facing teams and site operations.
✨Be Data-Driven
With a focus on monitoring delivery times and driving continuous improvement, it's important to highlight your analytical skills. Bring examples of how you've used data to identify issues or improve processes in the past. Familiarise yourself with ERP systems and be ready to discuss how you've leveraged technology to enhance operational efficiency.